Haadi Abdulkadir is a full time traveller with roots in Mombasa, Kenya. A quick look at his Instagram page @haaditravels shows the different places he has travelled to, with an impressive 30 different countries in Africa and beyond.
Haadi’s adventurous nature and curiosity have led him to some pretty amazing adventures around the world. But he has no desire to stop exploring anytime soon.
Haadi explains to us his interest in travelling, his experience so far, the challenges poised by the pandemic and his plans for the future.
1. Tell us about yourself
My name is Haadi Abdulkadir and I love to travel, take photos and tell stories.
2. Why do you like travelling?
The people and experience, the chance to photograph amazing people and places. The chance to learn and grow, the feeling of ultimate freedom to do as I wish. For me long term budget travel is living the dream.
3. How do you afford to travel?
I trade Online Forex and that’s how I can travel and work at the same time. I am a budget traveler. I enjoy traveling to marginalized and somewhat misunderstood countries.
4. How many countries have you travelled to so far? Do you have a favorite and why?
I have visited 18 countries in Africa and 12 countries outside of Africa. My goal is to visit every country in the African continent.
My favorite country I’ve visited so far is Namibia. In Namibia, travelers have access to good roads, friendly people, wonderful national parks and the desert. My favorite experience about Namibia was spending a day and living among the Himba tribe.
5. Do you have a least favorite and why?
My least favorite country was Tanzania. I have had a really bad experience with Tanzanian Immigration services, almost every-time I visit Tanzania, I go through interrogation because of my heritage. I am Somali and I travel with a Kenyan Passport. I think our neighbors don’t know that Kenya is a diverse country and Somali is a tribe in Kenya.
6. If you could move anywhere in the world where would it be?
I would move to Australia because of it’s high quality of life, low population and great natural landscapes.
7. How often do you travel?
I am a full-time traveler but with the pandemic rules traveling has gotten harder and expensive. Most countries require vaccination certificates from travelers to their countries. I wish our government can make vaccines available for everyone in the country.
8. Is this your main job?
No, I do not earn money from traveling. However, I have plans to create content and generate revenue, and inspire other people to travel the world.
9. If you could volunteer anywhere, what type of organization would you volunteer with?
United Nations Volunteer Worldwide and work with NGO to teach English in a random country.
10. Who takes the photos you are in?
Mostly I take photos of people and places myself. When I need my photo to be taken I ask help from strangers.
11. Who is your biggest travel inspiration?
My biggest travel inspiration is my grandfather. He was a world traveler and a nomad and lived in the Middle East and Africa. My mother used to tell me stories of his trips when I was a child. That is how I got inspired to travel and follow his footsteps.
12. Do you have a dream destination?
Yes, I Do. I have plans to travel inland from Kenya to Somalia passing through Ethiopia
spend three months in Somalia, meet people, eat the food, and create content.
13. Will you ever have enough of traveling?
No, I will not. I dislike staying in one place for a long period of time. Travel is freedom for me.
14. Do you do other things while traveling?
I love to collect flags, buy souvenirs from the places I visit, and make friends on the way that will be travel buddies.
15. What tips would you give a budding traveller or travel blogger?
Just begin your journey. The most amazing travel experiences happen in unexpected places.