 with some are saying over 20 million, I don't know. A ritual journey that typically takes five days to complete upon arrival in Iraq's holy city of Karbala. Erbayin commemorates the end of the 40-day mourning period for the prophet Mohamed's grandson, Imam Hussein. One analyst says its popularity is the result of its message. Stand against tyranny and oppression, and that's a message that all human beings adhere to. While it is a Shia spiritual exercise not unusual to see Sunnis, Christian, Yazidis and Zoroastrians also partake in this pilgrimage. What would you tell them about the, what would you do, would you encourage them to go? I would just quite simply two little words, go. I mean, obviously you might find it difficult with a visa through Iraq, you know. If they really did want to go, then if they're determined, just like I was, I found a way. So I found you people, or even vice versa, it's irrelevant. But if you want to go, you'll find a way of getting your visa, you know. You'll make friends or you'll go to an Islamic centre or whatever, and you'll find a way of getting a visa. So you'll go, I'd recommend it. You wouldn't even need any money in your pocket, except to give to charity, you know. You will be fed, clothed, bedded. You have nothing to worry about. I'm Martin Modelling, I live in Bromley in Kent now. I'm known as Martin the Vege from the days when I had an allotment. And I used to go into the pub with a veg on the way back. So that name stuck. I'm now just coming up to 67, obviously retired, disabled now. And I've been coming here now for something like 51, 52 years. We do originally come from West London. My grandparents actually got married in Fulham Palace Road there. And as a youngster, I lived in Fulham. I can't remember the names of the roads now. But all my uncles and aunties, I've lived in Hammersmith or Chiswick. I didn't have a very happy shoulder, and as much as my dad used to beat us quite a bit, you know, in temper. I'm not saying we didn't deserve it, of course, me and my twin brother, because we were naughty. And I used to climb out the bedroom window when I was quite young and go off travelling hitchhiking up the country. And with Doug we'd get a phone call from a police station. They'd come and pick me up somewhere, like maybe not in him or somewhere. By the time I got to 15, you could buy a day ticket then to go over the channel. You'd take your photos in a booth and you could go over for the day. I hitchhiked all around Europe on that day thing. I was about 15. I used to play the mouth organ under the Eiffel Tower for a few shillings, or francs then, of course. So I've always had it in my blood. I don't know where it came from, because none of my family were that way inclined, but that's the way it's been. And it's been easier to do travelling really, especially with the two marriages. As I've got older, I've been able to be tired early through illness. So I was able to save and squint about and go on quite a few trips. I've enjoyed everywhere really. I loved Kashmir, it was a nice place. I was right up near the Chinese border there and more or less like a sort of a lake district, foot of the Himalayas, I enjoyed that. Iran I enjoyed a few years back, very enjoyable history. You know, I've travelled in Palestine, which was, well, I wouldn't say it was one of the nicest places, but interesting of course. Well Iran was basically, I went on my 60th birthday, or that was the trip for my 60th. It was basically because I've been reading Middle East politics for about 30 years, Iran always comes into that. So I thought it was about time I went there. That was it really. I knew Persia was obviously plenty of history. I hadn't changed my reading by then. But that was the reason, it was mainly because it comes up in the political things, like it does today. Well I'm interested in the arbin, the walk for Imam Hussein. I'm very interested in that. So I think it would be a good experience. It's a big thing in the sheer world, part of their makeup. It would be good to be part of that. I will find it very interesting. Well, two years since we found out I had cancer was actually only last week. What happened was I had a mild headache at the front of my head here for probably about three weeks, which is the time they tell you to give it before you go to the doctor. I put it down to the central eating like, you know, but as luck had it one particular morning I went to get out of bed and I was weak and I fell and I knocked my right ear against the cupboard, you know, like the small cabinet, bedside cabinet, and it cut my ear. And although it was only a nick, because obviously I'd been taking aspirin for years because I had a mini-stroke some years back and had the stent put in my neck. So obviously I bleed quite profusely, like with even a nick with shaving. So I decided to go to the hospital. My daughter came with us as well and my wife went and we got there at lunchtime, early lunchtime. They couldn't find anything wrong with me until the doctor came in, a young fellow, a day old, lovely man, came in and told us they'd found something. And my daughter sort of said, like, is it cancer? And they sort of nodded. So they sort of broke down in tears, like, I suppose I was just to get in my stride, really. Maybe it didn't sink in. That was about her past eight, as I say. Turned out I had a, what do you call it in the head? Tumor, just down there. It was on my cerebellum, which is your balance, but your brain affects your balance. So anyway, I had my first meetings at Guy's Cancer Centre and it turned out that I was right. There's a guinea pig treatment, you know, and obviously when you've told you've got cancer you'll take anything, really, as far as I'm concerned. So I said, yeah, I'll do it. And anyway, as luck had it, I took the lump out in Lewisham, Lewisham Hospital, it all went well. In fact, I was on the next day, albeit wobbly. Got myself a mobile scooter, you know, so I could still take the dog out every morning. That was Andy. And after that, some months later, the Cancer Centre applied to the government to put me on this special machine and I went to the private hospital, the upper hospital, to have a special helmet screwed onto my skull and it zapped all the rest of the cancer away, but left the rest of the head alone, which is what most national people have and it's pretty painful and this, that and the other. So I was very lucky that I was given that because it was part of the guinea pig stuff and they said, yes, you know, and of course that was like a five-star hotel being in there. And that more or less hoovers up the stuff on your brain that's left, the cancer that's left because obviously you can't touch it. So that was the result. And every three weeks I go into, guys, I'm going in this afternoon to have my treatment. I have a cantaloupe in. They put the juice through and what they're doing is they're playing with my immune system and trying to trick the cancer. So I have quite a hard time, not the same as people that have chemo and all that, but I still have difficulties. My legs are weak, you know, I won't go too much into the details and that, you know, I've made it here today, I make it to the ground for most games. I'm absolutely knackered when I do get here, but anyway, cut a long story short, my cancers, I've got lung cancer, liver cancer, I've got cancer in my pancreas and in my spine and all four cancers have been arrested. So I am a success case. But it has its price, of course, but I'm not complaining, of course. And the other question you asked me is how that affects my travelling. It obviously makes it very difficult. I move very slowly. I don't get my money's worth when I go. Unfortunately, it doesn't stop me going because it's what I want to do. So it does seem a shame that I spend money doing these things, but I have to do them and I'll do them and I'll do as much as I can. If it means one day I can't do much, then so be it, it's the way it's wheeled. Last question. What are you most looking forward to being on the walk? Being on the walk, seeing the shrines, which look absolutely fabulous. The shrine, obviously, of Imam Ali as well as Imam Hussein, his son, Imam Abbas, meeting the people on the walk. Sunshine. Just generally being part of it. How was your trip? A bit of a drag. It was pretty normal. I had travelled. How bad was? Bad was. Alright, what are you looking forward to? First night. Apart from three points out of eight, I would have to say, Imam Ali's shrine. The two shrines, Imam Hussein's shrine and the walk, but not for the walking. In order to see the people, look at their emotions and faces, et cetera. How does it feel to be in the city which used to be the capital where Imam Ali was in power? A bit different now, of course. Imam Hussein, I don't know how it was, but I'm sure it'd be better than I'm on the road on the way from the airport. But yeah, it feels good to be here. It's a destination and I'm here. So, yeah. The way to remember Ali's shrine. You can see it in front of me, it's done. It's very, very busy. It's not even eight o'clock in the morning yet. It's dusty, getting very warm and looking forward to going inside. I did sort of expect a lot of grouch, you know. It's just going to get busier and busier. I did like it last night, seeing it all lit up was a bit special. The chemical philosophy and the security as well as the event, so we could get a better look inside. Yeah, I will feel quite a bit of a connection with all the reading that I've done and now I've gone on to Islam and the caliphates, et cetera. So I will feel a connection with knowing the life story of this man who put lots of mental pictures inside my head. So it'd be like watching a film and it'll come together. So that's another connection that I personally make. It'll be like a jigsaw and the pieces coming together knowing how he met his death and how he lived his life. It's like the finish of it, I guess. Has your relationship with him already? Has that improved, strengthened? Do you kind of feel that you're closer to this character? Yeah, I feel like I know him now. I mean, especially reading his Peak of Elevance is a fantastic book for anybody, any religion, any person. Any mind-minded, decent person would enjoy it. And it can put you in good stead for being a decent person. And by reading that and having visited the shrine, I do feel, I know him a lot better. You know, a fantastic character. And it makes me feel very strongly that he really should have been the first Caliph as well. You know, I'm still not sure why he wasn't. Obviously I know about the, you know, what happened that shouldn't have been allowed to happen. But unfortunately, what I've read and what I've concluded is he was very unlucky that everything went against him. So many different circumstances. You know, even if you look at, like, Karajites, you know, how he had to go and that caused problems, you know, which eventually led to his death. I just think he was very unlucky that everything conspired against him. So in terms of Imam Ali, what parts of his character and his personality really stood out for you? Oh, well, without a doubt, you know, you can compare Imam Ali with Jesus, really. You know, they were both perfect men that obviously sent from above for a reason, you know, to get the religion started and to get people to be decent people and to live properly. And this man buried here is in the same mould. You know, there are like two peas in a pod and he was a special man. Otherwise, you know, why would you have all these people here and all that today? Well, I'm excited to go inside the shrine and obviously it's a sad time for these people, so, you know, it's not a great deal of joy here because of the sadness involved. So until maybe I get inside and feel some spirituality, maybe, you know, when I'm inside the shrine, I think the question would probably be answered more inside than outside. Last thing, what are you looking for from this experience? From here in Najaf with Imam Ali, what your quest, what are you looking for? I'm just hoping more than anything to connect all the pieces and all the books that I've been reading in the last, say, two years, which has led me through the early days of the Caliphate, the Star, the death of Muhammad and the Ali and the situation at that time and also the beginnings of the religion, etc. It's like a jigsaw. We'll put all the pieces together, I think, and I think that would be the main thing, complete picture. Now, I found out fantastically inside the shrine itself. I felt honoured to be able to touch the tomb. It was quite an experience. I could show my respects by touching it. To see how much it meant to the local people, the Iraqis, you could tell how much it meant to them to just touch it and say a prayer. The lady who was sobbing, you know, audibly at the entrance there, was very moving, showed you how much love for the man who was there, you know, and the sadness for how he met his end. So, yeah, that was something I'll ever forget that, seeing that lady like that. A lot of people go to see Imam Ali with their wishes and prayers. Did you say a little prayer for yourself? I took a small one, like really, just that I can just carry on living right with my cancer. I asked for as much time as I'd been given. I've had been lucky. I've been given two years now. I just hope that I can keep going, you know. This has helped me to reach that goal, to keep going. And if Imam Ali was alive today, what would you say to him? What would you ask him? Oh, that's a difficult question, really. I think I would just have to have a nice long conversation with him, really. It would probably be about the political situation at the time, you know, which was obviously why I read it. It's a very fascinating subject, so I might even be able to advise him, you know. So, perhaps you should do certain things a different way, or maybe, you know, and I'm sure we could sit down and have a good chat. Touching the shrines was important to me, and that was hard work. You know, I'll never forget that one fellow there who was quite, you know, stocky, got a tall bloke, and he spent a lot of time there. No one could get near the shrine, you know. I didn't like the idea of everyone shoving and pushing and elbowing. I didn't think that was right, you know. There should be some kind of a system, you know, where people can do their touching and rub their silk scarves or whatever, you know, for a souvenir, you know, because I just managed to touch it with my fingers and it was important for me, out of respect. You know, and I did manage it, so I was pleased about that. That's a big memory of mine. I'm disappointed that I couldn't take any pictures inside the shrine, but I can understand obviously why not. You know, I took pictures inside the shrine of Iran, but my God, I was careful when I was saw me. So once we came away from there, I could enjoy the surroundings and the glass. It was phenomenal, you know. Better than anything I saw in Persia, I hear Iran. I must say it's one of the nicest shrines I've ever been to. Very fitting for them. Man is buried there. Very fitting indeed. Oh yes, the walk itself was very vivid. You have to remember I didn't walk very much, did I, because of my legs. I did what I could and I was lucky that I was in the position that you people, you know, had me a car to move further up the walk. But yeah, the walk was fantastic. There's lots of people who did come up to me to talk. Lots didn't, obviously, but a lot did. Lots of them wanted to have pictures taken of me. I particularly enjoyed when the Iranian TV turned up and were desperate to interview me. That was interesting, especially as I'd been to Iran, you know, recently. I found that interesting. I enjoyed watching the people with their flags and the kids, you know, and they were walking 80 kilometres, 50 miles, you know, and fair play to them, like, you know. I was very respectful of what they were doing, you know. Well, it's 700 metres now. Well, I'm glad the sun's not out in the sun, but it's going to be out soon. It's not too bad for walking in, really. You know, we need proper heat and it's quite tolerable for me. My thighs are starting to play up, it's really up to me. Next to doing OK, because of the painkillers, so, yeah, I'll just need to keep going. I've got more grip on there. Everything's good so far. So, one question, I think, is on everyone's mind. Why are you doing this walk-up? Why have you decided to take this question? Well, a lot from Najaf Dikadiba now. I think it's a good place to show my respect for the Shia with the religion and for the... I don't think I'm going to say nobody went through just the humanity, really. So, yeah, I'm doing it for him. The same has not lots of other people are. As well as, of course, experience in himself. I'm just looking at the screen. Oh, yeah. Is it as you expected it to be? I think so, yeah. So, I think so. Yeah, you know, to be fair, you know, it's a... the world's shrunk now. You can go on seeing videos and all that. I've only had a quick glance. I didn't want to spoil it for myself by watching those videos. I just glanced at one or two. So, yeah, this is actually, you know, it's not the same as being here, you know. I've done my life football matches as I said before, you know. You're there, it's nice. And then watching it on the screen. So, yeah, sure. Being present, taking it to your friend experience. Yeah, so I want to do as much as I can for myself, for my, you know, my god's the same as your god. So, I'm showing my faith in what I believe in by doing this as well. You know, as I'm not in a race, I feel just by being here on part of the walk. And I'm showing my respect for the chair and for the e-man. I'm showing my respects for that. I believe I've been here, you know. And it's showing me what I read about, you know, back in the day, in the early days. People used to come here and that's what they're doing now. It's just that he's got bigger and I'm there doing it. Something that happened thousands of years ago. It's history. It's great. It's been the last four years travelling in the Middle East, so it's nothing new to me. The only thing that's new to me is the Iraqi people. And, obviously, this, this half-eaten walk is showing me the Iraqi people. But, yeah, I mean, I know about Arab countries and I've been to many Arab countries and I've spent many times in different places. So, the culture's got a shock or anything. It's mainly just the hospitality is something that's really like, you know, the Iraqis. What kind of things have you received already from people? Oh, we've been offered sweets, obviously plenty of water, lunch, chicken and rice. I mean, if you were to go into every place that they asked you to go into, you wouldn't be able to move. Your stomach would be bulging and you'd be carrying it in front of you with a wheelbarrow. It's phenomenal, like, you know, the hospitality, with all the armchairs, you know, places to rest, to go to sleep. Fantastic, yeah, fantastic hospitality. Okay, so we've just had two hours of very slow walking because it's been very difficult for me. My thighs are starting to play up now. I'm getting spasms in there. Legs, eight. Even though I'm full of trauma, though. So it's time to stop now and have a rest. Stretch my legs out and just chill, you know. Drink another cup of lovely shay. And how have you found it after now? Okay, good. Yeah, it's been good. How much do you reckon you'll be able to do? I think we'll have a rest, probably about the same again. Probably. It's hard to say, really. You know, I just haven't got that routine. I'm going to do as much as I can, obviously. It's the idea for me. We just have to get off the car from the flight to see how we're going. Well, I think the monkeys have been fantastic. You know, I've managed to lay down to stretch my legs, which has obviously been playing out. I sat down and some bread and some meat was given to me. Then some more meat came out. It was given to me. I've had young boys who are obviously interested in notting myself. They've wanted to get me cups of tea or chai, which has been nice because I love the stuff. And I've been up to lay down and relax. I can't sleep because of the flies, unfortunately. It's part of the course. They stopped me sleeping. The hospitality is fantastic. I'm looking at a queue now because there's food coming out and there's been a massive queue for the last 10 minutes. The queue's been moving. The people is fantastic. I've seen people with bread, you know, you can feel it. 50-tum, lorry, the bread, I've seen people have. It's been freshly baked for the people. I've just went to the toilet earlier. The toilets are clean, really. Obviously not spotless, but they haven't been left in a mess. If one's been blocked up, it looks like someone's quickly cleaned it. It was very clean. It surprised me. I think it might be the last place we went, early at the airport. It's a great place to relax. I'm sure there's people in this country who earn a lot of money and I'm sure a lot of these people don't. I think they've probably spent their own money or maybe their own property. One of their own sheep has been slaughtered for the food. They've given up their time to make sure that everybody is fed and watered and can go to the toilet and clean this. It's a fantastic thing to see. If you don't mind roughing it a bit, I'd recommend it to anybody. Obviously, if you're looking for five-star hotel comforts, you're not going to get it. If you're a travelling person and you're interested in religions and the Shia in particular, then you should come. You've got to be among it and see exactly how strong that is. I mean, obviously, many years ago, about our hospitality, especially the bedroom, having been among them. But yeah, it's outstanding. I can remember it all more or less, but the one that sticks out for me was not long after we'd started out from the jeff and we'd stopped. It might have been our first stop to rest, have something to eat, drink, go to the toilet, etc. And we hadn't walked maybe another 10, 15 yards when we met that character fella who tried to get us into his wall keep and he wouldn't take no for an answer. We'd just eaten, we were full up, we had to get going in it again. But that fella was a character. I can just picture him being here now, trying to almost force us into his... to eat and drink and rest. But unfortunately, we'd just finished. So that really sums it up, really. That's like that all the way, isn't it? And how do you feel now that you've taken a bit of a nap? You said that you were quite tired, you came in? I am very tired, you know. But that's not because of the weather or the wall. That is because of my situation. Unfortunately, I've got a bag that I could have done without the waiters in there. That is an awful situation on my shoulders. Unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to walk anywhere in years, but I'd love to. Well, I mean, I'd love to, as I said previously, do the whole thing, but that's impossible. It's just a case of seeing what I'm like tomorrow now. You have to remember that my oncologist told me that I shouldn't walk, really, at all. So any walking I do is probably a bonus. Which I'm sorry about, but that's the way it is. I've just felt 40 years younger. And I've made a taxi ride for about 200 other people. That is enjoyable, unless you've been. My mind started wandering back to as many years ago. So yeah, we've got a taxi and a short way to help me along. We were about halfway now to the only city of Kuala. Looking for somewhere to spend the night now so I can rest up. We can eat, relax, see how my legs are tomorrow. It's just starting to get dark now, so the camera can probably just pick it up on. So the journey continues. I think as we get closer, it'll probably be a lot tougher over the crowds. Yeah, it gets more exciting, and more useful when we get closer, I guess. How do you reckon you'll be tomorrow morning as you get a good night's sleep? What are you hoping for? Probably something down on the big front of the stairs. I'm getting a good rest, so I need a lot of sleep, luckily for me. It's all about the very top of the slide on the street besides that. I'll stop that out when I get back on. I think I'll feel a bit better now that I've rested. So I'll definitely be able to go a bit more walking. So Martin, one of our members of the community, he's got a mookip of himself. He's got a mookip of his own, and he's invited us to see this tonight. I want to introduce you to Abod Al-Sul. What's his name? His name is Abod Al-Sul. What's his name? The father of Al-Sul. The father of the message? No, I don't know his name. You didn't call him? He's Al-Sul, yeah. He's Abod Al-Sul. Rassul. Rassul. Oh, I know that name. Rassul, yeah. Rassul. Peace be upon you. Peace be upon you. How are you? How are you? I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine. Hopefully tonight, we'll be staying at his house. We'll give him the chance to serve us. So last night, we met with Abod Al-Sul. And what he did was put his mookip was still in preparation. He might have said, you know, introduce us to someone who's willing to take us into his house. I mean, I want to ask you is that how difficult or how easy is it to take care and to host people, especially in a world like this? Well, it's a great effort from Rassul. If you look around at the room, obviously we had some one or two other men and some interesting conversations last night. I believe there's another big room somewhere full of people as well. So what a great effort. Can you say it? Everything that the wall represents really, isn't it? How was your experience this last night? Were you taken care of? Did they provide the best service they could? Were they very eager to keep you happy? Well, it was no different staying in the hotel. Really, probably, well, it's better than staying in a hotel. We had the typical Arab big silver platter came out with some food, lovely food. We sat down to eat. Lovely food. These magnificent blankets came out and some mattresses. And, yeah, we was all able to go to sleep and have some rest. We are at Abul Shul's Mokib right now, which is hole number 564. The Mokib's not prepared properly at the school. Everything ready. Abul saying it was nice enough to invite us to his home. He said that his house was very, very respectable. He's brought us in because he's part of the Mokib as well. Showing the preparations that they're going through and there's a warden coming to visit. We've got chickens over there. They're going to train tomorrow. There will be loads of pots and pans and plates, but the plates are supposed to be plates. There will be gas canisters for the cooking. And in the shower, they'll be ready tomorrow to start serving. What do you think of the set of mine? They're putting their own time and money into it. It's a fantastic effort, unbelievable, really. These people are working in the heat to serve the people. It's fantastic. The people are working in the heat. He's been coming every year. Every year he comes here. He's saying every year come here. I hope he'll like it. I hope he'll like it. I hope he'll like it. I hope he'll like it. I hope he'll like it. I hope he'll like it. We're going to have 5-10 more times. I hope they'll come and celebrate. Imam Al-Hussein is coming. He's coming to visit us. He's coming to visit us. I hope he'll like it. I hope he'll like it. I hope he'll like it. I hope he'll like it. I hope he'll like it. The thighs are starting to fly up now. It's a new thing for me. It only started a couple of weeks back. I haven't had a chance to speak to anybody about it yet. Obviously it's getting weaker. You can see it's slowing down a bit. Not that I was going much faster in the first place. You're getting more optimistic now that you're officially in the city of Kobela? Boundaries can be such a long way away. It doesn't really mean a lot. It often means that you've got a long way to go. How do you empathise with maybe the women of the camp of Imam Al-Hussein who had to walk this exact walk that you're walking now? I'm sure they probably felt a lot like I do now, but mentally they've had even more things to deal with. Emotionally and mentally, obviously seeing all their loved ones mess it up. I just don't know how they've done it. To be honest with you, I know generations before are usually a lot tougher than the ones that come after. I don't know how they got through that I've really done. We're walking on time. It's not easy as well. I'm sure they're just walking on all sorts of sand and scrubbing stuff. Oh yeah, you can only admire it, can't you? You can understand the people who are walking. Are you surprised by the sheer number of people considering it's still early days? Well, I was never going to be surprised by the numbers. The numbers that I'm seeing now, considering it's about 10 days to go to the action of day, I'll be in the full two for the full year of day. It's just the end of October, the last day. It's phenomenal. It's like this for miles and miles and miles. From the beginning, if not before. People from here and everywhere, we've just spoken to Iranian fellows, come from Iran. It's quite a sight. How are you feeling? Naked. How's it been the last few hundred poles? Tough. I've been on autopilot recently. Naked. Mine's been, it's done really well. It's done about 150 poles. He's been walking now. He's not well. He's elderly and he can't really see, but he's really, really fragile. His legs are really, really slim. It's very difficult for him to walk. Even before he left London, his doctors advised him to walk a certain amount of distances a day. So he's got like a daily rate. He's well exceeded that. And he's really, really pushed himself. Alhamdulillah. I hope Allah and I hope the hell of it accept his efforts and acknowledge his hard work in this journey of his towards Qadabah. But I just hope tomorrow that he can tonight, he can rest well, rejuvenate and tomorrow's another day and hopefully we can tackle some more poles and sharp. What moment do you have now? We're at 10.50 at the moment. 10.50, we're hoping to get to somewhere more like, all the way 1100, 1150, around that much. Yeah, 10.50, something like that. So hopefully we'll call it a day today and tomorrow we'll show him, continue our way towards Qadabah and sharp. The tiredness and the fatigue in my legs, which is what still affects me now. This is the one thing I've got. And although that could be down to my treatment, it could also be I did a lot of heavy work over the years and my legs were aching before I was even told that I had cancer. You know, so, maybe the cancer had been growing slowly and sapping and taking energy from the legs but my legs can be really bad now. You know, sometimes I can hardly walk. I have a walking stick now and sometimes I'll eat it and sometimes I don't. But even when I don't, I walk very slowly, I can't stop, you know. I mean, I'd love to have done the whole walk. I did a 50 mile walk when I was 14 you know, can't mess in your walk, you know. Margate to Maidstone to the barracks. And like, one prize is for that. You know, I was going to give up at Canterbury and then I was going to give up at Ashford and I was just kept going and kept going and fell asleep for about five hours just outside Maidstone and I got woken up and I finished the course, you know. So, yeah, I've always been a walker but I can't even walk all the fields around here anymore, you know. I just can't do it. So, yeah, I had that to deal with. That was really the only two things really. We'll probably rest up for the rest of the day. Do you reckon you've got much in you for tomorrow? We've got more for tomorrow? Have you got any strength in you for tomorrow, you reckon? Oh, I'll find it. I'll find it. I'm not about to find it like it's tonight. Never say never. Do you know how many pulls you've done? No. I can't count them. It's been a good effort there. Good. That's what it's all about. I wish I could do more. I really do. How do you feel about that in terms of your health? In terms of your health? Yeah. I feel so good body-wise apart from the legs. Yeah. And you get the legs, yeah. Not tight sleep eyes. I only wish for the legs to work. I don't want to work anymore. I'm sleeping, right? And then Martin wakes me up and he goes, come on, let's go, let's go. Well, my legs have got it. I don't know where he's got the energy from or who came in his dream, but after about three, four hours, he's determined to get to the next point, which is pole number one, one, two, five, I think it is. So he's up and he's got his head to me. Look at this. So, you know, you've got to admire the fight for this guy and the determination. Where's the energy come from? Up stairs. That's great. What's it here? Are you feeling good? Yeah. I feel I can do it my whole life. It's hard. It's recharged down there. Obviously a lot of good. Of course, taking another couple of tablet sets helps. So I've got to suffer free in the morning. So, why are they in Iraq? I mean, because your health wasn't, you know, the greatest when you went to Iraq. What sort of challenges did you have to face in terms of, you know, your legs were hurt? Yeah, well, yeah. One of the most important things, of course, is because of my guinea pig treatment at the cancer centre is I had to be very careful about hygiene and cleanliness because I only have I only have about a 2% immunity, yeah, my immune system, you know, because my immune system was right in the cancer. So that worried me, as you know, I wasn't happy in one particular situation, you know, sleeping with lots of bodies, which wasn't being derogatory, but me worried about picking something up, you know, and being close to proximity to a lot of people. So Martin was kind of like just stormed out. He was, you know, quite angry. Obviously he's tired and the walk has taken a great toll on his legs. He was a bit upset with, you know, some of the facilities and the actual arrangement of what we're seeing at this Mocha. I've just seen him all the days having a cup of tea. I'm going to try and talk to him and calm him down a little bit and really get to the issue of what's bothering him and then hopefully we can, you know, bring him back on track and carry on with this walk, inshallah. Alhamdulillah, I spoke to Martin, you know, I spoke to him about what he was going through, what he was feeling and it was quite understandable that, it was a very, very tiring day for him and we were talking about, you know, him getting a good night's rest and inshallah and tomorrow, going forward and trying to reach Kathmandu, inshallah. Good night. Good night, my friend. I'm not asleep. I have a couple of hours. Too much noise for me. Woke me up early this morning with all the TV guys, which is fair enough. I just expected more light when we arrived last night, you know. I thought I was going to get a bit of comfort when I'm coming. I'm just about at it now and tired out, knackered out, at it enough. So, I'm ready to go and have some comfort, have a shower, have a decent sleep when I'm ready for it. Just a decent meal. I started early, I suppose. After a strenuous few hours, we decided for Martin's comfort to complete the rest of the journey to Karabela by car. Even though he was not able to complete it was a remarkable achievement that he had managed some of it despite his medical consent. Okay, now this is where I'll be staying now for the next couple of nights. One of the workers known as Malteser from London, this is his grandfather in the garden there. He's kindly offered to put us up for a few nights amongst others that are coming later. This is the entrance. If you'd like to follow me through I'll take you into into where we're just staying. Here is the lovely room. Hopefully the camera can capture the loveliness of this room. It's a very nice room dedicated to Imam Hussein as well. What a lovely room to be able to stay for a couple of nights. So, hopefully I can recharge my batteries. You finally made it to the shrines here in Karvela where everyone's been walking. And this is his quietest. Yes, we've got to resolve them without getting the car all the way this way. Even though everything's developed now, this was the battleground. This is what people have been walking towards all the way from Najib. So, man, how does that look like from a finish like? Yeah, it's lovely, isn't it? Can you still see the phone numbers? Let's finish in line. Well, the first thing that hit me, I think, was the what's the word, the fabulousness of the shrines. I remember showing a picture to one of my younger nephews and he was astounded because he's young and obviously hasn't travelled apart from holiday stuff. And he said, you wouldn't think such things were in Iraq. And this is where people go wrong. They really don't know. They only see what they see on the news. You know, and obviously Iraq's got that reputation for a lot of problems in recent years. Albeit caused mostly by the Americans and us, but yeah, that's it really. It's fabulous, like, you know, when you get inside and you just see all that, it's just stunning. Being there, looking at the shrines and all the memorials. How does it feel? Because you've read up on the Battle of Karbala. Can you relate to the city and the location now that you've read about and also visited? Yes, definitely. You have to be there and picture the army and this that and the other to appreciate it more. But yeah, it did make it was important. Karbala is a special place. The whole place is a religious centre, like, isn't it? So it is a special place. But one of the things that hit me was talking to you I can't remember where we were now but I said about how the people were all dressed in black and seemed a bit down and all that and I really thought about it where they were actually grieving. It was like a funeral and I hadn't actually sunk into me and then I could look at them in a different way then that they were actually grieving, like, you know. And that rammed home to me in that, I don't know what you call it, like four-quarter, whatever, between the Abash shrine and the other shrine. Seeing all the poetry being read out especially with the Iranians and seeing grown men in tears, like, you know, you just wouldn't see that in this country. You know, over something that happened about 600 BC that shows how strong the religion is. Right, I'm sure it's a big relief for those that have walked a long, long way, you know, to actually get here emotionally. I should imagine their emotions are pretty powerful, like, you know, and they're ready to probably spend the rest of the night those that have just arrived paying homage, I suppose, for want of a better word. And, obviously, feeling a lot of sadness, I guess, you know, thinking back to I'm sure they'll picture what happened in their minds, like, won't they, and start feeling sad and suddenly weeping, I guess, won't they? Others would be just more wrapped up in the religion side of it, like, you know, and praising God and what a pleasure it is to be here, etc. So, mine, do you believe in miracles? Do I believe in miracles? Well, I'm sure some miracles have occurred over time. I guess so. Because they say this is the place where miracles happen. So many people come here with wishes, with ambition, with hopes, and they come here, and a lot of their dreams are fulfilled by asking from above. And I was going to ask you, have you got anything to ask from above? Because here's one that we say who never says no, especially to a guest. No, I don't feel I've got the right to ask, to be honest with you. Number one, it's not my religion. Number two, I haven't been a religious person. Do you want me to just wait up here for a minute? So, I have not got the right to ask you know, to ask for anything right out on the floor. Why do you feel that you're not being a religious person? Kind of like, you know, makes you feel unable to ask? Outside, excluded. Oh, I don't think I've got the right to. Like, for myself? No, I haven't. Do you think it's you decide who has the right, or is it Abbas who decides the right? Well, you know, people that believe in a God know that God knows your thoughts, etc. So, I don't really need to come here myself to ask for anything. I can understand other people you know, from this religion people come in and ask in, yeah, without a doubt. You know, this is the place for them to come like people go to the laws, etc. Not for me, no. If you were Shia and you were what would you ask for? If I was Shia, are you determined to get your answer? Oh, I'll just ask him to look after all my family you know, especially my eldest granddaughter who's got problems mainly them I've asked him to look after my family Will you be open to make a prayer? I do many praying that I do on my own That's fair enough. I always have fun my way. But yeah, I would ask for my family obviously immediate family to stay in good health, etc. and obviously finish off to just thank him to continue I've had two years with cancer now of incurable cancer stage 4 and I've had two years and made that continue so that would be what I would ask for for myself after my immediate family I've done really my limit, didn't I? Each time I couldn't have done any further lay down my legs are throbbing my muscles are twitching for a whole day afterwards and I have to try and relax and get the feeling back and I've got to try and do a bit more walking the next day so yeah, it puts things into perspective So, we're going to see you again next year Well, it'd be nice to say, yeah, definitely wouldn't it? I'd come here again, of course I would I haven't come here every year, why not? What would you do? What would bring you back every year? What would bring me back? Something I'm paying for Well, I'm going to come back Well, I could easily say I could come back out of just respect for you know, I like this like a share of religion like, you know, I think it's a good religion I think it's the truth, as I said before the true religion is myself and seeing what people do I like to join in such a thing you know, it's my sort of sounds and smells and food and things like, you know so, yeah, I'll come back What makes you stay here as long as the true religion? Only for a live read, you know I've read both sides, you know dug right into it, as I said before you know, for me no one's going to make me change my mind, right? You know, I could be like the Shirazi man, you know who wrote the pressure of nights and invite all the sunnies to sit in a room with me and persuade me that it's any different and I would listen to them but I don't think they'd be able to win their argument I really don't I would challenge them I should have said that they'd be knocked on my door I wasn't touching So, Martin How you been and going back to London? Well, not really I'd certainly be abroad especially in the sun and there's lots of countries I visit now since my interest in the Middle East the last 30 or 40 years I wish I'd known and done when I was younger because obviously I don't have the strength with it anymore I mean it's always nice to be home, you know miss your family and when you get back you want to go again because that's how it works when you have itchy feet And how's your health I mean, I hope you've improved To be fair, I'm good you wouldn't think looking at me that I came through the lung, liver back in pancreas you know had that big lump taking out of my head I've got the hidden disabilities the fatigue of the legs my appetite's quite poor obviously sometimes I sleep sometimes I don't but that doesn't bother me, I'm alive so that's the way it is Would you do it all again? Oh for sure I'd do it next month, no worries I'd love to And do you actually plan to go back two or not? I'd like to I'd like to see some of the places that I didn't get to, there's so many I really wanted to go to Cougar in the land of Alley and that's very close as well I didn't make it, Babylon I'd like to see you know, there's so many places the Marsh Arabs have said earlier I'd like to go and visit but I think that's an impossibility but I might get there, you never know never say never