JEDDAH, 26 July — Mokhled K. Alotaibi is a Bedouin with a difference. Walking, which was his pastime, has become a passion and he is undertaking it for a worthy cause.

“This is the third time I’m walking across the country; this time in aid of the Disabled Children’s Association (DCA),” the 35-year-old Alotaibi said at a meeting hosted at Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Hospital here yesterday.

An employee of the sports section of the National Guard in Jeddah, Alotaibi likes to prefix the title “Walker” to his name. He said within a week or two he would resume his walking tour, which he started six months ago and covered 5,500 km of the projected 7,500-km stretch across the Kingdom. He began his walk from Jeddah and returned to the city, where Dr. Fakeeh is treating his knee injury free of cost.

Alotaibi covered many towns and cities including Makkah, Riyadh, Dammam, Hafr Al-Batin, Qasim, Hail, Rafah, Arar, Al-Jouf, Tabuk, Zeba, Amluj, Yanbu and Madinah. He will cover the remaining 2,000 km by walking to Baha, Abha, Najran and Jizan.

“The people throughout my tour have come forward to offer donations to the cause of disabled children,” he said, adding: “I don’t collect cash myself. I recommend prospective donors to credit checks to the DCA’s bank account.”

Asked what made him to undertake a walk for the cause of the disabled, Alotaibi said: “Prince Faisal ibn Abdullah, who heads the National Guard in Jeddah, inspired me to do it as the cause is dear to him.”

Alotaibi said his first walking tour covered 1,800 km from Jeddah to Dammam six years ago. “I did that for the health of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd.” Three years later, he walked 2,000 km from Makkah to Madinah and to Tabuk but gave up his onward march to Jerusalem because of a knee injury. “That walk was meant for the Middle East peace,” he said.

Did he face any problems during his walking trips? “Yes, once I was sleeping in a desert. When someone woke me up, I found a snake sharing my bed. It did no harm to me. And I did not panic. The snake simply made its way out,” said Alotaibi.

Every morning, before the Fajr prayers, he makes it a point to call his mother to exchange greetings. “I tell her my location each morning and inquire about the health of the family members,” he said.

Does he carry a huge load of belongings? “Yes, but all of them follow me in a Ford car gifted to me by my brother. The car follows me as I walk,” he added.

What about the walking gear? “I’ve changed 35 pairs of shoes, 100 cartons of one liter water bottles, 20 kg of energy-giving dates and juices and fruits.”

What is his future plan? “International walks, possibly next year for yet another noble cause,” he shot back.

Afif-born Alotaibi has two wives with five children and wants to take a third wife after he completes his current tour. “That’s my life,” he remarked.

Speaking at the meeting, Bandar S.A. Arab, acting director of DCA’s Jeddah center, said the association, had 2,000 members. It has offices in Riyadh, Al-Jouf and Makkah aside from Jeddah. A fifth office will open in Madinah after six months.

Dr. Yahya Ibrahim of Dr. Fakeeh hospital in his introductory remarks said the hospital had come forward to take care of Alotaibi’s health to back his noble endeavor.