Keep the Buzz going to fight polio
Unexpected bumps fail to dampen an epic road trip around Europe in an electric VW Buzz
Bashar Asfour is no stranger to ambitious road trips. He’s managed the course for an annual motorsport rally through the desert in his home country of Jordan — before there was Google Maps. He’s had a passport since he was 4, traveled through 57 countries, and, as a polio survivor who has difficulty walking, is an ace driver himself. So, he was confident about organizing his own road odyssey around Europe last year to raise money for polio eradication.
Image credit: Maurizio Gambarini
He even had a cool ride picked out: a VW Bus. Not the classic version, but Volkswagen’s modern electric one, known as the Buzz. At times, however, the Buzz turned out to be more of a buzzkill. “Charging the car was a real hassle,” Asfour says, recalling charging stations that were fussy, slow, miles out of his way, or that wouldn’t accept his credit card. “The trip took 54 days, 12,342 kilometers, hundreds of hours of driving, and hundreds of hours charging the car!”
Thankfully, the longtime Rotarian, who currently lives in Jordan but is forming an e-club based out of Georgia, made it to the finish line, raised an estimated $277,000 (preliminary figure), and — astoundingly — missed only one of his 48 fundraising events. He also had a grand adventure, met some incredible people, and was awestruck by the kindness of strangers. Here, in his own words, are some of the stories from the 2023 My Journey to End Polio, which began in Berlin on 31 August.
BREMEN, Germany, 2 September
When the Buzz, with its bright paint job and End Polio Now logos, is displayed in the historic town center, it generates quite the buzz as passersby stop to ask what I’m doing or ask about polio. Later in this journey, other Rotary districts will do the same, putting the Buzz in the middle of marketplaces and old town plazas for a few hours to show people the good that Rotary is doing in the world. Many people in this part of the world have forgotten about polio, and it’s important to remind them that it remains a problem and we need their support still.
Image credit: Bashar Asfour
MILAN, 13 September
One of the biggest challenges of this journey is fatigue. I’m driving a minimum of six hours a day and sometimes as many as 13. Crossing the Alps from Switzerland to Italy, I discover a time-saving tunnel is closed, forcing me to drive over the mountains — and to charge the car even more. In Italy, charging stations are very difficult to find. On the positive side, there’s a gala dinner with a large crowd waiting for me in Monza, outside of Milan. And later, there’s an even larger crowd — the biggest of the trip — in Rome. While there, I will pass by the Colosseum, one of many extraordinary landmarks on the route.
IZMIR, Turkey, 25 September
Crossing the Aegean Sea from Greece to Turkey — with a VW Buzz — is no easy feat. The first ferry takes hours. I arrive at an island at midnight to catch another boat with just enough room for the Buzz. The sea is choppy and every bump sets off the car alarm. I arrive at a port near Izmir, only to have customs hold the Buzz hostage. At last, a Rotary incoming district governor bails me and the Buzz out. Beyond the gates, I am amazed to find two dozen Rotarians and Rotaractors in End Polio Now T-shirts greeting me warmly. The memory brings tears to my eyes. It was so beautiful. I forgot all the troubles I had.
Image credit: Bashar Asfour
Image credit: Bashar Asfour
ANKARA, Turkey, 28 September
ISTANBUL, 1 October
The hospitality of the Turkish people is exquisite. This is another beautiful moment. Before reaching Ankara, I pull into a rest area and am surrounded by a motorcade of Rotary members in End Polio Now vests riding motorcycles. They escort me into the capital. The people are so generous. After discovering that my credit card wouldn’t work at charging stations in the country, Rotary clubs call on their members to meet me on highways to charge me up. Some even invite me to lunch. Then, as I leave the country, I’m allowed to cross the border into Bulgaria like a VIP, without any delays. Once inside Bulgaria, a police escort is waiting to take me to my next stop, Stara Zagora. These moments I will never forget.
LJUBLJANA, Slovenia, 12 October
If I ever decide to retire, I will retire here. They have delicious food, very kind people, and the most beautiful old town.
MUNICH, 13 October
Oktoberfest may have just ended but Rotarians here organize the production of a beer named My Journey to End Polio to raise funds. Of all the stops, Munich raises the most in contributions. During an event at a nearly full auditorium, local Rotarians present a check for 39,000 euros. I feel like I’m going to have a heart attack and am moved to tears again. With other contributions, the total raised here will hit 46,000 euros (about US$48,000).
CHEMNITZ, Germany, 20 October
I arrive at the finish line in time to celebrate World Polio Day. I set out to do something big, and with the support of Rotary districts around Europe, I have. I’d like to do more of these trips on other continents. It has been a wonderful experience. I met so many friends and people I had never met before, but we talked like we’d known each other for 100 years. We are Rotarians, the same family.
Courtesy of Bashar Asfour
This story originally appeared in the December 2024 issue of Rotary magazine.