Six travellers have embarked on a road trip through the GCC to promote tourism and bilateral relations between Bahrain and Oman.

They will launch a new book, 101 Things To See and Do in Oman and its Bahrain edition, 101 Things To See and Do in Bahrain during the expedition.

The Friendship Arabia team comprises Bahraini, British and Greek photographers and writers, who left Bahrain today in a two-car convoy and will travel through Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE before finishing in Oman next week.

The trip is being sponsored and supported by Oman-based company Omran, the Omani Embassy in Bahrain and the Omani Tourism Ministry.

'The trip will promote historical and cultural ties between the two countries, particularly because Manama is the Arab Capital of Culture for 2012 and Muscat is the Arab Capital of Tourism for 2012,' said expedition leader Ali Hussain Mushaima during a final meeting at the Omani Embassy in Hoora yesterday.

'The important point is that we could be different in language, culture and religion, but this doesn't mean that we can't be friends.

'We will also use this opportunity to talk to people about the Formula 1 event in Bahrain and tell them that they are welcome to come to it.'

The group will start off with a four -member team from Bahrain to Doha, where another member will join them to present the books to the Omani ambassador in Qatar.

They will then head to Abu Dhabi to pick up the final team member before driving to Buraimi in Oman, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Musandam and then they will travel by ferry down the coast to Muscat.

'The aim is to promote Muscat and Oman as a whole as a destination, and the embassy fully supports the trip,' said Omani ambassador Abdullah Mohamed Al Amri, whose assistance with logistics has helped organise the trip.

Once the team reaches Muscat on April 11, they will head to Sharqiya or Wahiba Sands desert for a camping trip.

On their return to the capital on April 14, they will launch the new publication at an event organised by the ministry before returning to Bahrain on April 16.

A two-day photography exhibition featuring images from the journey will be held from April 17 at Al A'ali Shopping Complex, Seef.

The book is the fifth edition, which is part of a 101 Things to See and Do series and other publications and includes Yemen, Bahrain, Scotland and Ireland.

Mushaima spearheaded the Friendship Arabia tours in 2004 with the Dilmun to Dublin trip, then the Bahrain to Britain in 2008 and Tylos to Thassos in Greece in 2010.

The trip can be followed by visiting friendshiparabia.com. – TradeArabia News Service