Recently I happened to read the travelog of Ibn Battuta a young Moroccan who traveled 75,000 miles, 40 countries, three continents and ended up with ten marriages. He has been a great inspiration to anyone who knew about his travels. The International Astronomical Union even named a crater on the moon honoring him.

His travels give you a glimpse of life in the 14th century stretching from northern Africa to the Far east. And apart from reading his book by Tim Mackintosh-Smith I also happened to see a 3 part documentary on The National geographic channel called Camels, Courts and concubines in which Tim Mackintosh-Smith travels in his footsteps and retraces a remarkable journey.

His experience is quite breathtaking in fact Ibn Battuta even dreams of his travels to come in one part he says:

“That night, while I was sleeping on the roof of the cell, I dreamed that I was on the wing of a great bird which was flying with me towards Mecca, then to Yemen, then eastwards and thereafter going towards the south, then flying far eastwards and finally landing in a dark and green country, where it left me. I was astonished at this dream and said to myself “If the shaykh can interpret my dream for me, he is all that they say he is.” Next morning, after all the other visitors had gone, he called me and when I had related my dream interpreted it to me saying: “You will make the pilgrimage [to Mecca] and visit [the Tomb of] the Prophet, and you will travel through Yemen, Iraq, the country of the Turks, and India. You will stay there for a long time and meet there my brother Dilshad the Indian, who will rescue you from a danger into which you will fall.” Then he gave me a traveling-provision of small cakes and money, and I bade him farewell and departed. Never since parting from him have I met on my journeys aught but good fortune, and his blessings have stood me in good stead.“

Source: Ibn Battuta: Travels in Asia and Africa 1325-1354

Here you can experience
a well composed article called The Longest Hajj