After almost six months on the road, the long journey from Birmingham in the UK to Zimbabwe is finally bringing the 49-year-old social worker to Bulawayo, Nkosi Mathe.

When he arrives, Bulawayo Chiefs FC will be among those giving him a welcome. The club has announced a meet and greet with the traveller on Saturday, 19 September, at the Bulawayo Chiefs Village Lounge, with hundreds of people expected to attend.

For those who have been following his journey on social media, this will be something of a homecoming moment.

Nkosi has travelled more than 27, 000 kilometres in his Nissan X-Trail, which he named Emily, crossing countries and borders on his way from Birmingham to Zimbabwe. It is a journey that has taken him through different parts of Europe and Africa, with countries such as Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Nigeria, Lesotho, Algeria and Mauritania forming part of the trip.

However now, the road trip has brought him to Bulawayo. For the city, his arrival is not just about the distance he has travelled. His social media updates have allowed people to follow the journey as he experienced different African cultures, met people and dealt with the realities of travelling across the continent by road.

He has also been using the journey to raise money for SOS Children’s Villages. Rather than flying directly from Europe to Zimbabwe, he chose to take the longer route, spending time in the countries he passed through.

That decision has made the journey interesting for people following him online, with many getting a chance to see parts of Africa they may never have visited themselves.

Now the journey is reaching one of its biggest moments Bulawayo. With Bulawayo Chiefs opening its doors for the meet and greet, fans and members of the public will have an opportunity to hear more about the journey, the challenges he faced on the road and what it was like travelling thousands of kilometres across Africa in Emily.

After all those kilometres, different borders and countless hours behind the wheel, Bulawayo is where the road finally feels like home as many are also expecting to have a meal with him