by Matthew Allison | Oct 8, 2022 | Europe
October 2022: Throughout my travels, the Nordik country of Denmark somehow managed to escape my sights. The same cannot be said about its territories, the Faroe Islands and Greenland but the actual country itself had evaded me up until now. On a 10-day trip around the...
by Matthew Allison | Sep 18, 2022 | Middle East
Reevaluating the UAE: Beyond the Glitz and Glamour I admit that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has never been my favorite destination in the Gulf. Compared to Oman, Saudi Arabia, or Yemen, it always felt too decadent, too artificial, and lacking the deeper cultural...
by Matthew Allison | Sep 17, 2022 | Middle East
Qatar: A Gateway to an Unconventional Journey August 2022: Qatar, a small oil-rich kingdom in the Persian Gulf, was the starting point for a two-week journey through Pakistan, Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, Dubai, and Bahrain. Though just a peninsula jutting out from...
by Matthew Allison | Sep 17, 2022 | Middle East
Arrival in Bahrain: A Gulf Journey Through Contrasts September 2022: After wrapping up an intense two-week journey through Qatar and Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, my friend John and I arrived in Bahrain. Despite its proximity to Qatar—another oil-rich Gulf...
by Matthew Allison | Aug 27, 2022 | Asia
Return to Afghanistan: Chasing a Once-Impossible Dream The Minaret of Jam and a New Chapter in a Beloved Land August 2022 — After decades of war and turmoil, Afghanistan had unexpectedly opened its doors. The Taliban insurgents I once evaded were now in power,...
