by Matthew Allison | May 30, 2023 | Middle East
A Brief Return to Iraq: Baghdad, Babylon, and Beyond May 2023: With only a few days to spare before heading to Nepal for a two-week trek in the Mustang Valley, I decided to squeeze in another visit to Iraq. My previous journeys had introduced me to some incredible...
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 | Dec 30, 2018 | Asia, Middle East
Saudi Arabia: The Once-Impossible Journey December 2018: For years, Saudi Arabia topped my list of must-visit destinations, but as a country closed off to tourists, it remained an impossible dream. The birthplace of Islam, home to Mecca, and ruled by the powerful Saud...
by Matthew Allison | Nov 10, 2018 | Africa, Asia, Middle East
November 2018: As part of a larger North Africa trip, my friend Richard and I visited Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula. The Sinai is technically in Asia, even though it is part of Egypt, which is in North Africa. The Sinai is a vast mountainous desert where the Bible...
