My love for the Middle East as a region and travelling in general both started when my family moved to the UAE while I was a child. Living among a starkly different culture to the UK, meeting people from all over the world, and exploring new countries like Jordan and Mauritius, this time exposed me to the vast diversity that the world has to offer and created a desire to experience as much of it as possible.
While I’ve been lucky enough to travel widely since — from Colombia to Mexico, Thailand to Fiji — the golden hue, beautiful craftmanship, and chaotic vibrancy of life in the Arab world remains special to me.
Egypt and Morocco offer the opportunity to experience it all: from timeless, sun-drenched stillness in the Sahara or on the banks of the Nile; to a sensory overload in Cairo or Marrakesh. It’s a truly magical part of the world.
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Q&A with Alanna
What’s the best local dish you’ve tasted?
I was pleasantly surprised by Egypt’s national dish of koshari, which interestingly combines rice, lentils and macaroni pasta, topped with a spicy tomato sauce and crispy fried onions. Straight away I could taste the fabled Indian influence in this dish, a product of migration within the British Empire during the 19th century. WWII is also attributed by some to have an influence on the meal, as both Indian and Italian soldiers were stationed in the area during this time. Despite a mixed and somewhat murky history, koshari is now considered a national symbol and is said to be consumed by over 30 million Egyptians daily.
What’s your most vivid travel moment?
On my first trip to Morocco, I was lucky to spend a night in the Sahara. My camp was set deep within the dunes of Erg Chebbi, accessed by a long and bumpy camel ride. As I travelled steadily along, rocking from side to side, a large golden sun set beneath the deeply orange dunes. Yet the really memorable part was once the sun had set, and the heat had dissipated to reveal a refreshing night sky illuminated by stars. It was impossible to resist the suggestion of dragging a mattress up to the top of a nearby dune and sleeping outside for the night. And that’s where I woke up several hours later seemingly in the middle of a sandstorm.
Where would you love to travel next?
I’d love to visit Imsouane, a quaint fishing village turned surfer town on the Moroccan coast. With one of the longest surfable waves in the world, the description of endless rolling waves is not an exaggeration here. I’ve also heard that the town’s atmosphere is like waves: nice and mellow.