Bahrain

Back in my tennis days, I had a couple of friends from Bahrain, a country I knew very little about. When I finally visited, one of them connected me with his friend Mo, who insisted on showing me around. True to the reputation of Middle Eastern hospitality, he refused to let me pay for anything. Instead, he took me to his favorite cafés, showed me the Bahrain International Circuit, and brought me to the country’s famous Tree of Life, which has stood alone in the middle of the desert for more than 400 years.

Bahrain itself was far more modern than I expected, yet it still held tightly to its traditions. Spending the day with Mo gave me a glimpse into everyday life that I never would have experienced on my own. It was another reminder that the best travel memories aren’t always about how much there is to see, but who you get to experience it with.