Flights of fancy: how local celebrities like to travel

Mohamed Parham Al Awadhi, Lisa Scott-Lee and Two Tone tell us about their experiences when flying around the world.

Singer Lisa Scott-Lee. Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images Portrait

Mohamed Parham Al Awadhi

Mohamed Parham Al Awadhi is an award-winning Emirati filmmaker, entrepreneur and adventurer. He and his brother, Peyman Parham, produce, write and host the award-winning travel series Peeta Planet.

The programme, screening on Dubai One and YouTube, shows the pair connecting with social do-gooders and creatives around the world. Al Awadhi travels to at least 12 countries a year with his show, and another three or four “for business and pleasure”.

“I love to travel and would go anywhere in the world,” he says. “It makes me feel alive and ­connected.”

Al Awadhi is happy to fly economy, and lists an extra-large ghutra as a must-have travelling item. “If I’m filming, then that’s the time I use to catch up on sleep. I wear my earplugs and cover myself fully with my ghutra.”

To spice up his flying experience, Al Awadhi requests special meals en route and has tried every type Emirates offers. He’s a particular fan of the Asian vegetarian option, but not so much the raw vegan. “The benefits of doing this is that special meals get served before everyone else’s,” he says.

Al Awadhi says he might snooze on the plane, but once on the ground, he is fully ­engaged.

“Airports are magical places where everyone is a traveller, so we have something that connects us,” he says. “Dubai Airport is my favourite, because it’s gorgeous, convenient and there are people from every country passing through there. It’s also the most efficient airport in the world, thanks to the people who work there.”

Al Awadhi’s tip for jet lag? “Sleep with the window blinds open so your body feels the morning sun. I feel it helps me reprogramme my internal clock to the local time. I also eat breakfast and lunch on local time, so I’m not hungry at odd hours of the day when ­travelling.”

Lisa Scott-Lee

Lisa Scott-Lee, 38, spent 13 years touring the world as a member of pop group Steps. These days, the mum-of-two is more focused on other performers, as she runs Dubai Performing Arts Academy with her husband, Johnny Shentall-Lee.

But jet-setting around the world didn’t always mean hot towels, fluffy pillows and extra legroom.

"Funnily enough, we flew economy in the very beginning of our careers – UK to Australia was a long flight," Lisa says. "I remember having our first ­No 1 in the UK charts with Tragedy, and British Airways upgraded us to first class – which was lovely. We found we moved up the plane once we moved up the charts."

Lisa has fond memories of the experience of flying together as a group. “It was so much fun. H [Ian ‘H’ Watkins] was a very nervous flyer and he kept me entertained with his screams and nervous laughter,” she says.

The group was often greeted at airports all over the world by fans waiting with banners and gifts.

“It was wonderful to meet so many different people and cultures and see the world,” says Lisa. “We always did stop for a while to sign autographs and still do. We have a saying that we may have met 100 fans in a day, but they may be meeting us for the first time. That has always stuck with me.”

A particularly memorable moment for Lisa was meeting British actor Orlando Bloom on a business-class flight to Los Angeles.

"Steps were on our way to perform on a TV show in America, and Orlando was about to start filming the first Lord of the Rings," she says. "He was rehearsing his lines and we had a nice chat. I wished him every success."

“We’re lucky that we can travel business and first,” she says. “But I never forget where we came from.”

Two Tone

Dubai-based rapper Rachid Ben Messaoud, aka Two Tone, flies at least once a month to perform, promote his music, shoot videos, record songs and visit his family in the Netherlands.

“But right now it’s all mostly for business,” says the 38-year-old Moroccan, who also owns a string of souvenir shops in the UAE and Singapore. “I always fly business class. I arrive well-rested, which is important when I have to perform or shoot a video at the other end.

“I fly with Emirates most of the time. I collect Skywards points and I’m a gold member. I always upgrade flights with my points and occasionally purchase flights for friends or relatives with my points, too.

“I do get recognised when flying, especially when flying to Morocco as there are a lot of Moroccan cabin crew. But they always act professionally and know how to handle it.”