stories saudi arabia

Meet the Gang

Mido, Tolo, & Our Adventure Family

We’re Mido and Tolo, an Egyptian–American travel family based in AlUla, Saudi Arabia. This page is the quick “who’s who” behind the stories, guides, and slightly chaotic road trip decisions. If you’ve ever wondered who’s driving, who’s filming, and who’s barking at absolutely nothing… you’re in the right place.

Ahmed (Mido)

Ahmed is the calm-in-the-chaos half of this operation – equal parts practical and adventurous. He’s the one who can turn a “quick errand” into a full-day mission, and somehow still gets us where we need to go. If there’s a road trip, a detour, or a last-minute plan that actually works, chances are it started with him.
Usually found: behind the wheel, scouting the next stop, or saying “trust me” right before we do something memorable.

Sidney (Tolo)

Sidney is the “no plan plan” inventor – the one who’ll happily take the long way if it means better light, a better story, or a better snack. She’s a serious foodie, which means road trips with her always include at least one “quick stop” that turns into a full-on mission for chapati egg rolls, karak, or a cheese tamees (and yes, she will insist it’s essential). She’s the person behind the warm, story-led side of Mido & Tolo, turning real days into guides that actually help, and weaving in the little cultural moments you only catch when you slow down and pay attention.
Usually found: pulling over for “one small snack,” chatting with whoever’s making it, and coming back to the car like she’s discovered buried treasure.

Zeitouna (our little olive)

For most of the pregnancy, we called our baby Zeitouna – “olive” in Arabic – because we didn’t know the gender yet, and the name just stuck. And honestly, she lived up to it: small, strong, and already part of everything. She also kicked off life in true Mido & Tolo fashion: we traveled all the way to Brazil to give birth, and she clocked six flights before she was six weeks old. So yes… she’s basically been an adventure kiddo since day one.
Usually found: along for the ride, reminding us to slow down, and making even the simplest outings feel like a whole expedition (in the best way).

ZouZou (the original rescue queen)

ZouZou is our first rescue and our forever main character. She’s sweet, loyal, and fully convinced she’s in charge of the farm (and honestly… she might be right). She’s been with us through big moves, long days, and plenty of “what are we doing with our lives?” moments — and she’s basically the emotional support department of this family.
Usually found: supervising, guarding the farm, or giving us the look when we’re packing bags again.

TamTam (the rescue who moved in)

TamTam is our second rescue — the one who showed up and simply… refused to leave. She wiggled her way into our hearts with pure persistence, a big personality, and the kind of energy that makes you laugh even when you’re tired. She and ZouZou have a true sister dynamic: a little dramatic, a little chaotic, and somehow perfectly balanced. We genuinely can’t imagine life without TamTam now – or her bark. She’s noisy. She’s proud of it. We’ve accepted our fate.
Usually found: barking at suspicious leaves, starting a game, or inserting herself directly into whatever’s happening.

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