Mo Magic (real name Mahommed Moorad) is among the jet-setting celebs who gave followers serious travel envy with his social media post.
Since the lockdown, travellers have had to make peace with the fact that they won’t be going anywhere, anytime soon. Mo Magic is one of them.
He says, “I returned to South Africa a few weeks before the lockdown to serve clients and prepare for my new theatre tour. While my international travel has not been impacted by the lockdown and the pandemic, my existing events have been postponed and some cancelled altogether, so I’ve had to adapt due to the circumstances.”
His last visit was to Los Angeles in February.
Of his highlights on the trip, he shares, “I am very fortunate that the art of magic has opened doors internationally and allows me to travel, make new friends and the experiences expand my perspective on life. On this last trip, I was invited to a private party for creatively gifted and fascinating individuals, held by Vishen Lakhiani, the CEO & owner of Mindvalley. Vishen and I met in New York last year and he is doing wonderful work with his company elevating human consciousness.
Mo Magic entertaining Gerard Butler at his home.
Picture: All is Amazing
“He put together this intimate by invite only event held at actor Gerard Butler’s home in Hollywood. There were a number of incredible individuals at this event, each of whom have contributed to the world in their special way and new friendships were forged. Naturally, when people hear I’m a magician, they are curious, and later into the party, I treated guests to some of my magic and mentalism (mind reading magic).”
He adds: “In terms of sights, I was overjoyed to visit the Getty Museum, which among other remarkable exhibits, was hosting a new Michaelangelo traveling exhibit that was truly fascinating.”
While in LA, he also attended a Breathwork healing session as well as catching up with friends and making new ones at the Mindvalley LA Personal Growth conference .
Around the same time he had an interesting “connection” on a flight.
He reveals, “Another unexpected treat, was flying with Superman. yes, I flew with Superman. Allow me to explain. While in the lounge prior to boarding from LAX to Dubai, I had to look twice as I walked past someone who looked like Brandon Routh. We started speaking for a bit and I mentioned I was a fan of his work. Hours later aboard the flight, we continued our chat and I treated him to a quick piece of magic.”
As for the countries that have topped his travel list so far, he says, “Stockholm (Sweden) stands out as my favourite, because it was part of my first trip abroad. It was mid summer, the sun was setting very late, the architecture was phenomenal and the people were friendly.”
He continues, “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my various trips to the USA and while the United States is a massive country, I’ve spent time in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York, each with its own appeal. I love the variety of showbiz in Las Vegas and have enjoyed meeting with magicians and other performers. One highlight is going backstage with the world’s most popular illusionist, David Copperfield, and chatting about magic. Los Angeles and New York, have an energy like no other cities I have visited.”
Mo Magic backstage with David Copperfield in Las Vegas.
He wraps up the list with India, Turkey and London.
Mo Magic shares, “I visited the South of India (Bangalore, Cochin and Kerala) a few years ago with my family. Aside from the beauty of the South, I was in awe with the impeccable quality of service from the locals. Despite their conditions, they went beyond their ambit to ensure their customers were taken care off. Turkey is without a doubt a magical country. I first visited in 2009 when I was working as an engineer and have since visited a few times. Filled with heritage, beauty and affordable quality shopping (if you know where to look in Istanbul), Turkey is a must visit. I travel to the UK regularly with my magic, and its a metropolis of activity and culture. London’s West End theatre is a favourite. I make sure I attend one musical per visit as a treat. 'Book of Mormon' is my favourite to date.
With this unprecedented turn of events, has it changed your perception of travel in any way?
He responds, “I have always been grateful for the ability to travel. I am reminded to when I was an engineering student at university, unable to afford to travel and until that time had never been on an airplane. One day, I walked into the campus bookstore and saw a little book related to Travel Tips, on the sale table. I was immediately drawn to it and purchased it. I put it on my bookshelf and looked at it regularly, opening it to a random page ever so often. Each time I looked at it, I would imagine myself in a foreign country, hearing the sounds, taking in the sights and so on.
“A few years later, in 2006, two years into working as an engineering graduate, I took my first international flight. I stopped in London for a few days then attended the World Championships in Stockholm, Sweden. And so began my love for travelling. While there is concern as to how things will change, going forward, I do believe that we will rise above this current challenge and that despite the changes, life will continue as we adapt.”