"...and I need to look at what the pros do"
Improvise is my first answer. :)
But if you're looking for inspirational drum solos in Egyptian style I'd look to 80s dancers when long table solos were a hugely important part of their show. Shoo Shoo Amin and Mona Said in particular. :)

You don't have to travel in a drum solo at all if you don't want to. It's more important to hit the beat. This a Lebanese dancer dancing to a very classic popular drum solo.
youtube.com/watch

When I listen to a drum solo the problem is, it is always a top composition from Mokthar al Said, Khamis Henkesh or some other top tabla player who composed for a famous dancer. There are so many highlights following one after another and I find it stressful always to hear the character of the accents or whatever and be not fast enough to come up with a suitable move each time. Because the drum solo choreos I learnt are also very well "constructed", a lot of variety and so.
But I have seen many dancers that just don't bother finding an answer to every effect. They do something interesting to one moment in the music and then walk -tap tap tap- calmly to the other end of the stage to do the next suite of moves to that side never mind what is in between.

Use audacity beta sourcefourge to slow the thing down so you have more time to react.
You can also add small jumps or half turns. Like shimmy shimmy on the spot, then on the accent make a big step/small jump to the side and go on with shimmy, or the step with a half turn. It looks like something is happening and your moving around.
Hagalla walk or stepping with 3/4 shimmy is often nice in between two moments that ask for accents.