Tunisia, 2009

En-route from Monastir to London Gatwick. Our 2-day trip to southern Tunisia was money well spent. The barren landscapes – terraced, rocky and flat – are spectacular and often otherworldly (hardly surprising that they were chosen as the backdrop for various scenes in Star Wars). The desert itself – as we discovered on our one hour camel ride into the Sahara – has a surreal tranquillity. In terms of history, El Jem’s colosseum is impressive, dating back to the 3rd century and seating 30,000 (second only to Rome’s 45,000).

Culturally, the troglodyte cave dwellings are fascinating and aesthetically beautiful, capturing a simple purity not often seen anymore. The salt-pan flats, where we watched a rain-drizzled sunrise, are breathtaking in their vast empty white expanse. The only regret was that we were somewhat rushed, as so often happens on package tours. At one point, we drove past a great sculpture park, but didn’t even stop, much to my frustration.