Three weeks in Tunisia passed all too quickly. Our overnight stay in Tunis at the Hotel Africa on arrival was delightful, but the Avenue Bourguiba and surrounding streets were in a depressingly bad state of repair.

There were many more tourists this October than there were last March. Holiday makers were enjoying the sandy beaches in Djerba, making the most of the sunshine, and the cheerful beach boys were doing brisk business giving them camel and horse-back rides along the seashore. This peaceful island has so much to offer: an excellent international airport, a choice of hotels to suit all tastes and budgets, and for most of the time heavenly warm weather. Compared to other Mediterranean countries, Tunisia is incredibly good value for money.

However, the inescapable drawback wherever you go is the never-ending trail of litter. So much more could be done to attract future visitors, and the removal of festering rubbish should be a top priority. The garden at my beloved Hotel Dar Faiza being a typical example, the far end of which continues to be piled high with broken chairs, empty bottles (glass and plastic), beer cans, rotting palm tree fronds, and now, to top it all, a heap of peacock feathers to add to the detritus. During our stay, a fox got into the peacock enclosure and killed the hotel’s three pet birds, leaving behind just one male who had eschewed the confines of a pen for the freedom of the flower beds. No-one bothered to remove the forlorn feathers, and I would not be a bit surprised if they are still there when we return next spring.

The Hotel Sahara Douz by contrast has a pretty garden unsullied by rubbish, a swimming pool full of water, and a fabulous bar with an attentive barman. The hotel kitchen produced a good dinner and breakfast. Happily, on one night, 200 hundred Russian tourists turned up to enjoy these facilities. I am sad to report that the neighbouring Hotel Touareg has closed down; I had got to know many of the staff there, who tragically are now without work.

My six days in the Sahara with Adel, my camel Zeydoun, Ali and his camels Lahajah and Labiar, were as enjoyable as ever, though hot, airless and humid. For the very first time, I slept in only a T-shirt and knickers – normally it’s long johns and a sweater! Flies buzzed irritatingly throughout the day, and on one evening, a young scorpion had to be dispatched – all part and parcel of the desert! Ali’s two camels hadn’t been very well, but because I’ve gathered some support for them, he has been able to take them to the vet. I was touched when at the end of my desert voyage, he invited me to meet his family, who proudly presented me with a rug they had woven from Lahajah’s and Labiar’s hair. This unique work of art now adorns my bed in my newly decorated bedroom, keeping me cosy at night.

 

The International Tunis Air and Domestic Tunis Air Express flights operated smoothly and efficiently, as did the Tunisian taxis.