How it all began…

My love affair with Tunisia started way back in 1980 whilst working for a British tour operator and the opportunity arose for a two month posting to the 2,000 bed (!) Sahara Beach Hotel in Skanes near the town of Monastir. Tourism to Tunisia was still in its infancy then.

Being young, and eager to experience new cultures, I took the job and soon found myself totally besotted by the warm and friendly people of Tunisia.

I was very fortunate to be assigned the job of regularly accompanying groups of hotel guests on three or four day excursions away from the resorts travelling inland to the historical sites and south into the Sahara.

Since I was already an avid photographer, I carried my camera everywhere, and found inspiration everywhere I went – and a photo opportunity around every corner.

Tunisia is a spectacular country full of contrasts and the landscape is as magical as it is diverse. I was particularly spellbound by the tranquillity and magnificent beauty of the vast desert vistas south of Douz at dawn or sunset; the many towns and villages with their bustling, colourful street markets and the distinctive architecture of their ancient medinas; the extraordinary (and remarkably well preserved) Roman remains of El Jem, Dougga and Bulla Regia; the almost invisible hilltop Berber strongholds of Chenini, Tamezret and Douiret built high into the sheer cliff face to defend against Arab invasion.

Then, of course, there are the endless stretches of sandy coastline where most visitors spend their holidays.

Off the traditional tourist trail, north of Tunis City are the lush fertile hills, lakes and nature reserves where one is rather surprised to find many blond blue-eyed people! Not, as one might imagine, of French origin but descendants of the pre-Arab Berber inhabitants.

I soon built up quite a collection of beautiful images of my journeys, and pledged to return on my own steam one day to photograph the whole of the country and… who knows… maybe even publish a book on Tunisia!

Shortly after my return to Malta I quit my job and started my career as a freelance professional photographer, eventually specializing in stock photography and publishing travel books and calendars.

Twenty years on…the start of the project

In 1999, after nearly 20 years and a couple of books later, I decided to fulfill my promise and began planning my Tunisia book.

I approached the Tunisian Embassy in Malta to see if they could be of any help. The Ambassador at the time, His Excellency Mr Hetira, was most helpful and arranged a meeting for me with the Office National Du Tourisme Tunisien (ONTT) in Tunis.

Fortunately (and incredibly to me!), the ONTT had already heard of me! I was surprised to find that many of their officials actually had my Malta books and calendars in their offices and that many of them had either been to Malta or had Maltese friends or relatives!

I was very warmly received (even more so when they found out that my mother was born in the old Maltese quarter of Tunis City and is a ‘Maltija Ta’ Tunes’!), and it was then that I truly realised how fond the Tunisian people are of Malta and the Maltese.

They immediately agreed to assist me with my project, and offered me a 4x4 vehicle with driver, a guide and hotel accommodation for all of my travels – an extremely generous gesture when one considers that Tunisia is the size of England and that I would need to make several trips to cover the country.

My adventure began in early 2000 and involved several 10 to 15 day journeys to different regions of the country. Whilst I obviously visited the usual touristic areas on the coast and the many incredible Roman cities and religious sites, I was fortunate to visit parts of Tunisia that many Tunisians had never even been to.

I was impressed at how much Tunisia had changed for the better in the twenty years since my initial stay. The whole country is generally much cleaner, the roads are now very good, and it is much easier to get around safely.

The once adequate hotels are today of a very high international standard (and there are many more of them). Hotel staff are well trained and most of them are multi-lingual.

The infrastructure and standards of hygiene have now been greatly improved, and the risk of getting stomach upsets is less likely than in the past. The food is excellent and there are many first class and inexpensive restaurants to be found all over the country.

In fact most things have improved for the better, and the people of Tunisia in general seem to have prospered and are now enjoying a better standard of living.

Tunis City is well worth a visit. It is a cosmopolitan city with an exotic twist, and there is a lot to do and to see here. When in Tunis I sometimes forget I’m in North Africa as it has the feel of any southern European city. Trendy young people sit in cafés on the main boulevard and there are now many smart shopping malls selling all types of designer goods only a short distance away from the ancient (and more traditional) Souks of the old Medina.

Exploring the ‘real’ Tunisia.

In all, I finally travelled 30,000 km and stayed in at least 50 hotels (I lost count!) of all types over a period of about seven months.

I met many wonderful people – from tent dwelling nomads in the Sahara and Berbers of the south plains, to the cosmopolitan residents of Tunis City; the warm and genuine hospitality was the same wherever I went.

I find that many of my Maltese friends for some reason, have a very wrong, very negative impression of Tunisia. Most of them have visions of mass tourism in crowded beach resorts.

Whilst this may be the case in some areas especially in high season, it is not unlike any other popular holiday destination including Malta. Though one can find good, quiet hotels only a short distance from the main resorts.

I usually recommend to friends that they get out of the tourist resorts, if possible, and explore the country for themselves (preferably accompanied by a licensed guide in a 4x4 vehicle).

The ideal way to do this is to plan an itinerary that lets you spend one or two nights in a different hotel, in a different region over a ten day period. There are many excellent travel companies who can plan this sort of adventure holiday and most offer first class accommodation along the way and new air-conditioned Toyota Landcruisers with experienced drivers.

You may be pleasantly surprised to find that Tunisia is not that different from Malta after all, and we have a lot in common with our neighbours not least our language, our history, and our traditional values… Some may even find it (as I do) to be a ‘home away from home’…..

Oh!.. by the way… you may find my book Tunisia – A Travel Portrait useful whilst planning your travel itinerary … it will also be a superb souvenir of your adventure! – Don’t forget your camera! Bon Voyage!