After four memorable weeks in Uzbekistan and a dip into Tajikistan, we were ready to move on. We planned to return to France to see our daughter and her family, but the timing wasn't right. That meant Michael, a.k.a. Chief Travel Planner had three weeks to play with.

Since we weren’t returning to Europe, he was inspired to round up our 89 countries in nine years to 90. Now he just needed to find a country we hadn’t been to that was sort of on the way to France.

 As we poured over the world map, Northern Africa came into focus. From a logistics point of view, Tunisia seemed like a good choice, and it would be a new country for us - and one we’d heard good things about. And, of course, I will always say “Yes!” to any beach destination.

In 2015 we spent time in Morocco and had a great experience there. We appreciated its extraordinary history, exotic atmosphere, and solid tourism infrastructure, so we had similar expectations for Tunisia. It was not the same. What we found was a desolate country where prosperity was hard to find, even after the “success” of the infamous Arab Spring.

That infamous uprising against corruption, inequality, and lack of employment began in 2010 when a Tunisian fruit seller set himself on fire. The positive outcome in late 2011 freed Tunisia from Autocratic rule, and a fledgling democracy took flight. However, corruption continued, and inept leadership ever since has not turned the economy around. Tunisians won the right to freedom of speech and supposedly fair elections, but that was not putting food on the table. Here is a link to a poignant story in the New York Times that ran just ten days ago that summarizes life in Tunisia today.

In 2015 a lone terrorist shot and killed 38 tourists, most of them German and British, on a beach near Sousse. The reaction from European holidaymakers was swift - they picked up their beach chairs and moved to safer countries like Portugal. That was a massive blow to a country that depended on tourism for a large part of its GDP.

Eventually, things began to improve, and Europeans seeking cheap vacations returned. Then Covid hit. Poor Tunisia just couldn’t catch a break! By the time we arrived in October last year, the situation was pretty grim. Having said that, we had some interesting experiences - and using a little imagination, we could see how this country was once a vibrant tourist destination. And it could be again.

We started our three-week stay in the charming Sidi Bou Said neighborhood. Of all the places we visited, this bohemian village on a cliff seemed to have enough tourists to keep shops, restaurants, and small hotels busy. Almost every building was whitewashed stucco with bright, Azure blue accents - especially the doors. It was charming.

Our Airbnb was part of a very authentic house. Our host, Beshir, lives with his family on the ground floor - and they couldn’t be more welcoming. We had our own entrance, and the space was very private, but we enjoyed interacting with Beshir and the guests staying in the flat above us.

We enjoyed a full-day, private tour of the most important sites in Tunis, courtesy of Tours by Locals. Our guide, Noureddine Boukari, was a spry 70-something-year-old. He was a font of knowledge on Tunisian’s ancient history - but he was happy to talk about current affairs as well. That made us both happy.

Our day with Noureddine resulted from a serendipitous encounter with David Young in Samarkand, Uzbekistan just weeks before. David is the founder of Tours by Locals. On his website, travelers can connect with highly qualified private guides in hundreds of cities worldwide. He offered us a free day of sightseeing in Tunisia in exchange for a few kind words on our social media - if we thought the service delivered on its promise. We did!

We were so happy to meet Noureddine. Not only was he courteous and kind - he was also very knowledgeable and easy to be with. In fact, we hired him to drive us between cities and for another full day of sightseeing.

Tunisia is a treasure trove of historical sites. Mainly because it has been invaded and occupied 14 different times by Romans, Greeks, Vandals, Vikings, Moors, and more. And the French, who overstayed their welcome until 1956. And each of those marauders left a bit of themselves behind. Hence, there are fantastic Roman ruins to visit - right after you've had the perfect croissant for breakfast.

One of the “musts” on any sightseeing tour of Tunis is the Bardo Museum - home to the most extensive collection of Roman mosaics anywhere in the world. I adore mosaics and looked forward to spending an afternoon there. Unfortunately, the museum is closed to the public indefinitely because the current President fears the museum's proximity to the Parliament building could allow terrorists access to their chambers.  Sigh. But there were plenty of other interesting sites to visit that day.

Noureddine took us to the impressive, Unesco-protected, ruins at Carthage - the infamous pirate city of the Phoenicians built in the 2nd Century B.C. And to the North African American Cemetery where 2.800 soldiers who fought in North Africa during WWII are buried there, and almost 4,000 names are etched on the Wall of the Missing. It was a sobering experience.

We also toured the central Medina - a Unesco World Heritage Site. Like many Souks, it was a warren of passageways filled to the edges with merchants selling everything from Hookahs and phone cases to Fez caps and fish.

The part of visiting the market we enjoyed most was watching the students from the nearby university jam themselves into tiny coffee shops. Kids were practically on top of each other, balancing cups of coffee or Coca-Cola and sharing their favorite Tik Tok videos. We engaged a few in conversation, and they loved the chance to practice English.

In fact, Michael (always one to ask a direct question) asked a group of girls their thoughts on head covering. There were 6 of them, and 2 wore the hajib. We learned that only about 30% of women choose to cover their hair in Tunisia, which is a personal choice.

After four days in Tunis, we moved 13 miles northwest to Gammamet (also known as La Marsa) to spend time by the sea. Our Airbnb was incredible. It makes us appreciate the rare opportunity we’ve had to live in over 300 different homes around the world. I think we’ve seen just about every type of accommodation.

There were no stores and only a large but mostly empty hotel within walking distance, so our host drove us to the supermarket to stock up on supplies for the week. There wasn’t much to do without a car, and the small beach was down a long stairway in disrepair, so we happily cocooned in our beautiful space and enjoyed the view.

The rest of our week got disrupted because I got sick. I've been very fortunate to have only seen a doctor once for a foot injury in Mexico during our Senior Nomad travels. But this time, I got hit with an undiagnosed infection (UTI) that knocked me out. I had a high fever and was a little delirious - and certainly couldn’t walk on my own. Our host from our stay in Sidi Bou Said saved the day. He helped us find an English-speaking doctor and raced us to the appointment.

Dr. Azoz was very professional and kind and called to check on my recovery several times. Once again, proving you can get excellent medical care anywhere in the world. The cost of the visit was $35 USD and the lab work was $75 USD. With antibiotics in hand, I recovered quickly, and we moved on to our next location.

The next few days were spent in an Airbnb overlooking the marina in the popular seaside resort of Hammamet. Once again, a very charming listing with a fantastic view. However, after we settled in and began exploring our surroundings, the dire economic situation in Tunisia became apparent. The large condominium complex surrounding the marina felt desolate. Many shops were abandoned, and only a couple of restaurants were open. It felt like a ghost town.

While there, we hired Noraddine to take us on a road trip to Sousse and Kairouan. Both cities have significant historical sites. It was a long day of driving, but we learned so much about Tunisian life and politics during the drive that it didn't matter.

The Archeological Museum in Sousse has an extensive collection of Roman mosaics, so I saw some fantastic art there. In Kairouan, we were impressed with The Great Mosque of Kairouan, Tunisia’s holiest site. We didn’t get to El Jem to see the coliseum, which we heard is fantastic. Nor did we visit any of the many Star Wars movie set locations, so there is more of Tunisia to be explored!

Hammamet is one of Tunisian tourism’s crown jewels, but it has lost its luster. We walked to the central part of town, where a large Disney-esque medina and Theme Park sat full of shops and restaurants but no customers. It was sad to witness a once thriving tourist destination be left to fend for itself. Still, we enjoyed the pleasant beach, and I rode a camel - something I’ve always wanted to do. 

 Our final two nights in Tunisia were spent in a stunning hotel in the heart of the Tunis Medina. The Dar El Jeld hotel was a cool, dimly lit respite from the noise and heat beyond its magnificent yellow doors. Our suite was sumptuous. Not only was it huge and beautifully decorated, but plates of fruit, dates, and little sweets were laid out for us. Tunisians, like Uzbeks, never want their guests to go hungry. Michael assured me that all this luxury was still within budget!

The hotel spa was a sea of tranquility, so we treated ourselves to a Hammam (Turkish bath) and massage. And we had some outstanding meals (and complimentary breakfast) in the elegant rooftop restaurant - all for prices that seemed unbelievably low.

We enjoyed dinner with Senior Nomad Facebook Group members Sarah Charles and her partner Ricardo on our final night. Sarah’s work with USAID brought her to Tunisia three years ago. And while they love many things about living there, they can also attest to the country's many challenges. Ultimately, what I took away from our visit was that Tunisians are stoic - they have been through so much change over the millennia that they have a “this, too, shall pass” attitude. We hope 2023 will be good for them.

We had some amazing travel adventures in 2022. I am looking forward to wherever the road takes us in 2023. Happy New Year everyone, and thanks for following along,

 Debbie and Michael Campbell

The Senior Nomads