It’s official. I’m in love. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this way. It was love at first sight, really. Now that I have Tunisia in my life, I can’t ever imagine a life without it.
I knew I loved Tunisia the first time I walked along its shores at 6:30 in the morning. It was cold and overcast. There was no sunrise to be found on the horizon, just fog and clouds that were more blue than grey. The birds circled above, and an overly friendly street dog ran to me with a bottle, looking for both affection and a partner for catch. He first crawled into my lap and nuzzled his face into the crease of my arm.
The love affair deepened when I walked through the medina to see the beautiful handmade silver trays, embroidered bags, and painted pottery.
As I walked around town, I was not bothered (*cough cough Egypt cough cough*). People gave directions out of the goodness of their hearts, not because they were looking for tips. People smiled. They were kind.
This will not be my only trip to Tunisia in my life. This is a promise.
One Month in Tunis
Tunis is the capital city of Tunisia, and one of the most beautiful capital cities in the world, according to me. Yes, there are spaces of concrete and chaos. But there are also the old city walls. Historical Carthage ruins. Seaside cafes. Patios overlooking the city where you can enjoy a local Celtia Beer in the sunshine.
Gringo and I spent one month in the neighborhood of La Marsa, which is right along the coast. Our Airbnb was a 2-minute walk from the Gulf of Tunis, which connects to the Mediterranean Sea.
We lived one block from the Saf Saf, where we tried all the local foods our little hearts could try: fricassè, brik, couscous, bambaloni, etc. Tunisian foods are generally pretty heavy on tuna, potatoes, harissa (spicy sauce) and being fried. I loved every bit of it.
Gringo’s friend from Montreal also met us for a couple of weeks, and together we explored the tiled rooftops of the Tunis medina, the seaside village of Sidi Bou Said, and the (honestly underwhelming) UNESCO site of Carthage.
Yesterday we took the 2.5-hour train ride from Tunis to Sousse, with a heavy heart and a heavy extra bag (which means some of you are getting treats when I get back to Colorado). The last time I felt this sad leaving a city was Buenos Aires many years ago (the first time I lived there in 2005).
If you’re intrigued by Tunis and are considering a visit, I’ve created an ultimate guide to Tunis on the Thatch app, which gives safety tips, transportation info, what to eat, do, see, etc. I’m offering 20% off this Tunis Thatch guide for one week only to Substack readers. Use the discount code: NPTSSUBS
The Tunisian Road Trip
During our time in Tunis, we had a French Canadian friend come visit. With our friend Isaac, we rented a car and drove around the country for one week. We went north to Cape Angela, the most northern point of Africa. We went south to the desert. We visited several ancient Berber/Amazigh villages, many of which doubled as filming locations for Star Wars.
George Lucas was massively influenced by the country and culture of Tunis. The Tunisian desert attire resembles the long cloaks of the Jedis. The planet of Tatouine was named after the Tunisian governate of Tatouine. There is even a town called JarJar (as in the one and only JarJar Binks).
The hometown of Anakin Skywalker is an ancient storage space for nomadic Berbers hundreds of years ago. Slave quarters and prisons in Star Wars were once used to store grains until the Berber tribes returned the next season.
I haven’t yet started writing any blog posts for Tunisia as I’m still slowly making my way through Egypt, but you can expect to see more in the next couple of months.
In the meantime, feel free to follow my Tunisia journey via Instagram or Tiktok.
One Month in Sousse
I was sad to leave Tunis, but excited to still have one more month in Tunisia. We’ll be spending the next month in the seaside town of Sousse, about 2.5 hours south of Tunis. We’ll use this opportunity to explore a few more of the beach towns along the coast, as well as just existing in a new city.
This is why I enjoy slow travel. I don’t want to rush around to see the sites in a few days. I want to take my time. Live like a local. Exist like a local. I am looking forward to the slow pace of seaside life in Sousse, Tunisia’s third-largest city (Sfax being the second).
Egypt Blog Posts
As I mentioned above, I’m slowly sifting through my Egypt content. If you’ve got a trip to Egypt coming up soon, check this link where you can find all my Egypt posts in one place.
As of now, you can feast your eyes on these:
13 Necessary Things to Know Before Going to Egypt
What You Need to Know About Cairo, Egypt
21 Exciting Things to Do in Dahab Egypt
Hiking Mt Sinai: the Best Sunrise in Egypt
More coming soon!
Florence Thatch Guide
My 10 days in Florence in January passed in a flash, it almost feels like it never happened. But it was really amazing to go back and reminisce, drink good wine, and see good friends.
While I was there, I combined all my favorite (and less touristy) places to eat, drink, and be merry into one Thatch Guide. I used to live in Florence for two years. So if you think you might be headed to Florence soon and want to check out where a local goes, take a look at my Thatch guide.
I’m offering 20% off this Florence Thatch guide for one week only to those who read this newsletter. Use the discount code: NPTSSUBS
Argentina Trips with Trova Trip
As much as I have loved being in Tunisia, I can’t stop thinking about Argentina. My goal for this year is to lead my first group trip to Patagonia. But I need YOUR help!
I’m just 15 surveys away from having the chance to chat with a representative from Trova Trips about making this dream a reality. If you have 5-10 minutes to spare, I would be so grateful if you could fill out this survey with a company called Trova Trip.
In order for the survey to be considered valid, you just need to select that you are willing to spend over $2000 on a trip. You can select any countries that you might be interested in for a trip. But of course, the more people who also select Argentina, the more likely it will be that we can take a Patagonia hiking trip together. THANK YOU!
Save Yourself a Headache and Get Insured
As I get older, I find myself thinking more and more about insurance. If I go back to the States for a few months, will I be covered? What will I do?
But at least while I’m traveling, I have SafetyWing. It’s a travel medical insurance company that was created by nomads for nomads. Lots of people have been messaging me lately asking which company I use, and my answer is always this- SafetyWing!
THANK YOU
Thank you so much to each and every one of you who read this newsletter and support me and my work. Thank you for reading my words and watching my videos, buying me coffee and donating to my blog. I truly appreciate all your continued support and encouragement.
One more month left in Tunisia, then back to the US while I focus on my blog and gear up for my potential return to Argentina after 2 years!