Author Archives: Stefan Lomas

We’ve settled in quickly here in Santa Maria del Focallo, on the southern tip of Sicily. It’s about 100 meters from one of the inviting stretches of sandy beach, and we make that short walk every morning. So far, the blue flag beaches have been perfect for swimming. We’re approximately an hour away from Ragusa,Continue reading “The charm of Ragusa & Modica”

After three incredibly enjoyable months, it’s time for a new adventure. Tunisia has truly surprised us, and we’ve met some of the kindest people since we started our travels nearly two years ago. From market traders and cab drivers to fishermen and our wonderful hosts, everyone has warmly welcomed us into their country. It’s difficultContinue reading “An ambitious travel plan: Djebra to Sicily”

Alright, it’s another Star Wars day! Our first stop was Matmata, about 3 hours west of Zarzis. As you approach the desert, a long, dusty road leads you into Matmata’s unique architectural landscape. The town is famous for its stone-carved underground and mountainside troglodyte homes. These historic structures, made famous by Star Wars, are unfortunatelyContinue reading “Matmata and Ksar Hadada”

I must give credit to my navigator, who dedicated long evenings researching and planning our routes. Google Maps sort of works, but it’s always looking for a quicker route, which, with patchy internet and often rough roads, isn’t a good idea. So, we always need an outline of our route in advance. We set offContinue reading “The fabulous Chenini and Ksour Ouled Soltanes”

We are staying just under the island of Djebra, which, at 514 km², is about twice the size of Malta and is the largest island in North Africa. It’s about a 40-minute drive from us, and there are several ways to get there. You can fly there; it has Tunisia’s second-largest airport. It can alsoContinue reading “The island of Djebra”

We set off mid-morning for a journey from the east of the country across to the western side next to the desert border, to visit Tozeur and a few other sites we were excited about seeing. We picked up the main P1 highway, which took us up to Gabes, there we peeled off and headedContinue reading “Road trip to Tozeur – Chebika and Star Wars!”

It has been a month since our arrival in Mahdia, and it was time for us to move on. We had made arrangements with our new host for a car to pick us up and embark on the long journey south. Late Saturday morning, after packing all our luggage, shopping, and kitchen supplies (we’ve learnedContinue reading “Zarzis…our new base to explore the south”

The winter in North Africa was exceptionally dry, impacting not only the local population but also the European food chain, which heavily relies on North African produce during the winter months. The water shortage is a stark reality here, with the supply being turned off every evening at 8 pm and not restored until justContinue reading “Sousse, Mahdia and some stormy weather”

El Jem is located inland, to the west of us, and the only ways to get there are either as part of a tour or by taxi, as the amphitheater is located in an isolated small town. Since I preferred to see it through my own eyes rather than through a guide’s, we had toContinue reading “A random amphitheater- El Jem”

Rachel and I are constantly striving to live our best lives, and we’re feeling pretty good about things. Our daily routine begins early with yoga and meditation for me and high-intensity interval training (HIT) for Rach, followed by a bracing morning swim in the sea. But it’s not just about exercise and fitness for us;Continue reading “Chasing sandcastle’s in Monastir”