{"id":8087,"date":"2013-02-02T20:15:05","date_gmt":"2013-02-02T20:15:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/?p=8087"},"modified":"2018-12-18T14:16:14","modified_gmt":"2018-12-18T14:16:14","slug":"pit-dwellings-and-luke-skywalkers-house-in-matmata","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/pit-dwellings-and-luke-skywalkers-house-in-matmata\/","title":{"rendered":"Pit dwellings and Luke Skywalker’s house in Matmata"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dave the motorhome is parked in the shadow of the minaret belonging to the mosque in Matmata (N33.54478 E9.96711). He’s been\u00a0vigorously\u00a0waved into the car park of Chez Abdul, a restaurant in the middle of town. A small sign by the roadside told us camping cars were welcome, our friend Wim told us the deal he had struck with Abdul so we knew what to expect. Tonight we’re dining in his restaurant – a three course meal with drinks (non-alcoholic) including parking and a top up of water from a very dirty hose-pipe (prolonged boiling to follow for the next few weeks) for 30TD (about \u20ac15).<\/p>\n

\"Dave's<\/a>

Dave’s kipping spot for the night.<\/p><\/div>\n

Last night the banging party tunes, some of which I recognised, ended around 10pm as we drifted off to sleep. I’ve kindly shared my manflu with Jay, so he now feels grotty and all I have left is a hacking cough, it’s a good job the campsite was empty as I kept everyone in Dave awake for a large portion of the night.<\/p>\n

This morning we couldn’t resist one last wander out into the dunes – their lure is\u00a0indescribable. Transfixed by the ripples of red sand flowing like a sea towards the horizon we were drawn in. With vast expanse of sand to ourselves we had a play in it, well who wouldn’t? The wind put an end to our fun. There wasn’t any yesterday, today it whipped up around us and our camera, but it seems to have survived the worst of it.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

A happy man and his dog.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Jay<\/a>

Jay begs the sand monster not to attack him<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Ju<\/a>

Ju has fun in the sand<\/p><\/div>\n

Charlie chased sticks and dried camel poo and found himself covered in sand, so when we reached the oasis spring Jay decided to wash him off a bit. Of course what we hadn’t realised was just how sandy everything around us was – I guess we’d got used to it. Charlie however knew just what fun it would be to run around and get super sandy. His fur thickened to resemble that of a camel, and overall he simply went orange. With no other option we sat out in the sunshine to let him dry, then paying our 16TD for the night we headed off back down the sandy road towards tarmac heaven.<\/p>\n

\"Desert<\/a>

Desert dog loves a stick chase<\/p><\/div>\n

\"He<\/a>

He might be mucky, but he’s so happy<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Jay<\/a>

Jay doesn’t want to be seen with our filthy pooch<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Charlie<\/a>

Charlie dries, the sand comes off, desert Dave is born!<\/p><\/div>\n