Ian starts his journey in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, where he explores the markets and food. From there he heads out to the countryside, where he gets a lesson in falconry. His next stop is El Djem, a huge Colosseum that is almost as big as its counterpart in Rome and better preserved.
Continuing south to Tamerza he finds an oasis pool in the middle of nowhere. His next stop is Nefta, the centre of Sufi mysticism. In Tozeur, at the gateway to the desert, Ian gets on a quad bike and goes in search of the Star Wars set in the middle of the desert. Heading across the Chott Djerid, a huge salt plain, Ian reaches Douz where he goes hunting with desert greyhounds.
In Matmata he stays in the same hotel that Luke Skywalker stayed in and visits a traditional cave dwelling. On his way to the island of Djerba, he stops off at the WWII German General Rommel's last stand. He finally reaches the island and meets a local Jewish guitar player who talks of the Jewish communities' longstanding good relationship with Muslims on the island.
Over the border Ian starts his Libyan trip in the capital Tripoli. After a brief visit to the souk, he goes to Leptis Magna, one of the finest examples of Roman ruins on the Mediterannean. From here, Ian embarks on a grueling journey south to the heart of the Libyan desert, 2,000 kms away. He arrives at Sabha where there is the biggest camel market in the Sahara region. He continues through the desert, past some surprising lakes, and ends his desert journey skiing: sand skiing on the dunes. His final trek takes him through the rugged Akakus mountains, where he meets the 90 year old Tuareg Godfather of the mountain region who discovered the 10,000 year old rock art in the mountains around him.
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