Exploring Algeria.

Among those nations that seem to live at the borders of your mental map is Algeria. You know it's there, you've heard about it, yet for some reason it never seems to surface on the regular visitor's plans. It's regrettable because Algeria is indeed a hidden gem right in front of us. If you're ready to look past the odd bureaucratic hurdle, it's large, varied, and every nook has a story to tell.

Let's first discuss scenery. Consider a location where the desert is a living, breathing thing rather than simply a backdrop for dramatic Instagram photos. The Sahara here is rather big. I'm describing rolling dunes so high you'll swear your legs are made of jelly after climbing them. Still, it's worth it—sunset over the Erg. Looking at Chebbi-style dunes makes you briefly forget that your hotel room is less expensive than your water bottle. And the settlements dotting the desert are amazing in that subdued, somewhat dishevelled way that gives you the impression of having travelled back in time.

There's also the Mediterranean coast. The capital, Algiers, resembles that friend who works very hard to seem naturally elegant but sometimes stumbles over their own sense of style. A maze of small lanes, white-washed homes, and old mosques, the Casbah is a UNESCO World Heritage site. You'll lose direction. You will. That's really the whole point. Wandering has its own appeal since you might come across tiny coffee shops where residents sip espresso and look at you like you've just disturbed a rather significant conference with history itself.

Algeria also knows how to put things together in a clever way. One minute you're admiring Roman remains in Tipasa with the sea sparkling behind you, the next you're haggling a taxi ride in fractured French while attempting to avoid unintentionally offending someone's granny. Food is another joy too, incidentally. Couscous, tajines, and fresh seafood; these are all rich, delicious, and most likely the only things in Algeria you can enjoy without a degree in negotiation.

And yes, Algeria is not precisely the simplest country to visit. The infrastructure could be considered "adventurous," and the markings are occasionally philosophical concepts rather than helpful directions. However, that's some of what makes it unique. Algeria has a naturalness, a feeling that it hasn't been over-packaged for visitors. You come for the experiences, not the handpicked Instagram pictures. You come here to really, awkwardly, live a little while, realising that your readiness to ignore a map determines its quality.

Algeria is calling if you're game for an adventure where you might get a bit sweaty, lost often, and eat better than you most likely should. For a nation whose sheer size would readily crush you, it is large, bold, and somewhat courteous. You might leave with a few bruises and burns, maybe a sunburn, but also with stories you'll keep telling over and over again because they sound too crazy to be true. Algeria is not a journey you embark on casually. One you sense, sometimes swear at, but finally never forget.