Extract from: KINGDOM OF THE FILM STARS Journey into Jordan by Annie Caulfield In this extract, Annie travels to the desert to visit the family of her Bedouin friend, Rathwan, where she experiences life on the women's side of the tent. If the tale about the sheep's eyes was one of our myths, I later came across what I thought might be a Bedouin women's myth about Western girls. When I went to change into my skirt in preparation for the arrival of the guests, Alia came with me to what had been our bedroom. Now the mattresses had been arranged neatly around the sides of the tent, with cushions placed on them to make comfortable seats for the visitors. The plastic floor-covering had been swept and my suitcase tidily stowed on the small trunk that was Alia's wardrobe. As I opened my case, Alia was pretending to be absorbed in rearranging her white head scarf, but she had one curious eye on me all the time. I opened my case wide to show I didn't mind if she wanted to look at my things; her life had been on show to me all morning.

I changed into an ankle-length skirt and long-sleeved top, thinking that I looked quite demure enough for the severest old lady visitor. But Alia seemed concerned, asking me an urgent question. When I didn't understand, she pulled up her dress - and under a few other layers of dress and a pair of leggings, she showed me that she was wearing good, solid interlock knickers. Knickers straight out of an Enid Blyton fourth-former's wardrobe: a sensible, netball-captain's navy-blue. I showed her mine. Barely knickers at all compared to hers, but she seemed reassured if a little surprised. I had a very powerful feeling from her reaction that the Bedouin had a story going round about Western girls not wearing any. I was pleased to have saved our reputation.