Tunisia

September 19, 2008

We’re in Tunis, catching up with admin in a posh hotel lobby where the Tunisians smoke so much they make the Chinese look like cancer research scientists.  All is top-hole, the ferry disembarcation process was too hilarious to describe, and the hotel last night was post apocalyptic.  Sean dislocated his toe this morning but he’s a big boy and has wrapped it with gaffer tape. 

Rambling Descent

September 21, 2008

As a camping destination Tunisia has a long way to go.  At Sidi Al El Mekki, we ended up camping in a car park with a jolly dutch couple we met on the ferry.  It turned out to be the night from hell, firstly we had a baffling visit from the local law, who insisted on taking all our passport details ‘for our own security.’  Then we experienced what felt like a hurricane, ably assisted by the local pack of feral dogs who thought that it would be fun to howl along with the wind…..

The compensation was this view in the morning

Last night our luck changed and we found a lovely camp – note how we instantly lower the tone. 

Banners and everything!

We were entertained by the local ex-pat community who were on a mass camp-out, and had a really good night. 

Today random things that have caught our eye include many, many dead dogs, some flamingos in a lagoon, nervous looking cows tethered outside butchers’ shops, our first camel sighting, albeit a dead one hanging outside aforementioned butchers, and this fabulous monument to the orange.

Fruit as monumental architecture

We’re now in Sfax, where we wandered around the huge medina completely alone, as it’s Ramadan everyone else was breaking their fast at sundown.  It was quite eerie.  We’re staying here tonight in a hotel and tomorrow we’re heading out to an oasis called Ksar Ghilane in the middle of the desert where we will stay for a couple of nights before making our way to the Libyan border.

It’s probably worth mentioning that we haven’t used the Garmin since we’ve been in Tunisia, and are both as yet unscathed.  Sean is largely refusing to let me drive, is enjoying doing battle with Tunisian ‘drivers’ and is looking forward to Libya, where apparently it’s worse.