26th December 08

Date: 26th December 08
Location: Iles de Jerbra, Tunisia
Weather: Scattered cloud and sunshine, cold though! 20°c
Status: Nearly out of Africa, good or bad?

Up early and finished a few updates to the website before we headed to the south west side of the island to take the ferry across to the mainland…this as supposed to save time as it cut off 120kms but the queue for the boat was huge and we sat for an hour waiting so gained nothing!

Eventually cleared the crossing a got onto the road through some overly Tunisian countryside which wound through the coastal towns and was painfully slow due to all the trucks.

We drove all day and as the sun went down had around 150kms to go so stopped and bought a kilo of lamb from a roadside bbq for nibbles…very amusing in a sick way as the skins of the sheep hang next to the fire which is cooking the mutton along with a group of live sheep watching all of the proceedings. I wonder what they must be thinking….

Arrived at the peage road, the first since France, which gave us an amazing newly tarmaced motorway which reminded me of Europe and how easy everything and simple it all is. I miss Africa already. We stopped at a Shell service station for a drink and Kees and I just stood there staring….stocked shelves, massive choices and whatever we wanted to eat or drink, and in so many flavours!! Together with that though came the feeling of no individuality, being a clone, part of a horribly globalised system; something which Africa is a million miles from and so beautiful for.

We pulled into the outskirts of Tunis and found another modern, clean and organised African city reminiscent of some French Mediterranean coastal resorts. Our destination for the night was the Almicar Hotel as they allowed camping in the car park, when we eventually found it the place was closed but the slightly drunk security guard allowed us to stay there anyway….well until 6.30am when he woke us and told us we had to be out by 7am!

It felt awful to cover those last few km’s on African soil after nearly 60,000 in the past year and I miss the experience already, Bre and I chatted about the good times, the bad times and the rest and are convinced we’ll be back here sometime soon. For now Africa is finished with us and we are with it….

End of day location: Tunis
Distance covered: 530kms