Monthly Archives: January 2012

The holy city of Kairouan

Posted on January 30, 2012 by EllieGee

Kairouan is the fourth most holy place in the Islamic world after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem, and is Tunisia’s spiritual heart. It was also its capital city from the 7th to the 9th centuries, was North Africa’s first Arab capital, … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Culture stuff, By Country - Tunisia, Food stuff, Travel stuff | 2 Comments

Dipping into The Tell

Posted on January 30, 2012 by EllieGee

We woke to a sunny morning at our Hammamet hotel campsite, and I was greeted with pink roses picked from the gardens by the maintenance chap and by one of the cleaning ladies. The deeper we travel into Tunisia the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Culture stuff, By Country - Tunisia, Travel stuff, Van stuff | Leave a comment

Cap Bon

Posted on January 25, 2012 by AdrianC

The road out of Tunis wasn’t straightforward – just getting away from the garage where we’d left the van took us round the edge of the main central market place (in full swing at 10am on a weekday, of course), … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Culture stuff, By Country - Tunisia, Food stuff, Travel stuff | 2 Comments

A baptism of steam, or eating oranges and pastries at the hammam

Posted on January 24, 2012 by EllieGee

My back’s been killing me for a couple of days. I think it’s due to the uncomfortable seating on the ferry and then lots of walking around the souks here in Tunis, and the sites at Carthage yesterday. What better … Continue reading →

Posted in By Country - Tunisia, Personal stuff, Travel stuff, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Carthage and Sidi Bou Said

Posted on January 22, 2012 by EllieGee

Carthage is one of those names from antiquity one hears again and again when looking at anything to do with the Romans, but I didn’t know where it was. This trip has served to flesh out my previously sketchy grasp … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Culture stuff, By Country - Tunisia, Travel stuff | 1 Comment

In the heart of Tunis

Posted on January 21, 2012 by AdrianC

Tunis’ Medina spreads for a considerable distance in every direction – before the French colonisation, it was the entire town centre. The French new town spreads around it in a lovely regular grid pattern, but the Medina itself has nothing … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Culture stuff, By Country - Tunisia, Travel stuff | 1 Comment

A customs post

Posted on January 16, 2012 by AdrianC

One thing that made us slightly apprehensive in the run-up to arrival in Tunis was a lack of information on what hurdles you’d actually face at the port. We’ve taken a car across a couple of North African borders before, … Continue reading →

Posted in By Country - Tunisia, Officialdom stuff | 2 Comments

Palermo to Tunis

Posted on January 16, 2012 by EllieGee

After two and a half months in Sicily and nearly eight months on the road, we have sailed south to our first new country for a while, a different culture, and a new continent. I am typing as the sound … Continue reading →

Posted in By Country - Italy, By Country - Tunisia, Travel stuff | 5 Comments

The van our planet

Posted on January 16, 2012 by EllieGee

Living in such a compact vehicle with limited space and resources makes us much more aware of our consumption and waste day-by-day than when we lived in our house. On thinking of this new awareness of what we need to … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal stuff, Travel stuff, Van stuff | Leave a comment

A van made out of brick?

Posted on January 12, 2012 by AdrianC

A strange thing’s happened. We’ve just spent a week staying in one of those large and strangely immobile brick-built campervan things. What do they call ’em again? Oh, yes – a “house”… Casa Tre Sorrelle (Three Sisters) is a pleasant … Continue reading →

Posted in By Country - Italy, Travel stuff | 5 Comments