Author Archives: AdrianC

In the shadow of a very active volcano

Posted on March 31, 2012 by AdrianC

We quickly settled back into the rhythms of Sicilian life. Our intention to spend a couple of days near Cefalu quickly turned into a week as we waited for a backlog of post (just minor stuff like the van’s new … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Culture stuff, By Country - Italy, Food stuff, Travel stuff, Van stuff, Wildlife stuff | 7 Comments

Just Roman around

Posted on March 20, 2012 by AdrianC

As mentioned in the traveloguey post of our quick lap of the north-west of Tunisia, this region is chock-full of some of the best Roman sites in the country. We ended up taking in six of them – all very … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Culture stuff, By Country - Tunisia | 3 Comments

Northern climes

Posted on March 16, 2012 by AdrianC

Heading north from Gafsa gave us a major change of scene, as the landscape became greener, lusher, and generally much more European. We were definitely away from the desert, as we followed the west of the country, dipping towards and … Continue reading →

Posted in By Country - Tunisia, Food stuff, Travel stuff | 1 Comment

Across the Chott

Posted on March 5, 2012 by AdrianC

There was only one way to go when we left Douz – across the Chott el Jerid. Shown on maps as a lake, for eleven months of the year it’s just a flat salt pan, extending 100km east-west and 50km … Continue reading →

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

Through the desert in a van with no name

Posted on February 28, 2012 by AdrianC

Ksar Ghilene is as far out into the sandy desert as you can easily go. Until very recently, there wasn’t even a tarmac road all the way there – just piste, compressed dirt – but the main route, the “pipeline … Continue reading →

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

This place is the pits…

Posted on February 24, 2012 by AdrianC

The road from Metameur wound up and down through spectacular scenery and views into the mountains, taking us through Toujane – semi-abandoned ancient dwellings tumbling down across both sides of a gorge, with the ruins of old forts high above. … Continue reading →

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

Landmark accommodation

Posted on February 14, 2012 by AdrianC

In the Djerba post, we mentioned that we spent our last night on the island “treating ourselves” to a night in a Fondouk, an old inn or caravanserai. In a way, it wasn’t much of an extravagance, since hotels here … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Culture stuff, By Country - Tunisia, Personal stuff | 3 Comments

Farewell to the coast – for now

Posted on February 9, 2012 by AdrianC

The drive towards Gabès was a long one, with nothing on the way, and after the boat from Kerkennah docked and we fought our way out of Sfax, we knew we were a bit tight on time. So when we … Continue reading →

Posted in By Country - Tunisia, Travel stuff | Leave a comment

An absolute Jem

Posted on February 5, 2012 by AdrianC

After a predictable stretch of road – olive trees and small settlements spaced apart by the odd rural grey-market filling station, no more than a pile of grimy 20 litre plastic drums of diesel and a funnel on a stand … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Culture stuff, By Country - Tunisia, Travel stuff | 6 Comments

The tourist coast

Posted on February 4, 2012 by AdrianC

Our arrival at Sousse saw us fighting traffic and a seeming total lack of signage to try to find the Maison de Jeunesse. These institutions are government run, and provide a mix of extra-curricular education for kids and cheap/cheerful accommodation … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Culture stuff, By Country - Tunisia, Travel stuff | 3 Comments