10 october 2008, friday, Tunis

10 october 2008, friday, Tunis

We had breakfast after a good night sleep on the ferry at 08.30 hour. For the first time we transferred the routes to the Garmins of the competitors. After that we went to the open deck to have a look at the approaching coast of Tunisia. We stayed out there untill we almost reached the harbour. We had to collect our luggage in our cabins and wait inside on the stairs until the doors to the cardecks were opened. We loaded our stuff in the cars again and drove out of the boat. There we met the customs people, who were friendly and liked paperwork and stamps. One custom man saw our GPS and said we needed a permit for that. So we went to another man and got the permit for free. Back to the other custom man again, who wanted the papers from the other man and we were off to Tunis. First we fixed the rallyplates and carstickers to our cars with tieraps and tape. After that we went into Tunis with the aid of the roadbook and GPS routes. That was the first test. We arrived into Tunis and at the Carlton hotel. We unpacked our cars and put the cars in the guarded parking of the Africa hotel, opposit to our hotel. Then we checked in and went to our rooms.
Later on we went into the city into the direction of the old medina. On the Avenue Bourghiba we bought some nice postcards and a few books and maps about Tunisia. Then we walked along the old gate of the medina into the medina. Lots of shops, shops and shops! But we went only one street to the left and came in the part of the locals. There was a man that was very good in the making of copper plates with inlayed copper and tin. He woked days on one plate. Tomorrow we will collect it at ten o'clock. After that we walked back to the hotel with Heert-Jan and Atske. In the hotel we refreshed ourselves and went to dinner. It was a simple good 3 course meal with fresh vegetables and fish. We even got red wine, which the waiter had to buy somewhere outside of the hotel. We had good conversations and lots of fun. Then to bed (after writing this).