My Experience in Tunisia (3)

Tunisia.

I fear I may have seen Tunisia for the last time. As the plane lifted off from Monastir Airport in December 2008, I looked out the window and thought: I like travelling and I am not 40 yet. I will probably not be coming back within a few years unless through reason and chance. And it made me sad.

I am also sad that, more items have been crossed out from "something I’ve got to do in my lifetime list", with this in mind and I want to travel more: I want to see, hear and try. Travelling to me is like a child waiting to open the sweet box, blissfully and surprisingly excited, you never know until it is opened and how good it will be.

Last year, I spent some times in the countries which were surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. I truly liked the atmospheres, foods and weather, with surprising cultures and with the most amazing histories. For me, it is like unveiling the country provides me with lots of self-awareness; especially as a woman when I travel to Muslim countries. Surely I do not advise a woman to travel alone there; and good preparation for your perspectives before you travel is strongly recommended.

Consequently, you "have to" learn to haggle and learn to be hassled. For instance, there are similar cultures between Egypt and Tunisia, in both countries you needed to haggle when purchasing, whereas there seems to be less hassling in Tunisia than in Egypt. Hotel management is kind of letting me down in Tunisia. What they called the Entertainment Department was obviously to entertain in-house guests but did not set a very good example when we were hassled within the hotel. The waiters would tell you how much they were paid per month to earn your sympathy in order to receive tips or more tips. Otherwise, any spare after-shaves or fragrances? He asked us. People speak good French or English in Tunisia - far better than in Egypt; however it has created chances to communicate with tourist worldwide and sometimes not in an agreeable way. They did try hard in any case, of course they worked hard too, somehow I just wasn’t drunk enough to respond as they wished and went away or went back to the room on many occasions.