1. We bought
six eggs last week and every one had a double yolk.
2. At the
Borj Cedria scout camp, four great Dutch blokes joined us, driving from
Nijmegen to Cape Town in a LR Defender and a Nissan Patrol in three months.
This is their story.
3. As they
left, some Czech boys on heftily laden motorbikes arrived, on their way home
after three weeks exploring the desert. That night they shared their pear
schnapps and we shared what remained of Dad’s Scotch whisky. They spoke little
English and no French but we chatted for a couple of hours with the help of a
Czech-English dictionary – and the drink. They had a penchant for exotic pets:
George has snakes and tarantulas and Ruda keeps ostriches in his garden. I
can’t remember the Czech for ostrich but it sounded funny.
4. When we
arrived in Hergla, a friendly little whitewashed town with turquoise doors and
shutters and bougainvillea in orange, scarlet and fuschia, we introduced
ourselves to the local Guarde Nationale to find somewhere to sleep – and to
avoid any nighttime confrontation. The two on duty were called Slim and Slim!
Slim One is getting married in two months, and Slim Two had white hair and blue
eyes to match the town, and spoke impeccable English.
5. An enquiry
in a men’s barbers led me next door to the bookshop where the owner had a
friend, Nusa, who cut ladies’ hair for £1.50 behind a thick curtain in a room
in her house. It was the quickest haircut I’d ever had, three minutes at most
(a squirt of water, a few snips et voila, four inches shorter) plus an
impromptu Arabic lesson thrown in for free.
6. At the
youth centre in Sousse, reknowned for allowing campervans to park up outside,
we were hijacked by a bunch of excitable teens before the handbrake was on.
They were rehearsing an R&B style body-popping dance routine for a show
this weekend and led us by the hand to watch. Huw was fearful they might drag
us up to join in.
7. We’re
finally making an effort to learn Arabic. Until now our attempts have been
pathetic and our incentive low: everyone here speaks French. All the language
schools are closed til summer, but we have the Michel Thomas method CDs (thanks
Ed), a great phrasebook, and the street as our classroom. My two favourite
words so far are ‘bint’ – girl – and ‘mad nose’ – parsley.
8. We haven’t
done a lot of touristy stuff, but we did visit Dar Essio in the Sousse Medina,
a restored traditional Tunisian home. We had the whole place to ourselves. It
was definitely a reason to be cheerful. Every conceivable surface was covered
in painted tiles and lavish drapes, all in mismatching patterns and colours –
apparently so the two wives (who couldn’t read or write) wouldn’t get bored. In
the first wife’s bedroom, there was a tiny bed opposite the main one. The poor
wife had to go and sleep there alone once her husband had had his way!
9. Truck life
suits us. We’re into great routines, and loving living in our little home.
10. Without
wanting to count our chickens, it seems that following our fourth visit to the
Embassy yesterday, our Libyan visas are within reach.
Route,
photos and more at www.thelongandwinding.co.uk
