My reason for going to Tunisia
Firstly, my friend invited me to come. I had taken 3 weeks of leave and was so swamped at work that planning a trip had been inconceivable as I just didn’t have enough brain power. An old school friend had gotten in touch about an art project she was working on and we got chatting. She was in Tunis and told me to come see her as her stay would overlap with my dates by a few days. Secondly, I have always had an interest in North Africa. Thirdly, my family had been and loved it. It was a spur of the moment booking. A flight, and a car only. I would figure out accommodation on the fly as I moved around the country. It was a sensational trip.
Is Tunisia safe?
Tunisia is extremely safe. As a solo female traveller, I was comfortable and free to move and drive everywhere without restriction. I discovered on my travels that there is a special tourism police and tourism intelligence service. How? I hear you ask?
Well I was driving from Touzer in my little hybrid Honda Jazz to a nearby oasis, and google maps was taking me a certain route that looked like it was closed ahead. By the time I realised it was closed off, the road was covered by water and I couldn’t see where the concrete started or ended. I noticed an alternative road snaking up across a bridge and that this abandoned stretch of road was actually on a riverbed! I started to do a 3-point turn but the tyres slipped off the concrete and got wedged between the road and the riverbed. I was stuck in the mud.
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I got out the car and waved for help. Within minutes car after car stopped to offer assistance and get me out of this mess. It took a German tourist with a 4×4, a full rescue kit and several local men to lift and pull the car out of the soft silt. The car, and I, survived unscathed. The whole operation took about 30 minutes.
Then another 4×4 approached. The man called me over and asked for my passport and contact details. I asked why. He said he was the tourist intelligence police and that someone had seen the incident and reported it to him and he needed to log it for official records. He told me his job was to make sure tourists stay safe, in addition to the local police and other security apparatus.
I felt even more safe if not a bit creeped out after that. Big Tunisian Brother is watching, my friends.
How scammy is Tunsiia?
In the markets, traders will, of course, overcharge tourists. We’re plagued with that standard built-in scam. Consider it the tourism tax. But you can reason with them and haggle prices down if you’re on the ball. If not, you will end up paying double, triple or even quadruple the price. If you can, try to enlist the help of a local. You’ll be surprised how much of a difference this makes. Prices start to come magically down.
Is Tunisia drivable?
It is very very drivable. Other than driving into abandoned roads on riverbeds and getting stuck in the mud, and getting a little lost trying to navigate the complex motorways around Tunis the capital, the roads are, for the most part, very good. Near the coastal cities towards the east, the roads get narrower and less smooth, but are still drivable.
The rental company was easy to deal with. They picked me up at the airport and took me to their office and we did the whole pick up, check and drop off with no drama.
What is the shopping like in Tunisia?
I bought beautiful hand-painted ceramic inlaid olive wood pieces, like little trays, and cheese boards, olive wood kitchen items, like pestle and mortar, decorative mosaics from Tunis market and loads of antique Amazigh silver from Hammamet. I didn’t really venture into the modern shops.
What are the group tours like in Tunisia?
I didn’t go on any group tours but I saw loads of Italian groups and other European nationalities. Some holiday goers would stay only in resorts and do day trips to the surrounding areas. Mine was purely solo, but because I know the language, I was comfortable getting around, chatting to people along the way or just staying solo. In hindsight, I would tag along on tours just to meet people.
Are they friendly to tourists/foreigners?
The Tunisians are super sweet and friendly. They are very welcoming and hospitable and this is typical of Arabic countries. The only slightly strange thing I noticed was the men. They would look from afar, but never approach. They would look with a gaze of interest and longing that was slightly disconcerting. These were young, fit, handsome men. But that was it. With time, I realized these men were waiting to be picked up themselves! They would show interest but they were, effectively, waiting to be propositioned by female clientele! I discovered, with cheeky horror, that Tunisian men were popular with older European sugar mummies and that it was an epidemic. So much so, that it was difficult for young Tunisian women to find partners who behaved as normal men and not the ever-growing population of sugar baby gigolos. So yes, they’re very friendly!
Do they have bidets/shattaf in Tunisia?
In some places, yes, but surprisingly, not everywhere. But you can just carry an empty bottle, no problem.
Would you go again?
Yes, I loved Tunisia and hope to back to visit or even live temporarily, if I ever become a nomad worker. I made friends everywhere in the country and stayed in touch for long after.
What would you do differently?
I would go on a couple of group tours to get to know other travellers. It felt a little isolated at times in the hotels and it would ave been nice to get other traveller perspectives and experiences. Sharing stories is a big part of experiencing the destination country from different eyes. I would also try to come during one of the many festivals for a bit of action.
Travel smart ladies, stay cultured 🙂
The Culturist Tip
Make sure you take your swimming costume – you will come across gorgeous beaches across Tunisia – be ready! Tunisian society is a mix of conservative and liberal so you can wear what you like but don’t mind others, and they won’t mind you. Also, avoid commercial restaurants, go to well-reviewed ones or any hole-in-the-wall eatery for good food.