miniracconto
PARTICIPANTS: Simone (me) and Tamara with our ever-present CaliforniaEV and our friends Angelo and Cristiana with their BMW GS......... COSTS: We spent 1100 euros per couple all inclusive (ferry 388 euros, petrol, food always with our legs under the table, accommodation in decent places (hard to find acceptable ones except in the ultra-touristy spots), site entrance fees, bits and bobs, a top box of souvenirs). KM: 2600 (from Novara) of which about 2250 in Tunisia (180/200 km between track, sand, dirt roads and mule tracks)
ROADS: The paved roads are on average a bit run-down and narrow, but passable with any motorbike. The tracks are passable with any motorbike (obviously taking it easy) The dirt roads to be avoided with faired motorbikes (taking it very easy) Mule tracks to be absolutely avoided with faired motorbikes and with too low an engine (taking it very very easy) Sand....:) Well anyway if I did them all with the guzzun.........:)
TUNISIANS: - In LITTLE or not at all touristy areas, likeable, curious, friendly, party-loving, very religious but respectful. - In touristy areas and above all VERY touristy ones, human crowds, very rude, very invasive and the children are little shits too. VERY religious and sure that the Westerner is a religiously inferior being, but never anything serious. - In the South the Berbers (some of them dark-skinned) are a bit reserved, quite calm, but all in all better that way. Positive. - People around 50/60 years old who come from the French period, very well-mannered and distinguished, never intrusive.
COMPARISON: If we had to weigh up the various pros and cons of the Tunisians against the Turks (though 10 days is little) I'd say the Turks are POURED GOLD.....
LITTLE TALE WITH STAGES: - We left on 27 December, departing from Genoa at 13:00.... - We arrive late on the 28th at the port of Tunis and get out of it (after all the hassle with the documents) around 15:00 After immediately enjoying a nice grill at a little place on the road, we reach the first stop in the surroundings of Bulla Regia (Roman site rating 6) towards the mountains in the North-West. - On the 29th we visit the site between drizzle and panic-inducing wind. We continue towards Dougga (Roman site rating 10+) on an impassable road with wind that forces us to go at 50 an hour! A little visit to LeKef, crossing the mountains with SNOW!!! (come on, you come to Tunisia and find snow!) and finally we stay overnight in Kasserine.
- 30th, We set off speedily towards Sbeitla (Roman site rating 9), after which we decide to plunge into a dirt road that could have resembled a tank track, then the little road turns into a stretch of 700/800 m of sand and earth, we leave the ballast behind on foot and zoom off as if we had two cross bikes!!!! All this to reach the little road to the mountain oases near Algeria (Stunning rating 10+). We descend to Tozeur towards sunset with camels on the horizon (enchanting) and stay overnight there. - 31st, we visit the oasis of Nefta, then return towards Douz crossing the Chott el Jeridd (very evocative salt lake). In the afternoon with my California as a cross bike and the GS as an enduro:¬) we throw ourselves onto the Pipeline towards the oasis of Ksar Ghilane......
The road is difficult but enchanting, the adrenaline rises to 1000, the first dunes, camels, dunes, wind (damn!) Once we arrive, I park in the camping (there are many Italians), 6 bikes arrive (2 enduro, 3 GS, 1 TDM), a girl gets off the bike and exclaims "But what's that Guzzi doing here!!!" (hiihihih) and the others "But how did it get here!" (hiihih+++)........
We see the nice warm spring suggested by our dear friend SenzaConfini but we don't take a dip (I was afraid I'd fall asleep in it and besides it was freezing cold:¬) (maybe next time.....) We book our "bedouin tent" to spend the night in, a New Year's Eve dinner with other Italians, panettone and a bottle brought directly from home and lots of best wisheeeees to youuuuuu!!!!!! At 12:10 we collapse exhausted and frozen in our sleeping bags! - 1st, we take a tour around the area near the oasis and close to the little Berber village, Leclerc's obelisk, we socialise with some children to whom we give a bagful of brioches and sweets and set off for Tatauine.
The track is more doable, with a few dunes, beautiful mountains and one hell of a wind! A little tourist tour of the surroundings where we see a first Ksar (granaries and particular dwellings 300/400 years old) and the chaotic but likeable market inside the little town. - 2nd, without luggage we scan the whole area, the most beautiful Ksars including one where they filmed bits of Star Wars, a little camel ride, and dirt road+mule track to reach Matmata (difficult but beautiful) where we see a first troglodyte house (a piece of junk), return to the Tatauine base by tarmac (it was already pitch dark), freezing wind! - 3rd, we repack the bikes, this time by the normal road. First we catch the most beautiful Ksar (Ksar Ouled Soultane rating 10+), we return to Matmata to see the Star Wars hotel (a piece of junk) where we meet some bikers we'd met the day before........
Scene: I see them exhausted and they ask me "but where did you go through to get to Matmata?" and I answer "via the mule track", reply with everyone's jaw dropping "but did you come with the California?", (ihihihih+++) "of course, why?", (hihihihi+++) "congratulations!!!":¬) At that moment I thought back to the very well-written Tunisia article in Mototurismo of July which says word for word: "Fifth itinerary: from Tatauine to Matmata passing through the oasis of Ksar Ghilane. NOTES: only for enduro or maxi enduro bikes..............":¬))) We scout the area and then off to reach Sfax. - 4th, visit to the medina of Sfax (very beautiful and very peaceful) where we do some shopping like bags of saffron paid a song, harissa (the ultra-typical Tunisian chilli) etc. We set off again towards El Jem, a copy of the Colosseum, a bit smaller but very well preserved (stunning 10+).
Towards evening we arrive in Kairouan (the fourth holy city of Islam after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem), a visit to the medina which in the evening is deserted and spectacular, much more beautiful than by day, evocative. - 5th, a little visit in the chaos of the medina with extremely annoying merchants, people who wanted money even to photograph a fart and things like that, exhausting negotiations some ending in insults, in the end I bought some stuff but what a pain in the arse!!!!! beautiful but not worth wasting so much energy, better in the evening. And off towards Tunis (wind, wind, wind) where before reaching the port we visit the SidiBouSaid district, a complex of white houses with blue doors and railings, beautiful but not spectacular, visit it only if you've got bugger all else to do.
Port and check-in (my god!) we set off two hours late with a 150-metre queue before validating the ticket, well off we go! - 6th, Epiphany, on the ship best wishes by SMS to all our female friends including Momi and Blu!!!:¬) A very pleasant chat with a headmaster-professor (already met at BullaRegia) who always travels alone and has visited all the Arab states, with very interesting and objective stories, impressions, assessments, Koran, religions, history, philosophy, pros and cons, pleasant:¬) We struggle to get off the ship (already 2 hours late), reason? ship full of Tunisians and 4 police officers to do all the necessary checks, exhausting! Last kisses and hugs with our very dear Angelo and Cristiana, two wonderful people, clean minds, lifelong travellers both by motorbike and backpack no-alpitour such as Morocco, India, Peru, Mexico, Australia etc....
GREAT! We cross the mountains full of snow and arrive really frozen at our little home:
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