Trepidacious and tantilized in Tunisia

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rick Steves, the famous travel writer noted that "travel is turbocharged living". I would add that it is also a roller coaster of emotion. While engaging and easy when your gaze and focus are pointedly on some new exciting and barely indecipherable historic artifact, getting there can be challenging. Therefore! - necessary for adventure travel is resiliency, patience and a great sense of humor. More on this later!  In this trip to Tunisia where there is a noticeable absence of English and a sense of danger due to proximity to Tripoli and the lingering jitters caused by the beach massacre in 2015, there is trepidation enough for even the most seasoned traveler.

 

Our adventure took us from the capital and largest city Tunis (Carthage from the old days) in the north down the coast visiting 2 amazing remains of ancient civilizations ( El Jem Colosseum and the Great Mosque at Kairouan) and to many Mediterranean seaside towns along the way. By the way - the Olive trees stretch on into the distance seemingly forever...ahhhh ..... that's where that lovely liquid comes from.

 

 

My good friend Barry (an intrepid and perpetual traveler despite being on a fixed income) suggested Tunisia. He then tantalized the adventure by noting that Tunisia is second in the world for extremely well preserved Roman ruins. My wife Essie and I signed on immediately. While Tunisia is not on the first 25 highlighted travel destinations in the world, it is definitely overlooked in my humble opinion. Beautiful, safe, great value for money ..... and so much to see. This is in my top 10 countries I have visited ..... so far.

 

A slightly puzzled Barry

 

 

 

 

At the same time as it is all these wonderful accolades - it's a bit tricky. Barry (above)  looks puzzled as he reads the Arabic on the package. I too had no idea if this was indeed milk. In the end - it was not. Milk is stored at the  back of the store not in a refrigerator. Duh! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We spent 4 days in the capital Tunis, first at the magnificent Bardo Museum and then exploring the ruins left behind by the Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Ottomans and the French. This location was highly sought after as a key to domination of the region. The city itself is safe and beautiful with a vibrant community reminding me of Paris. Little hidden alleyways and elaborate balconies are perched here and there to discover. There are 700 million zillion coffee shops on each block full of smoking men and women sipping sweet mint tea and coffee. (I don't mean the Dua Lipa kinda smokin' - I mean the the cancer kinda of smoking) This smoking sipping festival seemed to be in full swing every night regardless of the day of the week. I love that commitment to getting out and off the couch!!

 

Essie at the Bardo admiring a beautiful mosaic

 

 

Disturbingly - this is where Arab spring began in December 2010 when a fruit seller lit himself on fire no longer able to deal with the stress of living in a completely unjust society. That triggered a tragic series of events that when combined with the murder of 38 people (and 39 wounded) in 2015 south of Tunis, has led to the tourist industry being decimated. I would say - however -  it is well on it's way to recovery given the joy evident in the lives of the average Tunisian.

 

Barry AKA Indian Jones with his most recent discovery

 

 

 

 

A wonderful thing about the ruins of Carthage is that you can traipse around without a lot of "off limit areas" or "security services" watching over you. It's deliciously open to explore and poke about. Below is a picture of Barry in a small underground room we found well off the beaten track. The entrance not easily discernible and mother nature busy trying to obscure the entrance with bushes and such.  It felt a bit like an Indiana Jones discovery - but of course it was not -- given the accumulation of Mars Bar wrappers in the corner. 😀

 And the food!!!! Terrific!!! Gelow is a Maklouf cooked to perfection on some kinda clay pot. The stuffings of cheese fries veggies mayonnaise olives and of course the ubiquitous Harrisa. For the uninitiated, Harrisa is a blend of red bell peppers garlic onion and chili peppers in an eye-watering combination suitable for preventing bear attacks or adding a bit of kick to any food eaten in the country.

 

Also the late night treat (below) of this dough-nutty thing (Bomboloni) served hot from the cooking oil and glazed in sugar. Fabulous though perhaps best in limited quantities methinks.... 

 

 

 

 

 

Without question the adventure jewel of Tunisia (for me)  is El Jem where perched in the stands you can imagine the lions roaring and the terrified Christians  wondering what God could have sanctioned this? Or maybe the epic battle of gladiators in a fight to the death. Crowds cheering madly in this ancient precursor to MMA. Eerily quiet and beautifully preserved, it is sight to see. Not far away is the Great Mosque of Kairouan, an incredible piece of Arab and Muslim history and a similarly amazing to visit.

Essie appears dwarfed by the pillars - or is she actually a dwarf? Hehe

El Jem  - about 2/3 the size of the coliseum in Rome

The center area of the Great Mosque of Kairouan

 

 The first photo in this blog shows the view from the balcony of a beautiful hotel were we stayed. But that my friend is only part of the story. Recall the Roller Coaster comment earlier. Arriving late into Sfax we settled into our AirBNB suite exhausted and happy. Around midnight Essie woke me to a scene in our bed that looked more like a murder scene than a Snow White fairy tale (other than the handsome prince of course). Yes - the place was infested with bed bugs and they were everywhere and having a great ime gnawing on the two of us.. I have to hand it to Essie for handling the situation so calmly. Many would not have. "Well" she said " it looks like we are sleeping in the car". We threw our clothes into the freezer and went down the VW Golf rental car to snooze our the next hours.

One of the late night uninvited visitors

 

The very next day in a place called Madhia, our reservation went sideways and we were without a place to stay. We were in a bad part of town and it was feeling crappy. Again - I have to hand it to Essie for being resilient. We managed to find another part of town and went from vacant hotel to vacant hotel. Recall the decimated tourist industry). Suddenly, like an Oasis in the dessert, the Al Mansour appeared like a vision just ahead. "We can never afford that!!"  were Essie's first words though not her last.

Undeterred I wiggled my way past a bunch of folks intent on having us sleep in the rental car again -- to the manager who finally (after some finagling) said "fine we'll get you a room - it's $350 for the night". "I'm sorry - I can't afford that - can you do a bit better." I whined. "How about $125 he said." " Sold!!!!!" said I ...and in we went. The host checked us in and then said "dinner is at 6:30 with breakfast and lunch tomorrow also included in your stay. " Damn!!! said I" ...."and" said she "you guys seem nice so we've put you in the Ambassadors suite overlooking the pool and mediterranian. " "Damn said I!!!" Heaven 😊

 

 

 

 The very next day, as we drove the rental car and parked it at the airport at Tunis- a nice police officer fined me $150 for improper documentation. C'est la vie -- that is life. 😊😕

 

 

As I coach Barry on how to tie his shoes in the picture above, I am reminded of my need to thank Barry for his companionship and sharing his lust for adventure. Together we have explored a number of countries where his running commentary on the W5 of things is as engaging as it is appreciated. A teacher, a mentor and a friend -- who could ask for anything more?

 

Many thanks to a recent anonymous donor from Victoria for her generous donation to the kiddies at Malezi school in Majengo.

If you would like to donate to help me feed hungry kids - you can email me to chat about it  -- or do so by sending a few shekels through:

MPESA -- +254745237248 (Kenya)

Or interact -- Laynemahon@live.com (Canada)

Or PayPal -- Laynemahon@live.com (Global)

I'll be going in with a food donation in November and helping feed 250 kiddies! I'd appreciate any assistance you may be able to offer.

50 bucks would really help!! 

 

Teacher Grace and the recent graduating PP2 class from Majengo slum

 

I promise not to spend the donation on Single Malt Scotch but have to admit spending it on this blended 16 year old would be tempting. It was shockingly good for all those who sample a wee dram from time to time. It also got me to sleep in the rental car 👌

 

 

 

 

 

 Thanks for reading...Layno in Tunisia!!!

 

4 Countries 4 Days

Kenya - Uganda - Rwanda - Tanzania .... and back to Kenya
 

 

 

I would argue that at almost 62 years of age, I'm still in reasonably good health and aside from a "Dad Bod" and matching tummy -- am still capable of continuing to do the things I enjoy doing in my life. A recent physical confirmed these suspicions. Marry that -- with a sense of adventure and a dash of foolishness, and why not ride through 4 countries in 4 days in what is a dangerous and remote part of the world? In my head, it was a few days of sun on my face and a gentle breeze smelling slightly fragrant. Blocked or not considered was 

> A flat tire > Bandits> Terrorists> An engine failure> an accident> getting lost>

 

and other concerns that could crop up. Pffftttt why let those pesky and highly unlikely issues complicate and otherwise fine adventure?

Here's the plan ....

The 3000 km adventure started with work. Visiting MGas depots would take me all the way to the Uganda border. So with my last visit concluded -- off I went -- for the Uganda border!

Before reaching the border with Uganda however, I rode into small town where a super fun-filled protest against the current government was in full swing. Broken glass littered the road that was packed from side to side with motorcycles, cars and the local towns-people clearly unhappy with the status quo. 

I was not really noticed at first stranded in the middle of the jam but slowly the attention turned my way. One after another they started to shout at me. There was no way to escape... the road packed and not moving an inch. I felt the sweat trickling down my neck and back. Dumb-ass! What to do?? -- obviously -- join the protest. Kicking down my stand and jumping off the bike I started yelling. " fucking government - enough is enough!!! and so on. Surprisingly that worked and in all honesty I enjoyed being part of the unhappy masses "giving it to the man".

There are no pictures of Eastern Uganda and here's why. That road through to 50 kilometers West of the capital city Kampala is as shitty (x5 million) as any road as I've ever ridden. Potholes like craters, trucks and buses driven by demons and always a steady drizzle to make things a bit more miserable. Twice I had to ditch as those oncoming demons saw little reason to let me use their road. The trick was to get behind one of those demon bastard trucks and be content with rolling along at 50 - 60 kms per hour. Add to that getting some bad gas and bike engine groaning and complaining more than Donald Trump - it was not the highlight of the journey and not a good start.

The picture above - however, was the Western side of Uganda well past Kampala -- where sugar cane and banana trees covered the hills in blankets of green. Gone were the demons and in their place farmers and locals going about their business of small plot farming and chatting with one another. The region sports more  hills, valleys and curves than Sofia Vergara. This is a motorcycle enthusiasts dream come true (the region -- no offense Sofia)  and with no speed limits or enforcement -- I had a ball! 

Tricky but not fatal was my lack of local currency or a SIM card as I entered Rwanda. It was another fine day of riding through lush hills but found myself lost, hungry and my credit card not accepted. Enter this little band of merry souls on the left who took the time to get me fed, oriented and back on my way to Southern Rwanda. Let me say that the act of solo motorcycle travel is emotional. Highs and lows, fears and confidence ricochet in your head like bullets in a barrel. As I pulled into this little stop, I was hungry and my hearty sense of adventure was ebbing lower and lower. Thank you to this wonderful troupe for their kindness. "It's the books you read and the people you meet"  that make the difference  as my mother often says. More on this later.

I've written elsewhere about Rwanda but it bears repeating. A wonderful clean, safe and organized country that is an absolute pleasure to visit and I encourage anyone to visit.

Speaking of highs and lows - above is a video of somewhere on the road. I panicked at one point as 200 kms had passed without a gas station. Note to self - carry extra fuel just in case - dumb-ass 😏 A fuel station miraculously appeared at my most apprehensive moment. Karma? Divine intervention? fluke? Hard to say but I am grateful.

Not long (11 kms later to be precise) after the fueling challenge came a flat tire. Note to self: carry a spare tube. Dumb ass! I literally could not believe it! And then speaking of fluke, divine intervention or Karma - a tire repair shop was 50m away from where I discovered the flat. What are the odds ? 😋 

I reached the south end of Lake Victoria and caught a small ferry across. Watching the people come off the ferry I can see why on occasion there are terrible stories of boats capsizing. The topography changed to dry and rocky as I made my way to the second largest city in Tanzania - Mwanza.

From the rooftop of my hotel in Mwanza I gazed into the darkness over the lake and sipped a nice single malt scotch. My trip almost over,  I reflected on the adventure to this point. Highs and lows percolated like my Dad's old coffee maker from the 1970's. I castigated and rewarded as I sorted through the decisions I'd made both on the trip and in my life. A moment of existential clarity emerged from my foggy brain reminding me that this is life. Not the cozy day to day in my office chair and the monthly shopping trips to Carrefour. This is living. The highs lows disasters and triumphs are the stuff that makes life (for me) such a wonderful thing.

And now for something truly spectacular

I was overjoyed receiving this candid snap of my Mom earlier this week. Radiating a lust for life while at the same time humble, graceful and infinitely cheerful, I couldn't be more fortunate to have such a terrific mentor in my life. 

 

Though I have to point out one thing she may have missed in her dispensation of infinite wisdom. I recon she ought to add, " the places to visit and the things you see" to "the people you meet and the books you read". 😉

 

 Many thanks to Katie from Long Island NY for her generous donation to the kiddies at Malezi school in Majengo.

If you would like to donate to help hungry kids - you can email me to chat about it or do so through:

MPESA -- +254745237248 (Kenya)

Or interact -- Laynemahon@live.com (Canada)

I'll be going in with a food donation in September and helping feed 250 kiddies! I'd appreciate any assistance you may be able to offer.

50 bucks would really help!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading ...Layno somewhere on the great rift in Africa!

Elated & Exhausted in Ethiopia

A Simien Sunrise

It's 3am and 6 adventurous souls take to the mountain with the opportunity to summit yet another magnificent African peak looming large in front of us. The air was cool - no cold -  and recent memories of the comfy warm sleeping bags still lingered in our thoughts. In Ethiopia this time round, it's the shared hopes and dreams of the assembled that we may enjoy the view from the highest peak of the Simien mountain range in Northern Ethiopia.

 

The Canadian Government had offered advice about travel in the region  which of course we ignored.

On the plus side, the warring factions had agreed not to shoot at one another months before our hike and the Tigrayans had very little reason to shoot tourists - we reasoned. So a simple hike from 3100 meters up to 4700 meters ought to be pretty straight forward. 1600 meters of elevation gain over around 40 kms could be managed by even a heavy smoking snack food junkie with a sprained ankle. Or so I thought.

The sun-drenched highlands of Ethiopia had other things in mind for our intrepid band of hikers. Pictured on the left panel, (pointed out with my trusty hiking pole still bent from my constant tumbles at Mount Stanley) I indicate where we are headed. Yes - that is the peak way over there and guess what? There is a valley in between.

 Noted below is the start of the hike at the 3100m. It was a pretty easy scramble up to 4100m and the first of many absolutely fucking spectacular views. Now here's where is gets decidedly tricky. We then descend back down to 2500m before heading for the summit. Dastardly bastards never mentioned THAT in the brochure!

 

Now onto the spectaculars of the hike. Firstly the two gentlemen pictured below are Mzee (seasoned people) responsible for our safety. I did look carefully at their guns from time to time and wondered if they would actually shoot. Definitely vintage though later I noted they checked the bullets to ensure they were still in there. That was oddly frightening and soothing in equal measure.

All that said, these 2 older men were more nimble than Taylor Swift jumping to her feet to celebrate a touchdown at a KC Chiefs game. With due amounts of humility I admit to falling behind them and the gang on a number of occasions.

In all the hiking I have done I have never witnessed such awe - inspiring vistas. The cliff edges fall away sharply and as you peer down to the bottom it's hard to sense just how far down it is. A kilometer? 2 maybe?

Ryota a hiking accomplice from this and previous event stands perilously close to the edge for dramatic effect. Well done! Below, Gelata Baboons race across the highlands in troupes thought to number over 500 members.

 

 

 

 

 

Simien view Click for Video

Base camp pictured alongside, was a small village of about 27 homes (yes I counted) and I noted 37 children in evidence when I bathed in the river. I suspect every child was in attendance to watch the old pasty white guy stumble around in the creek trying to look graceful while frantically looking for the soap he dropped. Not my best moment I's say but the point is - that's a lot of children for 27 homes. 

Also of note is that water thirsty Eucalyptus trees are pretty much the only trees standing. An imported species that are as helpful to the people as they are dangerous to the environment. 

 

Note the home made from Eucalyptus. The poles will soon be covered in mud and straw to make it a bit more private and homey. Below are a couple pictures of children below still visibly traumatized from the view of a naked 60+ year old pasty white man doing some sort of weird dance in the creek.

I particularly like the 2 pictures of Andy below. Together we have climbed at least 5 of Africa's highest peaks (depending on who is measuring). I can't thank him enough for the comradery and constant good humor even in the face of challenging days. His keen wit and unbridled enthusiasm for life is inspirational to all he meets. I think the pictures below illustrate his enduring spirit and will to take on challenges no matter their difficulty.

The summit came soon enough with the donkeys and us both very thankful.This is the first hike where we used pack animals for our gear and I thought this a good idea. They are surprisingly good at working though the rocks and up steep inclines.

Within a few meters of the summit we surprised the Ethiopian military with our unannounced and unexpected arrival. To say they were less that welcoming would be an understatement. Apparently we had no business being there and the fact that we kind of snuck up on them did little to help the situation. It was a tense exchange as successive commanding officers were consulted about us going to the peak only a 100m in front of us. In the end, and after I yelled at them for being assholes, our guide explained that we needed to exit immediately so as not to be shot. Discretion being the better part of valor, we retreated to a safe distance and took a few pictures.

A single malt Scotch (not bought from donations) is the perfect accompaniment to an almost successful summit. Damned military guys- very little sense of humor!

I'd like to take a moment (if anyone is still awake and reading my blog) to explain the photo below. It was one of the most insightful moments of the hike. We headed back down the mountain on a day that happened to coincide with market day. Hundreds of people joined the trail as they descended with their grain, goats, cattle, sheep or what-have-you to sell in the market. As we walked along I felt part of this age old movement that is as basic as life itself. The trail has likely been in existence for thousands of years. Ethiopia boasts being one of humankind's earliest regions and that very moment felt golden to me to be present in that exact place and time. Life is beautiful.

 

 

Mission accomplished it was back to Gondar (the old capital of Ethiopia) with it's wonderful historical monuments. The castles below took us back in history while the coffee ceremonies brought us abruptly back to the present. The delicious brew sipped while bathed in the fragrant smokey wisps of frankincense are a delight for the senses. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later, having arrived in the present capital Addis Abbas, we were thoroughly entertained by a show and food for which this part of the world is famous. You either love or hate Injira but I an solidly in the first camp and while the food is decidedly spicy, it's unbelievably rich in flavor and variety.

Pablo and Andy in a WTF moment ... yup pretty spicy!

Thank you x 1 hundred million

 

More important than my boasting of mountains conquered is seeing Grace delighted to receive our latest load of food for the kids in the Malezi school. I'm not sure if it's fortunate or unfortunate that the volunteer school has more mouths to feed but together we did a great job in getting this food to those hungry kiddies.

I'd like to thank everyone for their donations. In particular,  my Mom, Cliff, Andy the hiker extridinaire, and also Felix for helping to coordinate generous donations from his Sister Sandra and Aunt Sonya. Together we brought $600 CAD of food that will allow the kids to concentrate on learning rather than their empty tummies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Thanks for reading ....Layno in Northern Ethiopia!!!