Apr
22
Home Sweet Home
Yesterday had a weird day; running and waiting around to get back home. Got up on 8 to start moving. I have enough time, but you never now with the louage system. I try to get on a louage that brings me straight to Tunis. This might take a while since it is a 'far' destination from Mahdia. Takes about an hour to fill-up and around 10 i head for Tunis. For TD 9.5 i get to Tunis and am there around 12, since the louage took the fast toll-way. I decide to get my last couscous at the 'champs elysee' of Tunis, Ave. Habib Bourgiba. A last coffee and a taxi gets me to the airport, only to realize that the flight has been rescheduled from 5 till 6 o'clock. Then we also miss our slot to take off what an additional delay of 45 min. means. There goes my spare time in Milan ...
In Milan i have to run to get my passport checked, check-in and head for the gate. Long live Schengen, the passport check only takes a second; the cue is really short for people from the schengen countries. Then check in, somehow they could not do this in Tunis. But there is only one women at the desk and she is being harrassed by people who already missed their flight. After 5 min. i see that i have to board my Amsterdam-flight. Hmmm, do not have a boarding-pass yet. Just head for the gate and hope for the best. Since i am in transit they can give me a boarding pass at the gate and i hop on.
At 11 in the evening i arrive at schiphol, but in the rush my backpack probably got detoured. Have to fill in some forms, they will track it and get it to my home address. This happened before: In Brazil returning from my South America trip and in France heading for Vietnam.
I do not have a clear view from inside my home, since my 'friends' decided to put up some banners to remind me i am 40.
Apr
19
[B] Yesterday got to Mahdia on two louages for TD8.5 Hotel Al-Jazira had only one room left [TD 13 per night]. It is close to the old medina. Also a diving club is closeby. I head for the lighthouse, but wandered in the diving shop. For TD40 i went for a dive ! Nothing special, just 11 meters down. I have my PADI, but i have not divid since i got it in Panama 2002. Take sme about 10 min to get used to the drill and i am able again to regulate my depth with the air in my lungs. I rigged my spare glasses and fitted them in in the goggles; now i have 'normal' vision under water. After about half an hour i run out of air, since i have to clear my goggle sto often. So not a real good solution; will have to have some eye-surgery or get presciption-goggles before i will dive again !
Tomorrow just wander about, do nothing, enjoy the sun, have a celtia and prepare to head home.
