- As I did the snow started to come, I'd had to shovel away snow 45cm deep off the path before I left.

- Tunisia was standing out as a place to visit. Cos of the nes 100 Euro long distance flight tax, and I wanted to stay near Europe not cold. Holidays were availble for 2 weeks for 155 pounds, but since that meant getting down to Gatwick. I plumbed for a one way flight from Manchester for 70pounds. There was a scare about whether you can enter Tunisia on a one way ticket so I had to buy a boat ticket to Palermo also.

- The snow had stopped for 2 days, but there still no trains to the east of Scunthorpe. My ticket was for a train to Manchester, but since the service was disrupted I had to take 3 trains and took 1.5 hours longer.

- My flask suddenly doesn't work anymore, and I'd left my rechargeable batteries and my USB cables; so when I arrive in Manchester that was my job.

- Manchester wasn't great arrived 2.30pm got some rechargeables and then thought Since the new tablet PCs wouldn't be cheap after Christmas I'd have a look for a cheap smartphone. I bought a second hand one with GPS etc for 70 quid. But by the time I'd bought a guidebook MOSI science museum was shut, so went out to the new big museum opposite Trafford Park which just shut as I arrived. then museums were shut when I arrived. I took a bus to Altringham cos its near airport, that took 90 mins, but the next bus took to airport was another 90 min, but I got there for free with my bus pass. Slept there and got my plane at 7am

- Walked. LP guidebook is deficient; it doesn't mention my hotel which is $6, nor the catacombs, nor does it mention that if you come into the medina after the catacombs and turn right that I would find myself in an area of bright pink doorways with unappealing fat women beckoning. It was a dead end as well so I couldn't get to the house museum, I had to turn around and walk all the way back. (everyone else I met got same problem)

- Wed : also met up with CSer Salem & his guests from Poland. V tired cos slept Tues at airport.

- Thu - walk, tourist - I went to explore Medina etc. Back to catacombs cos yesterday arrived after they closed. It's far cos only 1 of 4 sets are open the "Bon Pasteur". Crap cos you only visit 100m of the 4000m of tunnels and they moved the famous mosaics to the museum which you can't see anyway as it's under reconstruction for 3 years.
- Tunisia is not V cheap so only went into 3 of 6 sites : Souk, old Caravansi house, other old house museum. Big old Jewish cemetery .. what's the story no Jews in Tunisia now ? (seems Jews left for complex reasons : Israel wars from 1967 then government socialising some of their businesses in 1980 more info)

- Some good French supermarket but restaurants are too expensive for me. - Walking all day then internet work. didn't sleep til 2

- Fri - Explore more - So I went Hamman Sousse Souk (market) today. Walked to beach and then most of the 4Km back. Very windy ..just hotels so not interesting.

- Sat - Explore more - We had a CS meet up, Salem, Mhmed, Inez

- I've been in front of the computer for days trying to stay on top of recent urgent work.

- After a couple of days of sun when I came we had about 10 quite cold days. they have cycles of 5 black days (cold) , 5 white days (hot) Thank God I brought that fleece I really needed it when the wind was blowing.

- Mon - met a German guy Julian who had hitched, but having arrived in Tunisia found it too much hassle.

- It's Islam's 4th city. Louage from behind hotel to louage station. Got down when we saw Kairouan Medina ..good choice

...First visited Grand Mosque with some columns moved from Roman sites. Walked around Medina, but it's got Mr Backsheesh people with the Carpet Shop Game, Julian was annoyed by this. The have an upstairs well with a well bucket chain powered by a camel walking around. Went to MJ, but not working so he checked into hotel and we met up with CSer Sulin who studies masters in English. We walked with her, chat and pisa then to ancient pools. Met Japanese female tour group. Walked a few other saints graves. .... Actually Kairouan is nothing compared to Morocco

- I came back by louage

- One area that is OK is On the coastal highway 2Km north of the medina is that street running from the beach and Gokart track to South side of Hammam Sousse it has a park and a lot of fast food places, busy without being too touristic.

- @VizTopTips cafe waiters in Mahdia town : Be Special, Stand out from the rest of the hospitable Tunisians by charging tourists double
- don't those idiots realise that if they didn't overcharge the tourists the first time then they might come back a few times in their holiday
- O I wouldn't recommend Madhia, but fricasse seller was great friendly and correct price.

- I went to north of town to look a Palmerie; nothing special really just allotments in a forest of palm trees.

- Evening I met up with Sulin the Cser who we had met in Kairouan, we walked and talked.

- Tues - I walked in old market and took a bus to the Palmerie Oasis again a disappointment cos to British people an Oasis is a picture perfect lake in the desert ..this wasn't. .... Came back into to n and had a meetup with Sulin and surin a Korean volunteer worker living in Gabes.

- Wed - Met up with Amin who works in a local bank, then set off to Djerba a large island.