thank you we have made so many friends in tunisia pek from owner of hotel to expats rite down to hotel cleaners, 1 cleaner even took our the young ones under her wing and always checked on them through out the day haha the ones who are close to us get a gift brought from home cost to us is very little but to them it is a great deal, any unwanted / unused holiday clothing toiletries is packed up and given to pool cleaner who is so kind to our family and friends who have traveled with us on several occasions my son and few of his friends will be returning in sept after uni he is looking forward to seeing the cleaner who me called mama lol

Jimmy and Anne went home on Sunday Graham but I think they will be back at Christmas. I met up with Pittie yesterday and she hasn't changed at all, though she moved from The Netherlands to Belgium some years ago.

You may not be surprised to hear that I am living up to my reputation! Slipped on a slope outside my favorite cafe this morning and ended up on my backside in a pool of red wine from the bottle I was taking to my friend's apartment in Hammam Sousse.
Got rushed through to the toilets to clean up and one of the lady staff took my bag round the back to dry it out. After I left I found my camera and some saffron was missing. I've been visiting the place for years and am well known there so I'll go back tomorrow and have a tactful word with the boss, obviously without making any accusations!

Did you have any luck in getting your vanishing camera back?

No Graham. The 'tactful word' got no response at all. I explained what had happened and suggested that the lady might have taken them out of the bag to dry them off etc. and forgot to put them back. They said they would ask her but if she said she didn't know anything there was nothing they could do. Can you imagine the conversation if it hadn't been an oversight? "Did you take the lady's camera?" "Yes, I took it and sold it down the medina" - it just wasn't going to happen! I was told I had to speak to the boss who wasn't there but would be back later, I went back later and he was apparently there but wouldn't come out to speak to me. I was particularly disappointed because I have been using the Cristal for 14 years and know all the men who work there, as well as the 'touts' who come round with cigarettes and necklaces etc.

Incidentally I think my friends and family have probably been proved right and I have a screw loose! As you know I have a metal plate in my elbow and have always had a slight lump from a protruding screw, but now I have another much larger lump so it looks as though another screw is working its way out. I'm seeing the doctor next week to get it checked out.

Sorry to hear you never got your items back, such a shame that after your loyal cusom for all these years that the manager couldn't even come and speak to you, I presume that Cristal is now off your list of restaurants?

I always suspected you had a couple of screws loose Aslemma

I hope all goes well at the doctors next week and your elbow is alright.

Graham

such a shame can be off putting

Unfortunately you're right about the Cristal Graham. I would at least have expected the manager to come out and talk to me, even if wringing his hands and saying there was nothing he could do. Of course I should have been more careful and checked that I had everything but I was a bit shaken up and she seemed such a nice lady, so even when I did discover the camera and saffron was missing I thought it could have been an oversight. One of the worst things was that I had some photos of the SOS Children's Home in Akouda which I had visited a few days earlier.

I'll update you about my elbow when I know a bit more. I expect the doc will send my back to the hospital for X-Rays to see what has been happening and we'lll take it from there.

Aslemma, so sorry to hear about your 'loss'!

Hope everything goes ok with the elbow! Take care.

Thanks Prawn. I'm glad you enjoyed your holiday but sorry we didn't manage to meet up this time and hope we may do so another time.

I've just booked for another couple of weeks from 22nd October. For the first time in ages I've booked a package with Thomas Cook, as it worked out over £150 cheaper than going through Travel Republic.

Sounds as if you've got a bargain there! Now that my retirement is imminent I am thinking that the time is ripe for a return visit to Tunisia in the spring next year so will certainly check TC out for a good price for a package.

SM

The way prices have risen in the past couple of years I suppose it is a bargain, but it's still double what I used to pay. It wouldn't be so bad if the extra money went into the Tunisian economy but it's only the tour companies who benefit, particularly with the rise of all inclusive holidays.