Thanks Digby, I have read it and replied. xx

Don't want to make anyone envious, but I've had an e-mail this morning from a friend who has been at her apartment overlooking the beach in Hammam Sousse for the past couple of weeks:

Weather has been amazing with some days between 24-28 degrees. A touch of rain yesterday for part of the morning but sunny blue skies and today a chilly sea breeze - but it's probably warmer downstairs - we tend to be so much more exposed up here and really feel the weather.

I don't think she'll be too heartbroken if her flight back to Glasgow is cancelled on Sunday.

Good to get a local weather report, I will be there in 21 days

And from a fellow Scot too Graham!! We've had more snow today and it's blooming freezing - any room for me in your case?

any room for me in your case

no problem, I won't bother with any clothes, I will just take a couple of Borat style Mankini's - you like very much or on second thoughts I don't want to scare the women and children, sorry

Just a little update on my insurance saga with AXA for those who remember my tale of woe!! I had a letter from their complaints department a couple of days ago saying they noted my complaint and would respond within 4 weeks. I then phoned their office yesterday to see if they were any nearer to settling my claim. I was told that the lady dealing with it was 'working from home' that day but would get back to me. After waiting around all afternoon for her phone call I got an e-mail (in my junk folder!) to say it was being dealt with and should be authorised within 5-7 days but she couldn't tell me how much I would get. I replied that as it had presumably already been considered for at least several days, I would expect a result by the end of next week. Apart from filling in the usual forms I've written a long letter explaining all the circumstances. One bone of contention is obviously the cost of phone calls, as they say they will only reimburse the cost of calls to themselves. In view of their lack of help at the time, my phone bill was enormous, as my daughter was also trying to deal with AXA from the UK and there were a lot of calls to and from the family, as well as local calls to friends in Tunisia who came to my rescue and other calls to re-arrange the transfer to Tunis. Keep your fingers crossed for me and I'll let you know the outcome!

Hi, Aslemma. Fingers crossed here for you. Hopefully after all this time things are going to work out well for you. Keep us posted and good luck.

Yes, keep us posted on the Axa saga Aslemma. Remember you don't have to accept their offer so don't bank the cheque if you disagree with it as that will be construed as acceptance.

If you are still not happy with them, ask for a Final Decision letter, follow their Complaint Procedure to the letter and then contact the Financial Ombudsman.

luci

Thanks both of you. The people I've spoken to seem very nice and say they understand the points I've raised, so I'll just have to wait now for the decision. I'll follow your advice Luci if they don't give me a decent settlement but I'm hoping it won't come to that.

I hope it all works out in your favour aslemma, have you had any word on your cataracts yet?

What about the family, have you picked up the courage yet and told them you are going back to Tunisia

Hi Graham, My cataract op is next Friday. I've got to be at the hospital at 1 p.m. and my daughter has informed me I'm going back to her house afterwards until Sunday afternoon as she wants to keep an eye on me. I haven't told any of them about my next trip to Sousse and am thinking of leaving that information until March at the earliest (thank goodness they don't go on HT). Obviously I'm delaying the news out of my natural wish to stop them worrying for as long as possible!!

Fingers crossed for you Aslemma, I hope that they sort everything out. I have never had to make an insurance claim, and reading about your experience demonstrates how complicated it can be.

Thanks. I think my letter explaining the circumstances will probably help and at least it saved them having to write to me asking countless questions. I doubt I'll get back the 200 dinars the hospital took from me in cash when I was first admitted, as they didn't give me a receipt and are now denying all knowledge of it. I had to borrow that from a Swedish friend I was with as I didn't have anything like that with me at the time but without a receipt I can't prove it of course. That and the cost of phone calls, plus the cash I had in my bag which is now at the bottom of the Med are likely to be the main bones of contention but we shall just have to wait and see.

Aslemma. Cannot help wondering how your leg is healing now. I will definately be remembering you on Friday. My eye is still a wee bit gritty but just hoping I get word soon for the other eye as the results are amazing!

Hi Digby, My leg doesn't look very pretty as there's quite a bit of scarring but in the last week my foot has become more flexible I'm glad to say. I'm glad your vision has improved so much and look forward (I think) to that, only having some reservations as I'll be able to see my wrinkles and the dust. I do hope your gritty feeling clears up soon as I hadn't expected that to last as long as it has done. I'm not away again until 11th March, when I'm off to Denmark for a few days, so I'm hoping everything will be OK by then.

Hi, Aslemma. Maybe your eye will not be gritty for so long. I didn't think it would last as long as this either. That will be 2 weeks on Wednesday but I can't help thinking it's like this as I had a detatched retina some years ago and feel my eye has never been the same since then. Small price to pay though for the difference it has made. Pleased to hear your foot is improving. You will be brand new for your trip to Denmark.

Well, I got a cheque from AXA this morning which I have written to say has been accepted "without prejudice to my rights". They have paid out for my cash and camera lost in the Med at the time, even though I had not reported it to the local police as I was too concerned about getting to the hospital. neither did I have 'proof' of the cash. Not surprisingly they are refusing to pay out for the 200 dinars paid to the clinic on arrival as I didn't get a receipt, which I think I will have to accept. There is however the small sum of 40 dinars for the transfer from the hotel to Tunis, for which I sent the receipt but in their letter this is listed as 'no receipt' and another 70 dinars for the nurse who came to dress my foot at the hotel. I had sent AXA the receipt for this but it is not mentioned in their covering letter. A big bone of contention is the cost of phone calls. AXA say they will not reimburse these unless I can let them have a print-out of my phone bills showing calls to themselves which I will be unable to get, especially as I don't know my way round the Tunisiana web-site and speak little French. I have pointed out, however, that as they make a point of stressing that all phone calls are recorded "for prevention of fraud" they should have no difficulty in tracing these. Provided they cough up for the transfer and the nurse I will let it go at that, though I should like at least a contribution to the cost of calls, as so many were necessitated by their lack of support at the time. I simply can't be bothered to keep chasing this claim, so basically another £50/60 will draw the saga to a close.

Aslemma,

It sounds tiring getting what you want from them. I hope they reimburse the phonecalls, and the other stuff. Still keeping my fingers crossed for you.

It will be good to get it all sorted and able to move on, but don't let them off with a penny