Tunisia

Destination: Amsterdam to Enfidha -Hammamet International Airport (and back)
Airline: Corendon Airlines
Hotel: Bravo Garden

I traveled more than I ever expected I would do.
One of my travels was to Tunisia. I wanted to have a look at the country after so many years. I once intended to live there and it is what I regretted to do. I went back home with my eldest and this time I took the youngest with me.
I thought I organized everything well but apparently, I did not. Well, I had a flight and hotel including meals booked but that was mainly it. I forgot something. The first thing I did once arrived at the airport was buying a sim card for the phone. The Lebara card with credit turned out to be useless I could not activate it.
The next thing I did was buying a debit card. I had some cash with me which should be enough but again this debit card (a kind of fake visa card) was totally useless as it came to using it abroad. It was a waste of money, time, energy and in the end, I simply lost my money (never buy something at Schiphol, these days called Amsterdam Airport although the airport is not in Amsterdam not even in the same province).

No worries.
I had a flight (and the tickets), a drive to the hotel, a place to sleep, food at least twice a day, and 50 euros to spend (the money I didn't really need). The children and I had our backpack, some food, things to do against boredom, and a bottle we could refill with water from the tap (all water in the Netherlands is drinking water, even toilets are flushed with it). It was easy to get into the plane, the flight wasn't too long, on the other hand, the journey by bus was but this way I could see the country. It all felt the same at that moment.

The hotel was good, so was the food unless you came too late which we did as we arrived. There was a swimming pool with sunbeds great for people who love water (which isn't me). As a single mom with little children you can forget about going out, nightlife and it's hard to make contacts. You simply cannot do with others do because the lifestyle is different. Long excursions aren't possible. You do not walk or travel through a desert for days.

We mainly stayed at the hotel in Hammamet and walked through the area. It was clear not much was left of what was once a great, rich tourist area. It looked way more like a dump. Restorations haven't been done for years, perhaps never since hotels and restaurants been build. The garbage smelt terrible and for days no one came to pick it up. There were plenty of tourists which did make me wonder how come no one invested. The hotels looked completely different from what was shown in the brochures. This might not be a problem for the hotel owners but tour-operators who trick their customers are responsible and have to pay the bill.

We had a look at the shops, restaurants and since I had some money with me the children could have their souvenir on the last day (always the last day so they are sure what they want and I am sure where to buy it. The price does count for me.).

There was an attraction park (Carthageland) within walking distance.
Again not everything was suitable for single mothers with two young children. We mainly watched and visited two attractions. One of them was "Barberousse darkride". Some history is always welcome. The camels outside were attractive as well.

The medina was nearby.
If you never visited one it might be great to walk through. This one isn't spectacular. Basically the same is sold. Waterpipes, clothes, pottery, bracelets made out of cheap beads, scales you can let engrave. No "Sherezade" folklore and good food for us because it started too late.
9 pm is no time to join with small kids and I am not the kind of parent who loves to carry children around.

We went to the beach.
It turned out to be a smelly, dirty place. No way you could go into the sea. Some tourists said it had to do with the wind. I don't know what brought the stank and dirt over to this beach but I can tell you it's not good. I've only been twice or three times at the beach and it didn't become better. Kind of pity because I like the beach more than swimming pools.

The flight back was no problem the passport checkpoint was.
My children don't have my looks and I could have kidnapped them. Excuse me? The kids have their own passport, we have the same family name and they call me "mom". If I would kidnap my children I would not take a flight and come back here.
I should better bring along their birth certificate the Dutchman told me.
I told him it's not the first time I travel with my children but he is the first one who tells me to show their birth certificate. I was allowed to take my children with me. According to the guy I was lucky because they shared the same family name as me. I wonder what happens to those divorced women with children who use their own names.
My children received a visa in their Dutch passport, the country they are born.
Welcome to the Netherlands, welcome to the 21st century.


I used the photo album of one of my children to brighten up this text. It was one of the souvenirs bought, next to some postcards and wooden camels.

The photo of the camels used in the header you can find at Unsplash.

#kittywu #tunisia #smartphonephotography