DAY THREE

"You wanna taxi ride, yes?"
First stop on the tour of Europe is not in Europe.
Dismbarked in Tunisia afetr eight with only half a day on the African continent. That sounded good, didn't it. Except that La Goullette, (that's the name of the port) is a bit of a dump really. Oh and its hot. In the high 20's already.
No sooner are you off the gangway when you are assaulted by men with Camels. Their technique is to suggest that you have your picture taken with the beast, thenthey insist you get on its back and before you know it they are taking you for a ride around the quayside. Its all abit "Blackpool", especially when they wont let you get off until you have handed over 10 Euros.
Free of the Camels, you navigate through the Harbour building whichis a bit like Wigan Market. Full of stuff that the Traders think we tourists want to buy. Trouble is, we DO want to buy it. I had gone literally two feet when A small flower made up of Jasmin flowers was thrust into my hand and after agreeing that yes, it smelt beautiful and that I have a bigger one in my garden I was 5 Euros down.
But the worst was to come. Out the other end of the building and you had to run the gauntlet of Taxi drivers. Christ! These guys are persistent.
They don't accept no for an answer and they hound you as you continue to walk away from the quayside. I had one guy follow me for half a mile before I finally got away from him. And he wasn't the only one. I know its their livelyhood and that they have a family (in one case several families) to support but when you say no, you mean no. Someone should explain to them what Einstein said about insanity: Insanity is repeating something over and over again and expecting a different result.
Away from the port and La Goullette consists of several streets full of cafes and restaurants and the such like. All looking like war-torn Bierut. Walking through these streets and you're reminded why the BBC's Holiday programme does not come in "Smell-o-vision".
I walked for a couple of hours and found the coastal road and beach area. I was reminded that the local currency is the Drachma. Local shopkeepers are happy to take the Euro, which coinciently is valued at 1 Euro to the Drachma, but they only give Drachmas in change. Since the Drachma is totally useless outside the country I ended up spending 5 Euros when the can Diet Coke I wanted was only 1 Euro.
Back on OV at lunchtime and spent the afternoon on the Leisure deck. Managed to find a single deck chair and so I set up base camp.
Had another Jacuzzi and found myself in conversation with a family from Blackburn, whose teenage daughter is a student at Runshaw College. "I thought I recognised you", she said. "But it was difficult because you had no clothes on!"
The evening entertainment was first rate again. The "Connexions Bar" hosted a movie quiz, which I won (410 points out of 430) won all sorts of prizes including Dinner in James Martin's restaurant.
Big day tomorrow. Off to Pompeii.

TO BE CONTINUED...