Tips and Thoughts for future Travelers
Trip Start
Jun 28, 2009
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Trip End
Jul 13, 2009
Port El Kantaoui,
Tunisia
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Tunisia is probably the most peaceful and safest African country today, and the major cities are modern and well acquainted with tourist, so Tunisia should be able to provide you with everything you need for a comfortable holiday. However there are some things I would like to address.
Women: Muslim countries are infamous for their view on woman, however in Tunisia women and men are equal in all legal aspects, however, the culture is a bit different from the one back home, and western women, especially fair skinned, blue-eyed blond girls, tend to get quite a bit of attention from the local men
Sousse
! Some might find they receive unwanted attention, especially If they are walking alone, without men, but mostly they are nice and back off if you tell them to, but you should, as always, take certain precautions such as not walking alone on desert side streets and dress suitable, now I’m not saying one should get the burqa ready, but the shorty short hotpants, and low cut tanktops might be better left to the beach, though we did see people wearing this as well. But you should know if you want to use VERY revealing clothes, it will attract much attention, and might give off the wrong signals! We were wearing normal clothes though, so this shouldn’t present itself as a problem! Shopping: There are many shopping opportunities in Tunisia, you can find almost anything in the bazaars, and the prices are very low. However most shops haven’t got fixed prices (though there are an increasingly number that do) which means it’s time to haggle! When the sellers see you’re a tourist they will give you an inflated price, the general rule is that you should be able to get it down 50%, and you should start at about 30%, and work your way up. Though we sometimes found that the sellers give you a very bloated price, so before you start haggling it could be a good idea to check the prices in fixed-price shops, and shopping centers, as they will give you an indication of what to expect, in haggle stores you should be able to get a bit cheaper. Also; when haggling the sellers are very good at reading body language, and very good at acting! If you seem to interested they will set the price higher, making it harder to get a good deal, you need to act a bit yourself! Act composed and nonchalant, don’t look to attached to an item. When they give you the price you should look a bit surprised and then stating the price is way too high, you should think about what you’re then willing to pay, and offer a new price, a bit under what you want to end up at
Shop
. If you feel the negotiations aren’t going your way you could try to move towards the exit, claiming you don’t want it at that price, the seller will most likely come after you screaming a better price. And you shouldn’t bother haggling for an item you don’t really want. And one last tip; Smile! It’s much better to haggle in a friendly mood=) So a little summary of shopping in Tunisia:
° Before you start haggling you should find out the price range of different items
° A thumb rule of haggling; get it down to 50%, start your offer at 30%
° Acting is a part of the negotiations; you’ll get the hang of it quickly!
° Don’t start haggling on items you don’t really want
Pork: Pigs are considered unclean animals according to the Quran and Muslims don’t eat it
Sousse
. Therefore you won’t find any served in the restaurants or in the supermarkets.Alcohol: Tunisia is a Muslim country, a religion that dissuades alcohol consumption; therefore the availability of alcohol is restricted, and you might encounter restaurants that don’t offer alcohol. We never experienced a total alcohol-free place, but several restaurants we came across didn’t serve anything stronger than beer. So if you would like a nice glass of wine with your food you might want to check if they serve it before you enter the restaurant, or you might get an unpleasant surprise when you’re about to order! But if you want wine I would like to recommend Magon, this is a local wine, and quite good, it seems it’s popular around there, as we were served it several times! It is also cheaper than imported wines! Imported alcohol is quite expensive, but local beer and wine are good, and cheap!
Toilets: The toilets surprised be a bit, though they are normal WCs they often had the toilet ring removed Anyway another(bigger) issue for me was the fact that they often don’t have toilet paper! There is almost always a water hose there, which locals use instead of toilet paper! So it would be a good idea to bring some tissues when you’re planning on using a public bathroom, especially if you’re outside the big cities, here you can encounter squat toilets (basically a hole in the ground)
Feel free to contact me if there is anything you’re wondering about.
