Tuesday, 04 January, 2011 --- Day 04

Stats
Start at SOUSSE End at MEHDI
Day dist: 73.44 kms
Riding time:
Avg speed:
Max speed:
Beg day odo: 159.3 kms
End day odo: 232.7 kms

Woke up at around 8:30. Did on the computer all the work I should have done yesterday had I not fallen asleep. Was down at the reception at 10:15 where I found out that as it was after 10:00 breakfast was not longer served. I went out and victualized, took a picture of the hotel


returned to my room packed up and took Spithas down. I asked the receptionist for info. He said that I could ride to Sfax directly (the shorter way) or go via Monastir (the picturesque way.) Evidently, the Monastir way was the longer one. I decided to go via Monastir for two reasons. First going along the coast would be beautiful and second and more important, how could I skip a town that had a Greek name. For the rest of the day when there was a conflict of direction I always took the longest road. It was as if I were asking the locals “which is the LONGEST way to xxx”

I left at 11:00. I rode following the receptionist’s directions which led me to downtown Soussa first.









I rode around the port and the Medina


Finally, after asking a couple of cops for directions I hit the road to Monastir at 12:00.



It was a pleasant ride


Monastir was upscale and beautiful, as a Greek name would suggest!!!
It appears to have a lot of tourism and many beautiful parts. I would easily spend a few days there.


A Beautiful mosque




Near the mosque


After biking around for about one hour I decided it was time to head out and L at 13:40. The odometer had marked 192.5. I rode in the direction of Khenis

The coastal road


The never ending road


I went through a number of small coastal towns among which were Lamta, Sayada, Tebulbla, etc. At some point I stopped to ask a cop to make sure I was on the right track. He was very helpful and polite. He told me that the there were two ways to Sfax, my destination. Naturally, I asked him, which was the longest one. He gave me precise directions and added that it was too late to hope to make it Sfax today. My best bet would be to spend the night at Mehdi. After that he asked me if I were French, already knowing that I was not. I told him that I was Greek upon which he started telling me a story about the Greek friends he has who now live in Nice, France, and started asking me questions about Greece, the weather, the economy, etc. After the questioning was over I thanked him and rode on.

At 13:30 (221 kms) Spithas and I took our lunch break. The food tasted horribly, the bread, the olives, everything was barely edible. I promised myself that I’ll never shop from that deli in Sousse again (I have a feeling I’ll keep this promise.)

Finally I arrived at Mehdi


Spithas


After passing from the Tourist Zone I entered into the town itself and lodged at the first hotel I found on my way, Hotel Corniche


After I settled in I went out to victualize, go on the internet, and finally to grab a bite. I went to a small restaurant and ordered a portion of chicken. I said very clearly “une portion de poullet s’il vous plait.” Somehow someway the waiter came back w/ an ENTIRE chicken. I was astounded and told him “how can I possibly eat the whole thing? Did you take me for JT.” He took it back and returned w/ half a chicken. I ate as much as I could and just to give you an idea of what the prices are like, The cost of this meal was $3.
I walked back to the hotel and did some work on the computer and by 22:00 I was in bed.

CARTAGO DELENDA EST