Wednesday, 05 January, 2011 --- Day 05

Stats
Start at MEHDI End at SFAX
Day dist: 110.59 kms
Riding time: 5:2
Avg speed: 19.7
Max speed: 36.3
Beg day odo: 232.7 kms
End day odo: 343.3 kms

Up at 9:00, left at 10:00 rode along the coast in the opposite direction to Sfax towards the old Mehdi. The old village became interesting and I stopped when I arrived at the end of the promontory where the lighthouse were


View of town from promontory


It was time to hit the road. I turned around and followed the road from inside the town. I asked a cabbie for directions. Cabbies in my experience are the best source for directions. Following the cabbie’s directions I ended up on the road to Sfax


The scenery was OK nothing special though. I passed through several small towns like Rejiche, and Ksour Assaf where I decided to buy a bottle of lemonade. I stopped at a small store on the road and the store keeper was thrilled to have me as his customer. He did not speak any French but sign language did wonders. After I bought the lemonade, to show his appreciation he took a handful of candies and offered them to me w/o taking any money. He really did insist and I took them. Later on when I was sucking on them I decided that this is a good idea for increased energy. As I left I had a picture taken w/ the very hospitable store keeper and I quote it below


The landscape became barren






I took a 15 minute rest at the place where the last picture was taken and drove on

Local lady (some pictures are taken w/ a hidden camera hence this one is not upright)


Went through more towns Chasbna, Chebba, and Ouled Bousmir among them. The landscape changed into one of olive groves


Olive branches seem to be very popular to ferry around


The never ending road


Apart from the olive groves what is in abundance are the (cactus like w/ a delicious fruit, fragkosuka in Greek)


Went through Mellouleche and Jebeniana and finally it was time for a lunch break. I had already covered 80 kms and it was 14:15Went through Mellouleche and Jebeniana and finally it was time for a lunch break. I had already covered 80 kms and it was 14:15


The place where I stopped looked good. The unexpected thing was that it was a passage. Lots of school kids passed by and they were a real annoyance. My scheduled nap was cancelled because of them. I left at 15:20 and biked on.

I went through a couple of small towns like Essaadi and Bedarna and fighting against my old acquaintance, the wind that decided to stop by and say hi, I biked on. The wind does hurt the morale of the troops it is true but I had no choice but to continue.

Finally I arrived in Sfax


I biked to the town center and lodged at hotel Alexandre at Rue Alexandre Dumas.

Went out to vicutalize and had a burger and retired to the hotel and went to bed early. As I was walking down a street a man from the barber store approached me and asked me if I needed a haircut or shave. I had not shaved in three days and this intervention made it clear that I needed to shave. I decided to shave tomorrow. I declined his offer and then he asked me where I came from. When I told him he asked me if I were a mariner. I suppose there must be lots of Greek ships docking at Sfax.


CARTAGO DELENDA EST