Tag Archives: abroad

Visiting Tunisia – Your Wife for 2 Camels

One year I was holidaying with my family in Tunisia, when a shady looking man standing by a sign that read ‘Camel Rides – 30 Dinar’ sidled up to my father, scratched his nose and muttered “2 Camels for your wife”. He simply laughed and we continued our way through crowded market stalls.  A little worrying but nothing out of the ordinary; the locals were always scaring us like that, using funny jokes and phrases in an attempt to coax us over to their stalls.

Tunisia is a very interesting country.  The vendors there are hilarious, using jokes and English phrases to sell their wares, which makes it a fun country. Hundreds and thousands of tiny markets spring up everywhere, and hotel complexes normally have one or two of their own as you walk down the hallway to just get your breakfast. They sell a huge range of things including fake ‘real’ Prada bags, sandals, pottery, glassware, children’s swimwear and naturally a plush animal or two.

Meester Camel

Visiting Tunisia is an experience in itself. You need to keep your wits about you as there are always people trying to sell you things. Try not to look too interested in anything if you don’t like talking to people, as they love tourists. However Tunisia has a vast range of fantastic activities for anyone looking for a culturally rich holiday.

From visiting carpet factories to camel rides to vast animal reservations, Tunisia is a great country to holiday in, as there is something for everyone. Camel rides are a highlight of Tunisian holidays as the camel is such a strange animal, it is almost impossible to sit on it comfortably without fear of falling off. Either you feel way too high for comfort, or your seat is actually placed to the side of the camel, like a strange human seesaw, and you sway precariously left and right with each step the camel takes. Still it is a fantastic, breathtaking experience.

The zoos and reservations of Tunisia are not to miss, the most iconic being Friguia Animal Park. The park is easy to get to, a mere 15 minute drive by hired car from Sousse city centre, Friguia has a huge collection of animals with a number of activities, including dolphin swimming, available to those daring holidaymakers. Plus Friguia offers an evening of entertainment with a traditional Zulu three course meal followed by dancing and singing.

For the more casual tourists, a simple walk along the beach is relaxing and beautiful. Many of the larger hotels in Tunisia are located along the coast, with the swimming pool and relaxation areas normally backing onto the beach itself, so it doesn’t take long at all to get to the sea.

The locals are generally very friendly, and the stunning desert vistas you will experience both through camel rides and through simply driving around are surprisingly beautiful in their bleakness. If you are looking for a different destination from Hawaii or Ibiza, but still want the fun and the sun, Tunisia is the place to go.

50 States Road Trip – Montana

Heading into Montana, we see that there are a huge range of things to do including visiting national parks and plains, as well as having a look at some of the older nations of native America. Montana is a beautiful vast county full of natural beauties and it is also a cornerstone of ancient Native American history, with several traditional tribes dotted around the county in homage to ancient traditions.

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National and State Parks

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Choose from the Glacier National Park or the Yellowstone National Park, both of which are home to a stunning selection of natural beauty landmarks. For those who want a more scenic c vista, Glacier National park offers huge snow peaked mountains, waterfall studded hiking trails and fields of wildflowers, whereas Yellowstone National Park is host to a number or wolves, bison and bears (oh my!) as well as numerous hot springs and natural geysers. Yellowstone is also famous for being America’s first national park.

As well as the two national parks, the state of Montana is also home to 54 fantastic state parks where you can undergo a host of activities, including skiing, hiking, nature trails and camping, or simply relaxing in the great outdoors.

Sacred Lands

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The Indian nations of America are extremely proud of their heritage, and there are seven main tribal sites around Montana, many of which speak their own indigenous language. Some Indian nations, such as the Apsaalooke Crowe Tribe, have their own reservation area including herding grounds and places for tourists to stay. Many of the tribes still use the same farming and animal rearing techniques today as they did hundreds of years ago before America was colonised, and you can have a hand at living with the land yourself, if you want an idea of what life was like surviving out in the plains of Montana, for the native American tribes of old.

High Plains

A stretch of land untamed by human hands. Prairie’s, badlands, buttes, all home to a vast array of natural wonders, plants and wildlife. Be prepared for harsh, sweltering days and cold nights as the High Plains of Montana shows the raw, bleak yet beautiful aspect of pure nature.

Montana’s high plains are also home to the C.M Russell National Wildlife Refuge; a million acre size of land home to 45 different species of mammals plus over 200 different species of birds. Plus with abandoned homesteads, wagons and tepee rings, the National Wildlife Refuge also captures a piece of native history that goes beyond visiting a museum, leave your hired car behind as you can walk through the remnants of an old village, treading the same soil as American ancestors trod hundreds of years ago.

Pack Your Bags

Because we are heading east next week into the state of North Dakota, known for its Norwegian and Germanic inspired cuisine, and the largest Scandinavian festival held annually in America; the Norsk Hostfest.