Tunisia - Vehicles & Transport & the Struggle with Central European Demands

During the first weeks in Tunisia, we first had to get our eyes used to the sight of Tunisian vehicles. We marvelled and wondered more than once a day. Exclamations like "That wouldn't drive in Switzerland anymore!" or "Don't they have an MOT here?" echoed through our Felix. We are used to a lot, after all, we have also encountered "interesting" vehicles in Greece, Georgia or Turkey.

But after almost one and a half years in Central Europe with thoroughly tested cars, our view was somewhat clouded as to what is possible and still allowed to be driven.

First of all: Everything that is no longer wanted here is given a second life. And: it lives! Disguise? Irrelevant. Rust spots? Tell stories! Off-road? Nonsense, unnecessary! Workshops? Everywhere, small, even smaller and equipped with all kinds of "stuff".

I admit, my inner Monk gets annoyed at the very thought of finding something in this chaos. But the exciting thing is that you always get help. On the open road, people are screwing, welding or tinkering. And usually without an appointment. Pull up, stop, do it.

After a few weeks we have got used to the sight and no longer find it irritating that cars are completely overloaded. That camels, horses, cattle and sheep are transported on the open loading area of pick-ups.

We see many donkey carts, especially in the countryside here you have to change from horsepower to donkey power. Our view is romantically transfigured. Nevertheless, we think that many of the donkey cart drivers would rather drive a car, no matter how rusty it is.

When we fetch water at springs, we see the women and men with their donkeys. In the best case. Often, however, especially the women are walking for kilometres with water canisters.

And last but not least we experience for ourselves, how quickly and without asking, help can be given. After weeks in Tunisia, my inner Monk is once again at peace and has learned: you are helped everywhere in the world and "our" way of doing things doesn't always have to be the right way or at least the only right way!

Travelling simply gives us a different view of things. In a way, it softens our expectations and makes us curious instead of stressed.

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Thank you for reading our sustainability thoughts. Every two to three weeks on Mondays we write something about the possibility of living future-oriented in the van. We try to shed light on different areas and hope to do so without pointing fingers.

Our focus is on the joy of van life and the many possibilities. We want to avoid the usual doomsday and renunciation communication.

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Best regards - Heike & Gerd