Out of Africa...

[CYYJ]

Well... 18 months after I left my ST 1100 in Tunisia when I repatriated back to Canada at the start of the COVID pandemic, I have returned to Tunisia to pick it up and catch a ferry from Tunis to Europe.

I'm in Tunis now - I arrived yesterday - and I have discovered that travel in this middle-of-pandemic world is a lot different than it was back in normal times. It's no fun, even if you travel business class.

I flew with Air Canada from Toronto to Frankfurt, then transferred to Lufthansa for the 2 hour flight to Tunis. It took me 25 minutes to go through all the formalities at the airline check-in counter in Toronto, and this was after I had done an on-line check-in and printed my own boarding pass. The airline check-in staff had to examine a whole bunch of documents I brought with me to make sure I could transit Germany and enter Tunisia - a $200 COVID test done the day before that had to be less than 72 hours old when I reached Tunisia, a form the German government wanted filled in, a form the Tunisians wanted filled in, a form Air Canada wanted filled in, etc... what a massive PITA. I really feel sympathy for the airline check-in staff.

The whole procedure was repeated again in Frankfurt, and the plane was an hour late departing the gate because of the lineup to get documents checked before boarding the plane. So, if anyone is planning to travel internationally this year, be sure to get to the airport well ahead of time, and be sure to have everything you need printed on paper - forget the 'apps', good old fashioned paper documents work best.

I visited Tunisian customs to pick up the documentation for my moto and they advised me that I had to pay a penalty of $700 for overstaying the 6 month limit on tourist vehicles imported into the country, but I could appeal this by filling in a bunch of forms. So I filled in the forms, and spent all of the next day visiting various customs offices. That problem is still not solved, I have to be back at customs at 9:00 AM Friday. This is not good news, everyone quits early on Friday in Islamic countries, and I have an expensive ferry ticket booked for a Saturday morning departure to Genoa. So I am a bit stressed at the moment. If worse comes to worst, I'll pay the $700 penalty, but I won't be happy about doing so because the Tunisians promised exemptions to the rules back at the start of the pandemic.

The only good news so far is the motorcycle itself. A former co-worker of mine at the Red Cross here in Tunis obtained an OEM Yuasa battery for me (only cost $80) - I took the old battery out, put the new one in, opened the choke fully, and the motorcycle started up just fine after about 10 seconds of cranking - it was as if I had parked it yesterday. All I had to do next was add some air to the tires and take it to a car wash. ST 1100s are bulletproof.

Not many people wear masks here. That causes me stress because the country has a low vaccination rate (it's not a rich country, they can't afford to vaccinate everyone in a hurry) and a high daily infection rate.

Anyway - that's the update for today, God willing (or 'InshAllah' as they say here) I will get the customs problems sorted out tomorrow to enable me to board the ferry Saturday morning. I will keep y'all posted.

Michael

A little dirty after sitting in storage for 18 months

 

[Weaselinsuit]

Wow that is impressive that it fired right up. Sorry for the logistical and bureaucratic nightmare but well done getting this far and I hope the rest of the trip goes seamlessly!

 

[mjc506]

Good news on the bike! That $700 sounds rather like 'rich foreigner tax' to me... the overstay isn't exactly your fault... best of luck with that!

 

[Uncle Phil]

ST 1100s are bulletproof.

One of the reasons I love my ST1100s!
Hope you can get the customs thing sorted out and get out of there with your pocketbook intact.

 

[Obo]

@CYYJ You'd have paid more than $700 in parking for 18 months in a paid lot in Toronto!

Here's hoping you "get out of jail" scott free.

 

[Upt' North]

Michael, glad the old girl fired right up. Must be that really good North African fuel. I bet she's missed ya.
Good luck with Tunisian Customs, I think you'll need it.
I believe Italy were lifting the quarantine restrictions on arrivals too, but you'll have to check on that one.
I bet Genoa will feel good.......when you get there. Nightmare motorway system though, old and scary. I've only been through it once, that was enough for one lifetime.
Bon voyage chum and if we right siders can be any help, just shout.
Upt'North.

 

[Peppermint]

I don't envy you the red tape and beauroctatic SNAFUs, Michael. Sending you all my good wishes for as smooth and successful a resolution as possible. Best of luck!!

 

[Sunday Rider]

Great news about the bike and glad you got there safely. Good luck with customs and getting the $700 back. The ordeal is almost behind you now.

 

[Bikeric]

Hi Michael, glad the bike is OK and sorry to hear about your red tape nightmares. I hope the rest of the trip goes smoothly.

 

[CYYJ]

Good luck with Tunisian Customs, I think you'll need it.

The funny thing is that all the people at Tunisian Customs were extraordinarily courteous & friendly, to the point of bringing me coffees while I was waiting. Unfortunately, they were not particularly competent or efficient... I spent hours there, and didn't get much accomplished. I need to be back at the same office tomorrow at 9:00 AM.

I believe Italy were lifting the quarantine restrictions on arrivals too, but you'll have to check on that one.

The Italians will only allow me to enter the country for 'transit' purposes - I have to be out of Italy within 36 hours of arriving there. That won't be a problem, Switzerland is only a couple of hours riding to the north

I bet Genoa will feel good.... Nightmare motorway system though, old and scary.

No kidding about the road system in Genoa - a bridge on the major through highway system collapsed there a couple of years ago. Picture is below. They blew up what remained standing, but I don't think it has been rebuilt yet.

Michael

Genoa Bridge

 

[Upt' North]

The funny thing is that all the people at Tunisian Customs were extraordinarily courteous & friendly, to the point of bringing me coffees while I was waiting. Unfortunately, they were not particularly competent or efficient... I spent hours there, and didn't get much accomplished. I need to be back at the same office tomorrow at 9:00 AM.

The Italians will only allow me to enter the country for 'transit' purposes - I have to be out of Italy within 36 hours of arriving there. That won't be a problem, Switzerland is only a couple of hours riding to the north

No kidding about the road system in Genoa - a bridge on the major through highway system collapsed there a couple of years ago. Picture is below. They blew up what remained standing, but I don't think it has been rebuilt yet.

Michael

Genoa Bridge

Er'Indoors sends er best Michael and says she can recommend this route to Switzerland. Although I'm sure you've done it before. She also says, "tell him to be careful", consider yourself told.
Ray.

 

[Uncle Phil]

but I don't think it has been rebuilt yet.

FWIW, they opened up the 'new' bridge in 2020 -





The new bridge in Genoa, Italy, is illuminated in the colors of the Italian flag during its official inauguration, August 3, 2020, after it was rebuilt following its collapse August 14, 2018, which killed 43 people.

 

[John OoSTerhuis]

Thanks for the update, Michael. Best wishes for a successful recovery trip.

Warm Regards, John

 

[SMSW]

Of course you'll pull the rabbit out of the hat, Michael, you always do. These hiccups just make the story colorful in the retelling - preferably after its over. Good luck dealing with those customs officials. Just don't drink too much of their coffee and get caffeine jitters.

 

[dduelin]

Best wishes in your endeavors Michael.

 

[Al Gully]

Hoping push doesn't turn into a shove on your venture outta there.
As we say in Canada Michael, "keep your stick on the ice"

 

[drrod]

Good luck Michael. How long are you going to be in EU?

 

[Sadlsor]

Following with interest and hope for minimal (or at the very least, tolerable) bureaucratic hassle.
Been waiting to see you get back to recover the 1100, and glad to hear that isn't a contributing factor.
Started right up. Huh. Who woulda thunkit!

 

[CYYJ]

Well, some days are diamonds, and some days are stones... today was a stone.

I returned to Customs this morning to pick up the form I needed to submit to obtain "forgiveness" of the proposed fine, and the two employees at the office that had been so courteous to me yesterday had the form ready. They advised me that it takes about a week for the appropriate high official to approve the exemption.

Unfortunately... I have a ferry booking to leave Tunisia for Genoa, Italy tomorrow morning. Staying here for another week would cost at least as much as the fine (1,700 dinars, about USD $600), not to mention the possible penalties for cancelling the ferry trip, so off to the ATM I went, to drain it of dinars.

I learned something useful in the process, and that is that ATMs in foreign countries often impose their own withdrawal limits per transaction, and those limits can be much less than the limit that the cardholder's bank imposes for withdrawals per transaction or per day. I have a fairly high daily withdrawal limit - a hangover from ferrying aircraft, when I sometimes had to pay for the fuel in cash - but I couldn't withdraw 1,700 dinars in a single transaction. After some asking around, I found out that the per transaction limit for the machine was 500 dinars, so I made 3 withdrawals of 500 and one of 200, then headed back to customs. The ATM only dispensed 20s, so I had a wad that would choke a horse.

Anyway, at least I can leave the country legally now. The ferry departs at noon Saturday, check-in is at 0600 Saturday (COVID document formalities take a long time, I guess), and it is scheduled to arrive in Italy 25 hours later.

Wish me luck, hope the Italian ferry is better constructed than Italian bridges.

Michael

Good luck Michael. How long are you going to be in EU?

Hopefully about a month. It all depends on what restrictions get applied to travel due to the oncoming "4th wave".

 

[Obo]

@CYYJ well you started off the journey as an adventure and why should 18 months and a little pandemic alter that?