Reuters News reports that this evening at 7:00 PM, the Prime Minister of Tunisia announced closure of the maritime borders of the country.

Here's the link: Tunisia News

This implies cancellation of ferry services to Italy & France, though I can't be sure of that.

I'm presently in Djerba, Tunisia, and getting ready to settle down here for a while until this virus business cools off. I can't think of any way to get out of the country, because I am obliged to export my motorcycle with me when I leave the country. I don't think Tunisia is sufficiently organized to make an exception to this policy and let me fly out, leaving the motorcycle behind.

Michael

I have since found documentation stating that all passenger ferry traffic to and from Tunisia has been cancelled until (at least) April 4. Here is the news article, in French:

Dans le cadre de la maîtrise des frontières, il a été décidé de fermer les passages maritimes de façon complète...

Michael

I'll have my serving of crow with salt and a bit of hot sauce, thanks. You were right, and I was wrong.

Still don't know whether I'm leaving on a holiday of my own in a couple of days. They may take the decision out of my hands by canceling flights or closing borders, but then again they might not--at least until I'm far from home and at their mercy.

I'll be looking forward to more reports--about Tunisia, about geopolitical paralysis, about whatever. Good luck!

Mark

Hello Michael,

The most important thing: you made it out of Italy. Maybe you can´t leave your motorcycle behind but maybe it´s worth to try. On the other hand, I saw pictures of Djerba on Google maps and it doesn´t look like a bad place to be stuck. Have a good time and enjoy Tunisia. Never been there but maybe one day.....

Rögnvaldur

Hi Mark:

Based on my own experience, I suggest you stay put at home, or confine your riding to the USA & Canada.

I was in exactly the same situation as you about 10 days ago - sitting at home, wondering whether to go on this long-planned trip or to cancel. I chose to go.

Now, my freedom of movement is completely out of my hands. I'm confined to a hotel in Djerba for the next 7 days to comply with government-imposed self-quarantine rules on foreign visitors, and once that is over, I have no way of getting out of this country - ferry services are shut down, most scheduled flights have been cancelled, and I can't leave the country without taking my motorcycle with me.

Fortunately, life is not too bad at present - I'm in a 5 star resort that is the best hotel in Djerba, an absolute friggin' palace of a place, in a very nice suite, paying $65 a day for what they normally sell for $400 a day in high season. The food is great, the service is great, there's a nice pool to swim in and the weather is pleasant.

But, still, it's a jail. In retrospect, I should have stayed put in Canada. Tunisia would have still been present in the same location in 2021.

I think that in another post earlier this week, I cited an old saying from the industry I used to work in (aviation): "It's better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air than in the air wishing you were on the ground".

Michael

Please save some for me
Best of luck to you Michael