Not being a great lover of Christmas, I’ve had too many of them for my liking, this year (2008) my daughter Katie asked if Janice and myself would join her, our son in law Jez and our granddaughter Megan on a trip to Tunisia. We were delighted and relieved that Katie did all the hard work trawling the net for a suitable destination. She came up trumps with an early flight on Christmas Eve landing at Monastir just after lunch. The four star Hotel Primasol Golden Beach, Scanės,  was a 2 minute taxi ride from the airport so we checked in with plenty of time to explore the surrounds and  beach.
As we made our way back through the gardens little Megan (20 months old) was treated to her first encounter with Father Christmas. Not just any old Santa but a dodgy looking Arab chap on the back of a camel. This could lead to some lasting confusion in those special years ahead as Megs will be faced with people trying to convince her that Santa’s chosen form of transport is indeed a bunch of reindeer!!  Santa duly handed out presents to all the children and then after a photo session with the resident photographer we disappeared back down the beach, superb. The hotel had arranged a special Gala dinner and evening’s entertainment. The dinner was excellent and a foretaste of things to come. After reading some horrendous reports on the various holiday forums we were expecting the worst but I have to say we were all well pleased with the varied menu and presentation of the buffet style meals. As a bonus the local wines were quite palatable and the beer to my utter surprise was very good indeed.  Our entertainment on Christmas Eve was live music during the Gala dinner followed by a brilliant dance and drum display by a local folk troupe. 
Throughout the weeks holiday the animation team provided us with enthusiastic entertainment including comedy night plus, their very own version of Lord of the Dance alá Abdul Flatley and of course the obligatory multi lingual Bingo. There was also a Fakir night when the Fakir not only amazed us with his ability to survive being impaled on various sharp objects including swords, broken glass and all manner of objects covered in nails but, topped it off by introducing his audience to a variety of snakes, lizards and a decidedly threatening monkey.  Little Megan was mesmerised.
A trip into Sousse was our first venture out of the complex and an interesting trip it turned out. We were taken on an aging mini bus by a Libyan guy whose father owned the Hotel  Shop. We, the Brits, for some reason are always sceptical about anything that’s free and my lot were no different. But aside from a trip to a couple of selected shops in the medina it was just as he promised, free.
Of course the Medina can be a daunting prospect for tourists no matter how experienced but in fairness our guide made the visit very enjoyable. I was given the full treatment in the Carpet Shop but what would you know, it turned out to be very interesting. They must have shown me 50 or more carpets although from the off I insisted I wouldn’t be buying. They never gave up but I have to say I was never over pressured.  Asked if I had a particular favourite I decided to be honest and pointed out a very impressive Royal Blue and Gold number that was one of the first ones I saw. They did no more than roll it out again before trying the old sales pitch. I respectfully declined to buy but was astonished to find the price under 200 quid including delivery. If I could have found a place for it in my home I think I would have bought it, shame.  A friendly hand shake and a mint tea later we were on our way again through the narrow streets of the Medina. We visited the Government shop facing the Port and were surprised to see a lot of the fixed price goods were actually more expensive than in the Medina, well worth remembering when you always wrongly assume the locals rip you off. And so back to our transport and the 25 minute drive to the Golden Beach for Supper. It was at this point we realised this was Christmas day and we had missed out on the Queens speech, too much to drink and too much to eat.
A relaxing time at the hotel was in order the following day and the chance to do a little reading on the Beach. Our reading was interrupted by a bunch of our German cousin’s asking Janice and I to join a Tunisian and a Czechoslovakian for an international French Boules match. Janice was in sparkling form but we couldn’t prevent the Germans from taking the honours, they always come good in the big tournaments don’t they?
Another trip to Sousse for the Camel Market the next day wasn’t quite the success that we had hoped for. Travelling in on the local transport which was very cheap but, the market was more than bustling, it was mayhem. We didn’t last too long in what was a Tunisian free for all so opted for a taxi back into Sousse for a return to the Medina. It never ceases to amaze me how these traders never give up on a sale. You can spend half an hour bartering for a matter of pence but at the end of the day you will never ever find the true base value of anything for sure but always remember, if they sold you something they have made a profit no matter how small.
Car Hire in Tunisia for me is a must and if you want to see the real Tunisia, take the plunge. Don’t be afraid of the Tunisian driving, it is largely very good and I for one never end up stressed as we often do in UK. I chose to walk from the Hotel to the airport (about 15 minutes when you cut through the Station and over the train track) to check out the prices. I was quoted £60 per day at the hotel and similar at the airport with Eurocar and Avis but, opposite Eurocar there’s a company called Fashion Rent a Car who hired me a newish VW Polo for £55 for two days. Fuel is just over 50p per litre.
A trip to El Jem took just over an hour. It has to be the best time of the year to visit this magnificent arena although with only a handful of tourists for company you are prime targets for the traders. We bought some nice silk scarves, had our pictures taken with the camels and chatted to the young traders before heading back to Monastir. One sight that had the girls squirming were the butchers shops in the villages en route, the sight of sheep and goats carcasses hanging outside, dripping with blood  was just too much for them.
A trip down memory lane for us the next day as we returned to Old Hammamet.  A coffee in the roof-top restaurant and a visit to the Medina and shops before leaving with the lovely backdrop of the sun setting over the sea.
A brilliant week at the Golden Beach where Megan was treated so well by all the staff especially the animation team and waiters.  Could we have asked for any more?  Maybe a couple of degrees higher temperature but overall  – perfect,  good food,  good company and lots of laughs. Did I personally miss Christmas – no, not one little bit!!