Tunisia

VfM4meplse

PompeyPete wrote: »

£sterling is absolutely no good to the locals, and the only way they can change it into Dinars is with a tourist.

Have you never heard of the black economy that exists in many countries?

nickyhutch

VfM4meplse wrote: »

Make sure he knows your value, a blonde is worth 3 times a brunette in Tunisia....

I think he'd just be happy to see the back of me :rotfl:

PompeyPete

VfM4meplse wrote: »

Have you never heard of the black economy that exists in many countries?

Have you never been bothered by a local trying to sell sterling back to you because it's no good to him?
Tip in the local currency, in the knowledge that the tip can be used immediately, and as often as not, put food on the plate for the whole family that evening.

katepnlo

One time we went during Ramadan... Don't go during Rmadan lol
As for the blondes being worth more. I got used to the attention and just ignored it but my other half ended up spitting his dummy out a few times and sulking at the dinner table :P

sharpy2010

nickyhutch wrote: »

Thankyou bunnykins, that's really helpful.

I've told OH he can swap me for some camels if he gets a good offer, so I don't have to come home!

Funny you should say that, I honeymooned in Tunisia, and was offered 500,000 camels for my (now) ex-wife.

Wasn't sure if he was joking.

Wish I'd taken the camels!

Evil witch.

interstellaflyer

PompeyPete wrote: »

Don't tip in £sterling, unless of course you don't have an Dinars.
£sterling is absolutely no good to the locals, and the only way they can change it into Dinars is with a tourist.

Really, although we haven't been since 2010, we've been to Tunisia quite a few times up till then and we've often been asked for English money as a tip in preference to Dinars, same goes in the souks, we've often had traders wanting to deal in £Stirling.

mum2one

I've been to Tunisia about 15 times over the last 13 yrs, loat time came back 2 weeks ago.

Tipping
At the airport have a stream of £1 coins ready, I usually try to keep £10s worth. (thou don't try to spend that much).

The people who take the trolleys to the coaches - I usually give them £1, they will swop it with tourists on the way back,

Then there be a tip for the coach driver - again £1

Hotel - Tip for the porter £1 per case (thats me, coz I'm on crutches so do value the service).

I wouldn't change any money at the airport, although its a fixed currency, the commission is higher at the airport, so wait till your hotel.

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Out and about

Taxi - depending on the fayre under 5 dinars - usually round up to the next dinar or add a dinar to it

Over 10 dinars - give 2 dinars

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Hotel
(All inclusive)
Same waiter for the duration holiday - 10 dinars

Different waiters per night - 1 dinar

Pool man - (this stay the pool man was fabm reserved same sunbeds), 1 dinar day - then extra 5 dinars when we left

Maid - There know when your going home before u!! They like any English toilettries you want to leave - 5 dinars. If they've done something extra, (got some more pillows or done flowers on bed) give a dinar when I see them

Drinks - pool bar - dinar at end of day

drinks - fetched to me, - half a dinar

Out for a meal -
Cafe - 5 dinars
Restaurant - posh meal - 10 dinars

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When been half board

Drinks in hotel or at meal time then just round up to the nearest dinar.

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We've just had the best exchange rate for a log time, dinar was about 40p, been out when a dinar equalled 60p.

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You can take travellers cheques (take them in sterling), safer than carrying all cash.
Cards - if you do use cash points theres additional charges, which is usually a handling fee + a % of the commission.

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During stay - put up about 10 dinars in 1 dinar coins for the return journey!
Porter who collects your case from room
Porter who puts them on the coach
The coach driver
The porter at the airport

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Changing money - on return

You can only change 30% of what you changed, this can be changed back to sterling at the airport, before you go through passport control.
When you change money at the hotel your be given a white receipt (which should have your surname and room number on, you need to hold onto all of these incase you want to change back.

I generally change little and often, and try not to have too much left, bar my 10 dinars emergency as I call it.

Which part of Tunisia are you off to, xx
if

nickyhutch

Thank you very much, mum2one. Really useful.

We're staying AI in Yasmine Hammamet.

PompeyPete

interstellaflyer wrote: »

Really, although we haven't been since 2010, we've been to Tunisia quite a few times up till then and we've often been asked for English money as a tip in preference to Dinars,

I bow to your better judgement. But my question is why, unless your tip is in the form a £sterling note, ie a £fiver or more? Tunisians can't do stuff all with £sterling coins, other than change them into Dinars with a tourist.

interstellaflyer wrote: »

same goes in the souks, we've often had traders wanting to deal in £Stirling.

A sale is a sale, and providing it's a hard currency they'll take it. They'll spin you any old yarn to convince you that you're getting a good deal too.

interstellaflyer

PompeyPete wrote: »

I bow to your better judgement. But my question is why, unless your tip is in the form a £sterling note, ie a £fiver or more? Tunisians can't do stuff all with £sterling coins, other than change them into Dinars with a tourist.



A sale is a sale, and providing it's a hard currency they'll take it. They'll spin you any old yarn to convince you that you're getting a good deal too.

I'm not saying I understand how it works, just saying that there have been many occasions where we have been asked for £Stirling in preference to Dinars. Hotel porters seem to like £5 notes and for some reason the airport porters seem to prefer £1 coins, I know this because I've had the cheeky beggars ask for English money.

By the way as we have been going to Tunisia nearly every year since 1989 we are well aware of the little scams, I could count on one hand the amount of items I've bought from Souks, 99% of it is junk and I'm amazed at just how gullible people are, that aside you certainly hear traders openly wanting to deal in £Stirling.

Like I say, not sure how it works, but these are not stupid, uneducated people, there must be some benefit to taking foreign currency otherwise they wouldn't specifically ask for it.