But now it was time to head back to Europe.

• Join me in this episode as I embark on an 11-hour journey from Tunis to Sicily.
• What would the Tunisian boarding procedures be like?
• How much sleep would I get?

And would I even be able to get breakfast in the morning?

This is the story of my overnight ferry adventure from Africa to Italy!

After weeks of vanlifing around Tunisia — swimming off beaches, visiting troglodyte homes, exploring southern salt flats, and even running an ultramarathon in the Sahara — it was time to head back to Europe. Instead of flying, I took the overnight GNV ferry from Tunis to Palermo with my van.

What followed was an 11-hour crossing that was equal parts patience test, cultural experience, and logistical chaos… with a sunrise cappuccino reward at the end.

This is what the journey was actually like, based entirely on my experience.

Arriving at the Port in Tunis (La Goulette)

Finding the GNV office at the port wasn’t straightforward. A man offered help, which I accepted, only to realise afterwards he expected a tip for very basic directions.

Lesson: Be cautious about accepting “help” from strangers at the port.

From there, the process became a maze of:

• Being waved into different lanes
• Loops around unclear checkpoints
• Confusing instructions from multiple officials
• Passport checks
• Customs checks
• Being sent into the commercial goods lane by mistake
• Having documents signed in random booths

Hours of Waiting Before Boarding

I arrived at the port around 7:00 PM. The ferry was due to leave at midnight.

I didn’t board until after 2:30 AM.

That’s over 7 hours of queuing, inching forward, stopping, waiting, and repeating.

Key observations:

• Vehicles are loaded extremely slowly on the Tunis side
• Foot passengers boarded long before vehicles
• There appeared to be a system — but you had to be very patient to see it
• Police checked every single vehicle multiple times before boarding

Boarding the Ferry: Absolute Chaos in the Car Deck

When I finally drove onto the ship, it was unlike anything I’d seen boarding in Italy.

• Vehicles were packed incredibly tightly
• Staff were arguing with each other about where cars should go
• The air quality in the car deck was terrible due to exhaust fumes
• I had to jump out quickly before being boxed in completely

It felt like the ship was absolutely full, which explained the aggressive packing.

Why I Didn’t Book a Cabin

A cabin on this ferry cost 2–3 times more than the price of transporting me and the van.

Since I travel with bedding and camping gear, I decided to create my own sleeping setup on board instead.

I found many passengers already sleeping:

• On benches
• On sofas
• Even in stairwells

Which was surprising from a safety perspective.

Attempting to Sleep on Deck (and Failing)

I pitched my small tent in a soft-floored children’s play area near the engine housing. At first, it seemed ideal.

It wasn’t.

Problems through the night:

• Constant vibration from the engines
• Strong diesel fumes
• Cold wind tunnels through the deck
• Sloped flooring making me roll sideways
• Noise levels too high to sleep properly

I moved locations three times during the night, trying to find somewhere workable.

In total, I think I got maybe 30 minutes of real sleep.

At about 6:00 AM, I gave up and moved inside.

Morning on the Ferry: The Breakfast Saga

By morning, I was exhausted and desperate for coffee. I went to the onboard café and tried to order a “combo special” cappuccino deal.

This turned into a comedy sketch:

• Staff didn’t seem to know the combo existed
• I had to point to each item individually
• The deal wasn’t programmed into the till
• The manager had to come over
• It initially rang up €2 more expensive
• Eventually, I got it 20 cents cheaper

Victory.

Cappuccino in hand, watching the sea, knowing Sicily was close — morale restored.

Would I Take the Tunis to Palermo Ferry Again?

Yes — but with adjusted expectations.

This is not a smooth, slick European boarding process. It requires:

• Patience
• Self-sufficiency
• A plan for sleeping if you don’t book a cabin
• A sense of humour

But it’s also a memorable way to travel from Africa to Europe with your vehicle, and a fitting end to an incredible Tunisian adventure.

Practical Tips from My Experience

If you’re taking the GNV ferry from Tunis to Palermo with a vehicle:

• Arrive very early and expect long waits
• Don’t rely on clear instructions at the port
• Be cautious of strangers offering “help”
• Bring food and water onboard
• Consider whether a cabin is worth it for you
• Expect thorough police vehicle checks
• Get out of the car deck quickly once parked due to fumes
• Be prepared for minimal sleep without a cabin

This crossing wasn’t glamorous. It was chaotic, tiring, and slightly ridiculous at times.

And that’s exactly what made it such a good travel story.

The post I took an overnight ferry from Africa to Sicily! [#vanlife Tunisia] appeared first on Tunnocks World Tour.

Would I be able to negotiate the boarding procedures in Italy? What would the conditions, fellow passengers and food options be like on board? And how on earth would immigration and customs work in Tunisia?

This was one of the longest days of my travel life – come along to see how it worked out!

I took the ferry from Palermo to Tunis aboard the Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) ship GNV Spirit.

I expected a fairly standard Mediterranean ferry crossing.

What I got was a day of confusion, patience training, soggy sandwiches, dolphins, unexpected naps, and a surprisingly smooth (if slightly chaotic) entry into Tunisia with a vehicle.

Arriving Far Too Early at Palermo Port

My ticket wasn’t clear whether check-in closed 2 hours or 4 hours before departure… so I arrived 5 hours early at 7:30 AM.

After paying an extra port tax I already half-knew about, I found the check-in area and was told, essentially, that I was very early.

Two hours later, I was still waiting around for something to happen.

Eventually:

• Passport check ✔️
• Customs check ✔️
• A lot of “hurry up and wait” ✔️

It became clear that 2 hours before departure is the realistic latest check-in time.

Boarding: A Free-for-All That Makes No Difference

When boarding started, it felt like a race. Drivers seemed desperate to be first on, assuming that meant first off in Tunis.

It doesn’t.

Despite boarding relatively early, I ended up second from last on the car deck. Pure luck of the draw.

The car deck itself:

• Strong fuel and exhaust smells
• Cars absolutely packed with belongings — many people clearly moving home
• Lots of passengers heading upstairs immediately to claim sleeping spots

First Impressions of the Ferry Facilities

Once upstairs, I went exploring.

The ship had everything you’d expect:

• Bars
• Cafés
• Restaurants
• Rows and rows of cabins
• Even a (derelict) swimming pool

For a daytime crossing, I didn’t think a cabin was worth the price. Instead, my ticket included a reserved lounge chair, which turned out to be a great decision later.

Food on Board: Expensive and Slightly Chaotic

My first attempt at food was a tuna and tomato sandwich and a coffee.

• The sandwich was completely soggy, but it was actually delicious
• It cost €10.40

Later, I planned to eat at the proper onboard restaurant for dinner… only to discover it only opens at lunchtime.

By early evening, food options were running out:

• No pizza
• No paninis
• Eventually settled for a €7.50 ham and cheese “maxi toast”
• Took forever to arrive despite the kitchen clearly making other food, but once more was delicious

Patience was required. Again.

Dolphins, Sea Views, and an Accidental Nap

About halfway through the 11-hour journey, I went out on deck to admire the coastline and spotted dolphins briefly surfacing beside the ship.

I then went to find my reserved seat on Deck 8.

I sat down… and unexpectedly fell asleep for quite a while.

Early Arrival into Tunis (Very Early)

We:

• Left 20 minutes early
• Arrived 2 hours 20 minutes ahead of schedule
• Docked after 9 hours total journey time

I expected to be stuck on the boat for ages waiting to disembark.

Instead, within 5 minutes of being called down, the car deck was nearly empty. People moved fast.

And then the real adventure began: entering Tunisia with a van.

Tunis Port: No Signs, Just Follow the Person in Front

Once off the ferry at the port in Tunis, there was almost no signage.

The method was simple:

Follow the person in front and hope they know where they’re going.

First stop: passport control.

This felt chaotic and stressful:

• Multiple document checks
• Scanners
• Repeated questions
• Van searched at customs
• Aggressive officer (which was a terrible first impression of Tunisians – my experience for the rest of the trip was that Tunisians are generally lovely, friendly folk)

Then came the tricky part: insurance and vehicle paperwork.

The Insurance and Paperwork Process in Tunis

I was handed a form entirely in Arabic and directed to a man who spoke only French. My French was not up to the task.

Google Translate’s camera function saved me here.

Key things to know:

• You can pre-register some vehicle info online, which will give you a QR code (saves a little time)
• You must buy local insurance (if you haven’t already arranged it)
• Insurance is cash only — 80 Tunisian dinars (~£20) for 15 days
• There is an ATM right there in the port
• Multiple signatures are required from different officials
• A lot of waiting for the “right person” to appear

At one point, I was parked with commercial vehicles being unloaded and thought I was in completely the wrong place.

Then a very friendly official who spoke good English arrived, quickly got all my paperwork signed, and personally walked me back to the road.

That moment sped everything up massively.

Total Time from Docking to Driving Away

• Docked: 08:10
• Cleared everything and driving away: 10:55

Under 3 hours from boat to road, including insurance, paperwork, customs, and confusion.

First Stop in Tunisia: La Marsa

From the port, it was about a 20-minute drive to La Marsa, a seaside town just outside Tunis, where I planned to park up and finally relax after a very long day.

A cold beer was top of the priority list, which I acquired from the wonderful La Dokkana. The local brew – Celtia – is a lovely drop!

Key Tips If You’re Taking This Ferry with a Vehicle

From my experience on the Palermo → Tunis crossing:

• The latest check-in time is 2 hours before departure, but check your ticket and get there in plenty of time
• Expect strong fumes on the car deck
• Bring snacks; onboard food is expensive and limited later in the day
• Wifi is available onboard, but it is very expensive
• A reserved lounge seat is absolutely worth it
• Watch for dolphins mid-crossing
• In Tunis port, follow others — signage is minimal
• Use Google Translate camera for forms
• Bring cash for insurance (ATM available)
• Be patient — the right official can make everything suddenly easy

This crossing wasn’t stressful because anything went wrong.

It was stressful because nothing is particularly clear — and you just have to trust the process.

The post I took an 11-hour ferry to Tunisia! [#vanlife] appeared first on Tunnocks World Tour.

Welcome to my Scottish #vanlife road-trip. I’m heading to The Isle of Skye, The Isle of Lewis and Harris and then back to the mainland to romp around some of the North Coast 500.

In this video, I’ll take you to Sandwood Bay Beach – widely regarded as Scotland’s most remote beach. But that’s not all, we’ll see castles, lochs and some wildlife along the way.

*** If you’d like access to my map with all the places I’m visiting in Scotland, then head on over to https://www.tunnocksworldtour.com/scotland-maps/ ***

The post Is this Scotland’s most remote beach? [Scotland #vanlife NC500 Road-Trip – Part 6] appeared first on Tunnocks World Tour.

In this video, I’ll take you on the 25km round-trip to the top of Suilven – an imposing peak near Scotland’s NC500. This hike was tougher than I’d imagined with boggy ground, steep slopes and scary exposure.

Give it a watch to see how I did…

*** If you’d like access to my map with all the places I’m visiting in Scotland, then head on over to https://www.tunnocksworldtour.com/scotland-maps/ ***

The post Scary Suilven! [Scotland #vanlife Road-Trip – Part 5] appeared first on Tunnocks World Tour.