The next day we took a day trip out to Carthage. Carthage is about a 30 minute train ride outside of Tunis. The
TGM is the name of the train line that took us there – it’s a small train line that runs up the Tunisian coast past Carthage and Sidi Bou Said. Getting to the TGM station proved to be non-trivial. Its Tunis terminus is located just outside of the downtown area, and not really a pleasant walk. So we tried to take the tram (LRT). The ticket-sellers were less then helpful in directing us to the right tram, and there was no signs in the main tram station (outside the train station) indicating where we should wait. We had to keep asking people – and we still managed to get on the tram going the wrong way. Stops are not announced, and often the station signs (if they are there at all) are impossible to see, due to a crowded tram, or bad positioning of the sign. Basically, we had to ask a lot of people a lot of directions. Of course, everyone is extremely nice, so this isn’t that much of a problem. The TGM itself is very easy, however (it’s impossible to get on the wrong train!)

Carthage proved to be a bit of a bust. Our guidebook didn’t tell us clearly what stop we should get off at, and the people we asked onboard seemed to disagree. Turns out, it is better to get off at the Carthage Byrsa stop. We walked around small deserted residential streets in Carthage, completely lost, in the pouring rain. There were no signs, and the Lonely Planet’s map was lacking. Obviously Carthage is aimed at the package tourists and not the backpacker crowd. We were trying to climb the Byrsa Hill to get to the Cathedral of St Louis. We eventually made it, and also visited the museum next door, but it was hardly worth the trip. We saw a few ruins scattered around the Hill, but they were not well preserved.

We had planned to continue on the TGM to Sidi Bou Said, but decided to head back to Tunis due do the weather. We spent the rest of the day trying to figure out the best way to head south.