The Best BIRTHDAY GIFT 🎁 The Garde Nationale Could Give Me!

Day 131. 66km (79460kms 7yrs)
Curiously - after moaning yet again to the National Guard yesterday that I didn’t want to be followed all the time - I wasn’t followed this morning. I had coffee and left town unsupervised, I crossed back over the ridge and into the oasis of Chebika unobserved.
I followed the local women’s example by wading fully clothed into the refreshing pool before eating some breakfast in the shade. When I left the village I was careful to pick a street that didn’t take me passed the Garde National building. For 50kms I trudged into a pretty strong headwind through the featureless desert. One national guard vehicle passed me but didn’t even pause. Was I really free at last?!
About half way I found some shade in the form of a couple of large square concrete objects. The wind was so powerful I had to wedge my front tyre so a parked Gibbo wasn’t blown along as I ate my lunch. The structures offered shelter from the sun, but not the wind regrettably.
Mercifully a little way out from Tozeur I came to a village where - out of water and overheated - I drank a supurbly cold soft drink, refilled my bottles and soaked my cycling jersey for the final 10km into town. If the national guard stationed at the first roundabout called out to me I didn’t hear it, zooming quickly onwards. When I saw another checkpoint into town I darted immediately down a side street to avoid any unnecessary interaction. This was of course the perfect opportunity to camp freely but as the following day was my birthday I actually did want a hotel stay on this occasion. Again, to avoid authorities I bypassed to government-run auberge to a gorgeously tiled hotel on the edge of the oasis. Out front the horse cart workers gathered and would try to convince me at every opportunity to take a trip with them.
That evening as I sat outside the next door cafe a police car drove by, pausing immediately opposite me. They’d found me again - or so I thought - because they drove straight off. What does this mean?! Was this pause unrelated to me? Or were they satisfied to see me next door to a hotel? Time will tell.
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[@asowray]

Happy Birthday Helen

[@helsonwheels]

Thank you! 🎂🥳🍻

[@daniellewhite8065]

Happy birthday Helen from Matt and Dani 🎉

[@helsonwheels]

Thanks guys!! 🎂🐪🌴🥳🍻

[@solennalazet9655]

Happy belated birthday! I hope you had a lovely day. 😊🤗

[@helsonwheels]

Thank you very much! I did have a lovely day ☺️🎂🌴

[@anthonyportus6497]

Happy birthday 🎉 My friend

[@helsonwheels]

Thank you very much ☺️🎂

[@markperry222]

Happy Birthday 🎂

[@helsonwheels]

Thank you! 🎂🚴🏻‍♀️🥳

[@biettabrewer]

Yay! You had the day to yourself! Hope you have a lovely birthday! 🎉🎈🎁🎂🥂🍾

[@helsonwheels]

Thé best birthday present the National Guard could ever give me 😆🎂🇹🇳🥳

[@RosaMinnaar]

Happy birthday hells

[@helsonwheels]

Thank you very much! 🎂🥳🍻

[@hassanalialtaai5244]

Happy birthday 🎊🎂🎉🎁🎈

[@helsonwheels]

Thank you! 🌴🎂🌴

[@hassanalialtaai5244]

@@helsonwheels you’re welcome

[@helsonwheels]

@hassanalialtaai5244 ☺️

[@PaulFreeman1]

Happy Birthday to you

[@helsonwheels]

Thank you very much! ☺️🎂🚴🏻‍♀️

[@sharkmentality9717]

Not the place for cheese. Happy Birthday! 29th isn't it?

[@helsonwheels]

23rd 😜 🎂 I had a great one, thank you 🌟

[@drjksa]

Good ❤🚲🌎🚴💚♥️

[@helsonwheels]

Thank you! ☺️🚴🏻‍♀️🇹🇳

[@user-hp5hq4tb9g]

👍🚴‍♂🧘‍♀

[@helsonwheels]

☺️🚴🏻‍♀️🇹🇳

[@user-hp5hq4tb9g]

happy birthday to you hels@@helsonwheels

[@helsonwheels]

Thank you very much! 🎂🥳