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Searching for?

May 8th, Gibraltar today, huge queues but there is actually a lane just for bikes to zip through – of course, we didn’t discover this until we were leaving!  Cool fact about Gibraltar - the main road runs through the main airport runway so when there’s a flight they have to close the road.   For a treat we played tourists and took the cable car up to the top, highly recommend it (except if you’re afraid of heights).  As soon as you get off the monkeys are everywhere, they are amazing, it's like looking into the face of another person (only with more intelligence!).  Asked Sean to take a photo of me, without thinking he dropped his bag and jacket, quick as a flash one of the monkeys leapt on his stuff and proceeded to open the pockets with amazing dexterity - pockets

Looking in the mirror?

The Culprit!

which contained passport, wallet, driving licence, cash, etc., aahhhh!.  Sean tried to get the jacket but was met with snarling and teeth baring resistance, of course a crowd gathered but no one was able to help – food would have worked but as everyone obeyed the rules, no one had any.  Finally, after a LONG 5 minutes, an American woman rattled a plastic bag, drawing the animal’s attention causing her to leave Sean’s stuff behind, Seanie sprang into action ‘like a gazelle’ and rescued everything – major PHEW!!  The rest of Gibraltar was lovely, lots of old military installations, but thankfully not as adrenaline filled!

Here we go, here we go.......

Underway

May 9^th – today is THE day, all those endless nights dreaming and planning, and today – AFRICA, aahhhhhhh!  Got our tickets for the 2pm IMTC ferry – OMG, we felt sick with excitement (and too many donuts).  Went to the Tangier Med departure point and much to our disappointment we were the only bikes in the queue - had been hoping to turn the corner to see hoards of other adventure m/cs!  Got in line and waited, and waited and waited.  Finally boarded and then waited and waited and waited………………….our 2pm ferry set sail just before 4pm ……..welcome to African time!   After all that time of looking at Africa on the map on our kitchen wall we are, finally, unbelievably, really, truly and actually, on the boat and underway.   

Tangier Med

The crossing isn’t very long and soon got the announcement to go to our vehicles.  Went to bikes full of trepidation and excitement for what lay ahead in the customs with all the procedures and paperwork, wondering how we’d deal with being badgered by fixers, problems with language etc.  We docked, rode up to customs - and it was ordered, fairly quiet, well run with not a fixer in sight!!!   Whilst at the police booth, another biker joined us and seemed delighted that we were English speakers.   Nick, had come from Norwich on his Africa Twin to do a quick visit of Morocco – his first overseas trip on a bike and he was doing it on his own AND traveling to Africa – sod the baby steps!! 

Coast of Africa

Sean had coordinates for a camp site south of Tangier, Nick asked if he could tag along, so now a merry band of three we set off on a magnificent evening into the wild blue yonder of Africa.  The route followed the coast and was quite simply stunning.  The road was good and was gently windy so you got some magnificent views from all directions – and we actually got to see some camels, yeah!   We were stunned by how friendly the people were, everyone seems happy to salute you, nod or wave.  We hit Tangier town and fuck me what a learning curve in how to ride - the three of us were running (riding?) to keep up – it was hotter than hell, traffic was manic –   and worse my engine ‘overheating’ light came on eekkk!  The place was absolutely alive – there is so much bussle, life and activity and so many things happening at the same time and the traffic reflects it all. 

Table & Chairs - WOW!

The road we followed became a footpath which ended at a huge wooden gate, thinking we’d gone wrong we stopped but were signalled through to follow a steep windy path downwards and half way down we found the camp site, Camping Miramonte.  Set up and checked out the facilities - they were fucking awful, the holes in the floor (i.e.  loos) were ok but the sinks were filthy, never been cleaned, and the showers looked like something out of WWII prison camps.  Sean and Nick immediately declared they weren’t showering in the morning - must be terrible to be delicate!  We invited Nick to eat with us, which he did only after being absolutely assured he wasn’t doing us out of food, and we’d had a great time sitting (on actual chairs PLUS a table - genuine treat!) and chatting about each other’s trips and lives – fab evening.

A break from the heat

Nick with his 'Donkey' & Us

Woke to discover that neither of the ‘brave’ boys had attempted the showers.  Despite their condition, it was running water so I wasn’t opting out - wasn’t pleasant but I was sweat free so all was good.  Nick was heading for Marrakech but decided that he’d like to ride with us for a couple of hours, a nice change for us. Warned him our top speed is dictated by Seanie’s girl and no match for his ‘Donkey’, he was ok with this so off we went in search of adventures into a very warm yonder.  One of the best things we saw and STUPIDLY failed to stop for, was a bunch of camels sitting together on a sandy river edge – WOW – WE’RE IN AFRICA, how the fuck did that happen????

Larache

Gobsmacked by the sights and sounds, everywhere is so vibrant, the driving is interesting but once you get the hang of it it’s fine. The people are so welcoming, they were shouting out of trucks, from bikes etc. ‘Welcome to Morocco’.  I was most surprised by the women, I had expected Morocco to be rigidly Muslim, however the women were dressed in traditional and western dress in all kinds of colours.  Reached Larache, wow, stereotypical Moroccan town stretched up a hill, all the houses in white and blue with the road going past  the remains of an old castle - all of this looks onto a lovely long beach. Baking in our own juices, given that it was 46 degrees C it was no surprise, so stopped for a bit.  Again we were bombarded with hellos, etc.  A Muslim woman passed, we

Melting in 46 C.

said Bonjour, in a very broad English accent she asked how we were!!! Shortly after had to say goodbye to Nick as our paths diverged but stupidly forgot to ask for his mobile, were dying to know if he made it to Marrakech that night. 

Taking some shade........

The heat was so intense that I was starting to feel sick.  Pulled over for a pee stop but my heart was really pounding and wasn't feeling good so took a quick break before carrying on. Stopped for petrol and again was feeling completely sick, thumping headache and pins and needles down my back.  I had to sit down on the forecourt floor; the very nice attendant brought me a chair!  Drank loads and poured water over my head to cool down – I was a bit stunned as usually when it's hot Sean is the one wilting and I’m the one basking.  In my defence, however, I’ve never been in 46 C, add in all the bike gear, and I’d made the stupid mistake of drinking and eating very little - apparently not a good combination!  Took several hours to find a camp spot but finally, with about 30 minutes of light left, we hit a woodland (rarity so far) and had our spot for the night only to discover we'd somehow lost our only two bottles of water!  

'Cool' morning

This is the life!

Following morning left the forest before 7am, were starting to realise we would have to avoid afternoon riding.  The Moroccan people are the most incredibly friendly people we’ve ever met, you can’t stop without someone saying hello, when you pass people wave, if you wave or nod, it’s always returned, you will be offered some of any food or drink they have, it’s wonderful.  Pulled up for water and returning from the shop I noticed a woman hanging out of her window curiously watching us so I nodded and she nodded back and when I smiled her face light up.  As I rode away I waved and she beamed, it made my morning that someone was so happy to say hello.

Camp site free loader!

Coast road

Off toward Rabat (the capital, remember for WWTBAM!) and into the insane mêlée that is its traffic, it’s simply nuts - you just have to keep up, no room for hesitation or doubt.  They do this ‘beep’ thing when the driver behind is overtaking, it seems to work for both 'get out of the way’ and ‘watch out, I’m overtaking’ – either way it’s a good heads up.  Rode along the coast for most of the way, got to the outskirts of Casablanca early afternoon and found a nice campsite, was a treat to have most of the day to relax.

Moroccan Sunset

Sea gazing?

Cassablanca

Mosque Hassain II

Cassablanca

Hassain II

Baking.......

Next morning we headed into the city towards the Mosque Hassain II.  Parked by a bunch of local men who looked like they were

settled for the day so knew bike would be safe.  Took off to stroll around the city - all the small shops, business and cafes are run by, and are full of men.  The women seem to be free to come and go but don’t seem to use cafes or work in shops, odd!  Came across old city walls so walked around the crammed, bustling, vibrant, street stalls enveloped in both very good and VERY bad smells – often within feet of each other.  After a bit a guy started chatting to us.  Crazy Gino was very nice, had excellent English and was started explaining all about the place.  He was amazing, he took us around incredible streets, explained their history, architecture, what had become of them, explained the culture, took us to different markets, took me into a communal wash facility where large groups of women come to wash and socialise, and there were loos – which explain why there are none on the streets, also explained women are only allowed upstairs in cafes.  He took us through the spice shops and got us to try them, into a bakery where they cook amazing amounts of things in deep chamber stoves fired by wood, took us into a community meeting and up a tower so we had a view over the town.  Gino seemed to know everyone, people were speaking to him in Arabic and asking him to say

'Crazy' Gino & Sean

Chicken & spiced rice, yum!

‘Welcome to Morocco’ to us.  A French family passed him and he switched to fluent French.  Apparently he has about seven languages.  After about an hour he brought us back to where he’d hooked up with us, EVERYONE who goes to Casablanca needs to find Crazy Gino and take a tour with him, it was astonishing.  Bought a rotisserie chicken from a roadside café for tea and it was stuffed with herbed rice – finger licking good, Cyclops, the camp site cat, thought so too.

I am officially in love with Morocco and even more so with the most amazing race of people I have ever met, their friendliness and welcoming nature rocks you on your heels and they’re not after anything, they are honestly amazingly genuine people.

Sight seeing

Don't wary.......

Have learned more about the traffic beeping thing, there's a mysterious illness in Morocco that causes the driver at the front of the traffic lights queue to go blind, so his fellow road users, being concerned citizens, are letting him know, by way of a cacophony of beeps, that the light has indeed turned green and he is free to proceed – once the ‘blind’ fellow moves forward the beeping stops as obviously the mysterious illness seems to cure itself and sight is restored, magic or what!

Wow, desert!

Moving on today so when packing several members of the Dutch camper group we shared the site with came over to chat, curious about our trip.  As we left the entire group was standing left and right of the track waving us off and wishing us ‘Bon Voyage’ like a mini entourage – it was really sweet.   By the afternoon it was the mid 40s, during one water stop an old chap on a bicycle asked for some water, only had one bottle left so handed him that, he took a mouth full and spat it out – it was hotter than you’d use in tea!  We can now see the desert in the distance which is very exciting.  We finally hit Marrakech where traffic was manic but the heat was worse, the air was very hot and hit your eyeballs the minute you lifted your visor – truly one of the most unpleasant sensations I’ve ever experienced. 

Ohh I can't handle this heat!

I was really struggling with the heat again.  We stopped and I was barely able to walk to the bench from shakes and dizziness.  Drank what water we had and suddenly realised that we’d been travelling 8 hours – the ride had been so fantastic that I didn’t notice time pass and drank very little – stupid!  

Pretty bugs

Found a campsite, sent up and got two beers for an extortionate €4 but they were ice cold and amazingly nice.   The guy in the shop did his best to coax me into his  Berber craft store next door ‘very nice, very cheap, I give a good price just for you etc., etc.’ but I politely wriggled out of it. Still knackered by the heat I went into the showers fully clothed, very odd sensation showering in full kit but ooooohhhh sooooo nice.  Too tired to go out we went  back to the site shop to see what we could cook and got two more beers (essentials!) and were again encouraged and enticed towards the craft shop, again, we politely declined.  Sean whipped up an unusual, but strangely delicious, spaghetti with ‘chilli, tomato puree and egg’ concoction with bread – it worked!  Exhausted but 36C at 11pm is not a comfy sleeping temp and took ages to drift off. 

Medina walls

Marrakech

Following afternoon we did Marrakech, the entire city is a terracotta colour, so blends in well with the rust coloured land.  Walked around the Medina – wow - it’s cleaner than Casablanca and had amazing colours and smells – except for the public toilets which had maggots!  It’s all very nice but a bit too sanitised and ‘touristy’, Casablanca is more authentic and all the better for it.  Saw two good looking well-dressed guys in their 20’s playing on the ground with two raggedy stray cats and having a great time – here everyone cares for the wild dogs and cats, they don’t seem to be considered a problem, as Gino put it ‘we live side by side with them’.

Tough life!!

Sean discovered a much nicer campsite down the road so after two nights we upped sticks and moving a mile, as we rode out the shop guy was still signalling for us to stop and come look at his Berber Craft Shop and was looking really annoyed – if we’ve been there two days and not gone in, I would have thought the hint laid in that, apparently not!  New place was gorgeous was only MAD20 more, and had a pool, Jacuzzi, and restaurant.  When looking for a pitch we spotted two German bikes, an Aprilla Pegaso 650 and a 1993 BMW R100GS. Once settled, Sean tested the pool and Jacuzzi and we got chatting to the German guys who’d spent 3 weeks travelling Morocco and were heading back tomorrow.

Evening skies in Morocco

Fancy a swim?

May 17^th, we realised we’ve nearly hit the 5000 mile mark, yeah hey!  The heat is becoming difficult to handle, by 12pm it’s 46 C in the shade – I never thought I’d say this but it is officially too hot!  Despite having 8 litres of water and juice we were out by 2pm.  Thankfully a wind storm  full of desert sand was brewing which blocked out the sun causing it to cool to 37C by 4pm – oh the relief!  Sean worked on his bike using a tip Nick gave him re the gear change and the splines.  Went to the local garage to get bike oil where the friendly shop owner offered his scoot in return for Seanie’s DR – Seanie strangely wasn’t keen on the idea, wonder why???

Back tracking

Was time to look at our next country and Algeria is out as it requires a visa from home, a guide and most importantly the borders to all countries we want to enter are currently closed, therefore decided on Mauritania. Did some research to discover the border visa system has been stopped, not only that but the only place to get visas is Rabat – 300km back the road we just came, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, stupid stupid oversight on our part – were so sure we could get visas at the border we didn’t even check.  So tomorrow we have to head back the way we came, only to cover all that distance again – for a THIRD time – stupid careless mistake and only ourselves to blame.  Once over the shock we decided we’ll go inland over the Atlas mountains for the route back and once visas are sorted shoot down the coast.

Atlas mountains

18.05     So the back tracking trip begins!  Midmorning we stopped in nice looking town as Sean spotted a market.  Parked by some schools and all the kids were going mad shouting ‘Bonjour’ to us, seemed delighted to see foreigners - not a tourist place.  Passed a girls' school who were very excited when they saw I was female and were hanging over the first and second floor balconies waving and calling frantically.  Walked through the market and found MAD20 so tried to give it to woman standing beside it at a stall but she looked like I was trying to bite her!!  Bought a load of veg wondering if we were going to pay tourist prices, it cost just over 80c – wow.  Riding alongside the mountains all day and eventually went up into them in search of the campsite; it was situated on the side of a valley that reached down to the most incredible blue/green river which cut through the mountains, very basic camping but very gorgeous spot.

Looking forward to riding through the Atlas mountains this morning.  Shortly after we left camp an old chap, sitting on a bit of a wall, toothless and well over 80, waved as we passed and his face split in two with a smile when we waved back – keeps overwhelming me, people here take such pleasure in human contact.  We did 70 miles of twisties over the mountains, took 4.5 hours, utterly knackering but fantastic.   Incredible scenery, all kinds from rocky mountain covered in trees to valleys with arable land, gorges and sheer drops with no barriers, to fantastic mountain views with cloud pouring over them like white icing.  Went through some really out of the way and very poor towns with very happy friendly people.  Went through a whole section of road where large portions of tarmac was missing so got to play ‘pothole dodgems’.

After another four hours we got to Ifrane exhausted, and the campsite no longer existed – noooooooo. We had to go back 20km to Azrou, though the site was basic it was only MAD50 and the loos and showers were so clean you could eat your dinner off them - welcome change.  Hadn't had the chance to pick food up today so  I rode into the town to forage.  Again very helpful and friendly, no problem with a lone female wandering around the place in strange clothes (i.e. bike gear!).  Sean whipped up a bizarre but delightful concoction whilst being staked out by the local cat militia – had to be on the ball as they made several sneak thief attempts and had already stolen dinner from a camper across from us.  Weather turned misty and REALLY cold, 10C when we retreated to tent - huge change from two nights ago when at 5pm it was 46C.  By 10pm we could see our breaths in the tent – shock to the fucking system I can tell you!

Rabat

Woke to fucking freezing morning, was a really cold night too.  Scenery to Meknes was astounding, sweeping scenes of lush green fields over rolling hills; if I didn’t know better I’d have sworn I was in Ireland or Scotland.  Freezing all morning – even heated grips weren’t touching it.  It rained on and off and was really weird to see men in traditional Arabic dress walking along with umbrellas and talking on mobiles.  Got to the campsite and it no longer existed……spotting a pattern here?  Asked a parking attendant if there was another and he gave directions in fluent French, none of which I understood except for the beach name Tamara.  He offered to write it down so I pulled some paper out of my pocket and with it came a D20 note, the minute he clocked the note he suddenly had a very sick young daughter and needed money, blah blah………con men must seriously think you’re truly brainless – I actually saw the calculation running across his face when he saw the cash.

Camp site view

Tamara inmate!

Headed toward Tamara but couldn’t find camping so asked two policemen on a roundabout, REALLY nice guys, explained very carefully to make sure we got it and then stopped the traffic for us– hhhaaaahhh, it’s great having the traffic stopped for you, has never happened before, may never do again, but it’s great to have it happen just once! 

Visa queue in Rabat

Rabat Medina entrance

Up at crack of dawn (as have to be at visa office when it opens) only to discover there are no showers on site despite being told otherwise yesterday.  Golden rule: ALWAYS check the facilities before agreeing to stay!  At visa office got talking to an English guy who, with three friends, flew to Marrakech, took the bus to the Mauritanian border and discovered visas have to be done at Rabat!!!  A French guy clocked our bike gear and started chatting with us, turns out Stef has done HUGE amounts of travel – two years on his Africa Twin and has clocked 100,000km – sick with jealousy.  He helped translate bits for us and we’ll meet him again tomorrow and swap details. 

Mosque

Rabat doors

Off into Rabat for a look see – walled town with medina inside.  Wandered around the streets, a mix between traditional Moroccan and UK high street, bloody odd!!.  Got 1 kg of veg from one of the street sellers for less than 50c!  Strange thing I’ve noticed is the unfriendliest people we have met so far are westerners – have saluted many and to date only one has responded – is this why the locals seem so surprised and pleased when we say hello?  A very poor reflection on Westerners if that’s the case. 

Kashba

Kashba

Walked through the medina out up to the Kashba of Udayas so went and had a look.  The inside is AMAZING - it has 3000 people living in it, stunning place, all white and blue little houses and all

cobbles.  Took a wrong turn down a private bit and a resident got chatting and offered us a room in his house if we needed somewhere to sleep, I love this culture.  Went down to see the gardens and a bunch of girls pounced telling us about henna.  I said no thanks but one grabbed my arm saying ‘let me show you’and started to draw.  Her friend grabbed my other hand but despite me saying no she also started.  Two others started on Sean without evening asking.  They finished after five minutes and said we’d to pay 1.50 each, I thought €3 ok, but they said no 1.50 for each limb, €6 was more than I had wanted to spend but it was nice so said to Sean it’s MAD60 - they said ‘No Madam, MAD600’ i.e. €60!!!!!!!  We were stunned, said no, so a huge argument ensued,  Sean gave them MAD100 from my wallet saying that’s all they were getting but they went on demanding cash aggressively and really loudly.  Eventually Sean started shouting that he wanted the police which made them disappear instantly.  We were pissed off with them for being such underhanded fuckers, especially when I’d said no 3 times but didn’t want to actually push someone away, mostly though we were pissed off at ourselves for being had.

Kashba entrance

We left the gardens in dampened moods until minutes later a lovely street cleaning guy stopped us to say hello, gave us loads of tourist info and wished us a good time.  We went around the corner and a real old fellow gave us a huge hello, a welcome and threw us a kiss – the scumbags are so outnumbered by the nice people here. 

Rabat 'Souvenir'

Stopped at a supermarket on way home and decided to treat ourselves to wine.  Yesterday I accidently ripped MAD100 note in two so decided to ask the cashier if she’d accept it.  I pulled out the small portion of the note and then the folded part, but when I unfolded that, it was complete.  Turns out that Seanie had opened my wallet and unwittingly handed the henna girl the folded portion of the torn note - as it was folded neither he nor she noticed.  The bit I still had had most of the serial numbers on, so the part Sean handed over was useless - we were down €10 but at least the con artists didn’t gain a cent, really made us feel better, karma is great!