Jane & Rog’s retirement tour, Morocco 2023
- Thread starter Jane And Rog
- Start date
Your posts are excellent and so helpful to us as we are p!banning our first trip to Morocco in mid Feb. I am a bit worried about the dog packs as I have an old terrier who is anything but calm. I'm just hoping that we can avoid any confrontation with them.
HugoBNB
LIFE MEMBER
Many happy returns. Keep the posts coming please, they will be invaluable to us (and many others) for our planned trip.
Safe and happy travels.
Safe and happy travels.
Well I have to say chaps that morocco looks quite civilised after all, not so scared of venturing there myself now
OP
OP
Jane And Rog
LIFE MEMBER
We stayed another night at Oualidia. It’s not a bad campsite - very clean and marked pitches with great views of the Atlantic from most of them. The showers are solar, so people who used them in the morning were complaining they were cold. They were great about 3pm.
I made a bacon sarnie for Rog to start the day. He is insane and has tomato ketchup with it, whereas everyone knows that’s for sausages and brown is for bacon.
We have a freezer full of unavailable pig parts. If you’re in Morocco and are getting a craving, let’s meet up and bacon can be yours for a very reasonable £5 a slice. Or a bit of pork belly in exchange for a couple of bottles of champers.
We did our first proper walk of the holiday - just under 8km. The route led down the little rocky escarpment, and then along a farm road south. Plenty of donkeys to spot, and people farming with sickles, and ploughing with a horse.
There were many interesting (i.e. new to me) flowers too. Sadly our Seek app failed at recognising most of them.
When the road gained some tarmac we turned back to the beach, which was spectacular. The only people around were fishermen and mussel-collectors.
I forgot to mention that the camp’s dogs had cone all the way with us. Mum (of the pup) stayed with us for the whole walk. Grandma headed home when we got to the town. Here they are exploring the beach.
Amazing rocks and waves!
Flynn is eating dry food in Morocco, so that we can carry enough. (Although Carrefour does carry a good range of dry and tins.) This means he was thirstier than normal, and decided to drink the Atlantic. When he’d finished, it wasn’t noticeably smaller, but he had a raging thirst at the front end and something worse at the rear end. When we got to town, we bought a litre of water and Flynn drank most of it.
Oualidia is famous for its oysters, so we stopped at a stall near the aire and shared a half dozen, plus a sea urchin each. Delicious!
Back at the campsite, we fed Flynn as much water as he desired (a lot), and let him snooze to recover, while we played Rog’s new game.
By late afternoon he was fine to be left, so we went into town and had linner (lunch-dinner) at Octopus, which turned out to be a weird restaurant for an apartment complex, overlooking a pool. The food was good enough, but I don’t think I’d go back.
I made a bacon sarnie for Rog to start the day. He is insane and has tomato ketchup with it, whereas everyone knows that’s for sausages and brown is for bacon.
We have a freezer full of unavailable pig parts. If you’re in Morocco and are getting a craving, let’s meet up and bacon can be yours for a very reasonable £5 a slice. Or a bit of pork belly in exchange for a couple of bottles of champers.
We did our first proper walk of the holiday - just under 8km. The route led down the little rocky escarpment, and then along a farm road south. Plenty of donkeys to spot, and people farming with sickles, and ploughing with a horse.
There were many interesting (i.e. new to me) flowers too. Sadly our Seek app failed at recognising most of them.
When the road gained some tarmac we turned back to the beach, which was spectacular. The only people around were fishermen and mussel-collectors.
I forgot to mention that the camp’s dogs had cone all the way with us. Mum (of the pup) stayed with us for the whole walk. Grandma headed home when we got to the town. Here they are exploring the beach.
Amazing rocks and waves!
Flynn is eating dry food in Morocco, so that we can carry enough. (Although Carrefour does carry a good range of dry and tins.) This means he was thirstier than normal, and decided to drink the Atlantic. When he’d finished, it wasn’t noticeably smaller, but he had a raging thirst at the front end and something worse at the rear end. When we got to town, we bought a litre of water and Flynn drank most of it.
Oualidia is famous for its oysters, so we stopped at a stall near the aire and shared a half dozen, plus a sea urchin each. Delicious!
Back at the campsite, we fed Flynn as much water as he desired (a lot), and let him snooze to recover, while we played Rog’s new game.
By late afternoon he was fine to be left, so we went into town and had linner (lunch-dinner) at Octopus, which turned out to be a weird restaurant for an apartment complex, overlooking a pool. The food was good enough, but I don’t think I’d go back.
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Grianan
LIFE MEMBER
Really enjoying your blog. Hoping we’ll make it to Morocco in our PVC when we retire.
OP
OP
Jane And Rog
LIFE MEMBER
I forgot to say that we found an aire in town that’s not in either of the apps we’re using. It’s 15 dirhams for the day, and the same for the night, and has great views of the lagoon. It’s at intelligence.limitation.whirlwinds
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Jane And Rog
LIFE MEMBER
Onwards and southwards today! We could have easily stayed another day to explore the lagoon, which is a great place for birds, including flamingoes, and visited Ostrea II for a seafood lunch, but didn’t want to do another seaside walk so close to the Atlantic-consuming event.
I messed up the nav again, assuming that Garmin’s inland route was taking the motorway. Instead it took P roads (P is for pants, referring to quality) through the morning mist, until we hit the RN1 (really nice) at Bouguedra. Then our luck changed - the weekly Tuesday market was on.
I messed up the nav again, assuming that Garmin’s inland route was taking the motorway. Instead it took P roads (P is for pants, referring to quality) through the morning mist, until we hit the RN1 (really nice) at Bouguedra. Then our luck changed - the weekly Tuesday market was on.
OP
OP
Jane And Rog
LIFE MEMBER
Onwards and southwards today! We could have easily stayed another day to explore the lagoon, which is a great place for birds, including flamingoes, and visited Ostrea II for a seafood lunch, but didn’t want to do another seaside walk so close to the Atlantic-consuming event.
I messed up the nav again, assuming that Garmin’s inland route was taking the motorway. Instead it took P roads (P is for pants, referring to quality) through the morning mist, until we hit the RN1 (really nice) at Bouguedra. Then our luck changed - the weekly Tuesday market was on. (genome.proficiency.roost)
We bought fruit and veg - two aubergines, a green pepper, two tomatoes, two courgettes and a bunch of coriander for 10 dirhams - about 80p. The system is that you just grab a plastic bowl and fill it with all you want, then it is weighed together. I was told that food sellers never inflate their prices and that seemed to be true here.
Not so the hot food sellers - we tried some fried ray, which was lovely but not super cheap. The doughnut man didn’t overcharge us though! Delicious and not too sweet - next time it will be one each
Another lucky find was that the RN1 led through olive groves, many of them with presses and shops at the side of the road.
We stopped at Haj Houssaine (genome.proficiency.roost) and tasted the most olivy olive oil we’ve ever tasted. We had to have a bottle - a litre for 70 dirhams or £5.50.
Our campsite is Camping Les Oliviers in Ounara (synopses.miniatures.shingle). It looks very good - hot showers, washing machines, and plenty of space.
Flynn had a decent walk through the olive groves, where he discovered tortoises for the first time. We had to turn the poor things the right way up (unharmed) and drag Flynn away.
For dinner, we barbecued a John Dory which was delicious. Of course there was bread and the new olive oil to start!
I messed up the nav again, assuming that Garmin’s inland route was taking the motorway. Instead it took P roads (P is for pants, referring to quality) through the morning mist, until we hit the RN1 (really nice) at Bouguedra. Then our luck changed - the weekly Tuesday market was on. (genome.proficiency.roost)
We bought fruit and veg - two aubergines, a green pepper, two tomatoes, two courgettes and a bunch of coriander for 10 dirhams - about 80p. The system is that you just grab a plastic bowl and fill it with all you want, then it is weighed together. I was told that food sellers never inflate their prices and that seemed to be true here.
Not so the hot food sellers - we tried some fried ray, which was lovely but not super cheap. The doughnut man didn’t overcharge us though! Delicious and not too sweet - next time it will be one each
Another lucky find was that the RN1 led through olive groves, many of them with presses and shops at the side of the road.
We stopped at Haj Houssaine (genome.proficiency.roost) and tasted the most olivy olive oil we’ve ever tasted. We had to have a bottle - a litre for 70 dirhams or £5.50.
Our campsite is Camping Les Oliviers in Ounara (synopses.miniatures.shingle). It looks very good - hot showers, washing machines, and plenty of space.
Flynn had a decent walk through the olive groves, where he discovered tortoises for the first time. We had to turn the poor things the right way up (unharmed) and drag Flynn away.
For dinner, we barbecued a John Dory which was delicious. Of course there was bread and the new olive oil to start!
OP
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Jane And Rog
LIFE MEMBER
Whoops, looks like a double post fail there.
Just wondered if people were still interested in me doing this now the excitement of the crossing is over? It is all on the blog anyway?
Just wondered if people were still interested in me doing this now the excitement of the crossing is over? It is all on the blog anyway?
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MichaelT
LIFE MEMBER
Looks great
Please keep it going. I’m sure I’m not the only one stuck at home and really enjoying it.m
Please keep posting if you can.
scousebird
LIFE MEMBER
Keep posting please 
. I'm enjoying your travels.
. I'm enjoying your travels.
Nice thread, what’s a John Dory? It’s looks like a little bean bag on the barbecue
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HugoBNB
LIFE MEMBER
Yes please, very interested. Keep the posts a coming. A question we have a 7.5m Coachbuild. How do you think it would fare based on your experiences to date?
Safe and happy travels
Riverbankannie
LIFE MEMBER
Please keep going, it’s lovely to have a vicarious read in the mornings and I look forward to it.
Just for completeness, your W3W are the same for the market and the olive oil stop.
Without doubt the best travel thread to grace this forum, mind you I thought the dog writing about their trip to Greece was also good as I had no idea dogs were that smart. Please continue with your informative, interesting and humorous writing as you will give some forum members the confidence to make this trip.
Riverbankannie
LIFE MEMBER
There might not be a P4N reference though for stops along the way like the market. W3W is easier for that sort of thing.
Excellent thread, keep up the good work
Only one thing for me would rather have p4n reference instead of w3w. I keep thinking what's she talking about before realising what they were.
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OP
OP
Jane And Rog
LIFE MEMBER
Whoops! Let me checkPlease keep going, it’s lovely to have a vicarious read in the mornings and I look forward to it.
Just for completeness, your W3W are the same for the market and the olive oil stop.
Thanks!
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Jane And Rog
LIFE MEMBER
Nice thread, what’s a John Dory? It’s looks like a little bean bag on the barbecue
Wikipedia says “It is an edible demersal coastal marine fish with a laterally compressed olive-yellow body which has a large dark spot, and long spines on the dorsal fin.” Which no doubt tells you all you need to know
It’s an ugly beast, flattish so good for BBQ. Usually quite expensive, not so bad here.
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Jane And Rog
LIFE MEMBER
W3W for the olive oil is dashed.storybooks.observant - thanks for the spot!
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Jane And Rog
LIFE MEMBER
It would be small compared to all the other vans on the site! We are titchy at 6.36m. There are more massive A classes than I’ve ever seen on a campsite in the UK.Yes please, very interested. Keep the posts a coming. A question we have a 7.5m Coachbuild. How do you think it would fare based on your experiences to date?
Safe and happy travels
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OP
OP
Jane And Rog
LIFE MEMBER
You’ll be fine. I was a bit worried, but actually people are really friendly and polite, and the hard sell and begging has been minimal.
Shrimp
Funster
Just found the post and had a quick flick thru from beginning, very interesting.
Did you get the Truma sorted? I may have missed it!
Did you get the Truma sorted? I may have missed it!
OP
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Jane And Rog
LIFE MEMBER
The thing also is it’s much easier for me, as I added this functionality to my iPhone app Mundus - at the request of a MHF member actually. So I just go back and look at my map pins there to find the W3W.
Yes please, I'm enjoying reading about your travels as never been to Morocco before, and interested in where and what you get uoto .
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