Morocco 2013

[Malcolm Bolt]

Stuck in Tanger Med

Arrived at 3pm in good time for 6pm crossing. :thumb: Had checked on line and it had changed from 5pm. Parked up behind the only other van on the dock. Lots of vans here now. At 5.50pm had a chat with guy in front. He arrived at 9am for a 10am crossing. There have been no ferries departed or arrived all day. Has Spain sided with Algeria? Is the border still open?

In the meantime here are a couple of vids

Getting ready for evening
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDX3UkSA_AU&feature=youtu.be

This is the walrus -Oh no it's the egg man
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMC9BtFwYl0&feature=youtu.be

 

[bryandh]

The wind has been howling around our place all day...... guess it is the same in the Bay of Algeciras. Too much to expect that there have been any announcements at Tanger Med? At least overnight accommodation will not be a problem


Regards, Bryan & Anna



PS: And then there were 2 !!!!:Sad: Who will be last van driving ?

B&A

 

[Malcolm Bolt]

Not a great talking point

SITTING HERE WAITING FOR A FERRY (STILL) I took to reading other threads. Nobody has spoken of a new pope in the religious places over here.

 

[Malcolm Bolt]

Goodbye Morocco

We have had a fabulous time and are just about to board our ferry out.

Thanks to Snowbird for the inspiration , to Tonka for taking the lead and loads of guidance, to the others in the group for the companionship and good humour, particularly those we travelled with, and to the Moroccan people who welcomed us so warmly.

Au revoir. Means we' ll be back.

Malcolm Bolt and Cathryn have left the country.........

 

[makems]

At M'Hamid we decided to go on a desert trip in a 4x4 stopping overnight.
We're so glad we did as we enjoyed it so much.
The itinerary was as follows:
Leave site at 9:30
Drop a couple of lads off at the desert cp the top of nearby sand dunes at camp so they can prepare the tents and the food
Stop for lunch at an oasis about 1:00pm
Visit the big sand dunes
4:30 Back to the camp for tea
6:00 Climb a big nearby sand dune to watch the phenomenal sunset
7:30 dinner followed by entertainment round a camp fire
6:00 am out of bed to watch the sun rise
7:00 Breakfast
8:00 depart
9:30 back at Motorhome

I'm wading through mountains of photos at the moment but these ones stuck out as worth sharing: They were taken round the campfire



WE stopped at an oasis

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[Malcolm Bolt]

I am sick of this game.

My last post was a bit previous. We have in fact only just boarded and have not yet set off. Ain't Morocco brilliant :thumb::thumb:

 

[kaybee]

At M'Hamid we decided to go on a desert trip in a 4x4 stopping overnight.
We're so glad we did as we enjoyed it so much


I did a similar thing about 10 years ago whilst in Tunisia. I also had a fab time and was amazed at how wonderful the desert is.

 

[Peter & Elaine]

My last post was a bit previous. We have in fact only just boarded and have not yet set off. Ain't Morocco brilliant :thumb::thumb:

are you still at sea

 

[bryandh]

are you still at sea

Malcolm Bolt is ALWAYS....... all at sea (Except when he is fixing hab water pumps, top man:thumb

Just had a thought....... where are Arnie & Carol ? Do we still have three runners and not 2 ?



Regards, Bryan & Anna

 

[Malcolm Bolt]

At M'Hamid we decided to go on a desert trip in a 4x4 stopping overnight.
We're so glad we did as we enjoyed it so much


I did a similar thing about 10 years ago whilst in Tunisia. I also had a fab time and was amazed at how wonderful the desert is.

Yeah I heard it was a bit sandy.

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[Malcolm Bolt]

are you still at sea

Eventually drove out of Algeciras dock gates at 0310. now waking up at LIDL.

 

[Malcolm Bolt]

Malcolm Bolt is ALWAYS....... all at sea (Except when he is fixing hab water pumps, top man:thumb

Just had a thought....... where are Arnie & Carol ? Do we still have three runners and not 2 ?



Regards, Bryan & Anna

Cheeky beggar

Carol and Arnie came over about a week ago

Bought Thetford blue at Leroy Merlin at 13.05 euros for 2 litres

Setting off for Gib. Will call in at Morrisons.

Next one night at Cabopino. Are you still there Sue?

 

[tonka]

Are Mike and Gwen the last of the group ??????????????

 

[Theonlysue]

Oh Noooo

Received text from Cathryn, Malcolm Bolts better half ,

Their gear stick has gone kaput and can't select gears.

.:helpsos: :help:

They were on their way to Gibralta, and are now waiting
for the AA :shout:

Good luck, wherever you end up,

S :Cool:

 

[tonka]

Their gear stick has gone kaput and can't select gears.

QUOTE]

Bad news...:Sad:

However better it went in Spain than Morocco.....

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[bryandh]

Are Mike and Gwen the last of the group ??????????????

Gordon (Gaudie) I believe is still out there somewhere, communing with nature and the natives, last heard of in Sidi Ifni. Let us hear from you Gordon, just so we know all is well.


Regards Bryan & Anna

 

[bryandh]

Their gear stick has gone kaput and can't select gears.

QUOTE]

Bad news...:Sad:

However better it went in Spain than Morocco.....

Spoke to Cathryn/Malcolm this afternoon and they are parked (?) in a layby just outside Gibraltar frontier crossing awaiting assistance. Think Malcolm believes opposite and wished it had happened in M, 'cos they would have fixed it by now !!!

Hope all is well Malcolm keep in touch and remember if needed....we are 3 hours away and we have spare beds aplenty.


Regards, Bryan & Anna

 

[Malcolm Bolt]

Thanks all

Still sitting in the van waiting for assistance to arrive. Just my luck to breakdown at lunchtime.

We were only going to shop at Morrisons in Gib. Got to within 500 mtrs of border crossing, beside the old free camp area (cleared off at the moment)and the gear leaver stopped doing it's job.

Rang Saga who put me through to AA Europe assistance in Lyon France. I then got a call from a Spanish assistance lady who advised that garages would be closed for lunch until 15.30.

At 1600 I rang AA Europe who called back with the information that it was proving difficult to find somewhere with a 5 tonne lift. Apparently they don't have trucks in this area .assistance just arrived

 

[Taran_Las]

Fingers crossed you get sorted out quickly Malcolm.:thumb:

 

[makems]

Found time ande a connection to sort the desert trip into some order.
We were picked up in a Toyota Land Cruiser which most of the trip companies seem to use. I can see why:
They are very comfortable even when being thrown around like this: https://vimeo.com/61758720
They also go like the clappers where conditions allow: https://vimeo.com/61841205 We regularly topped 70kph.
Our driver Achmed was excellent - he'd started out as a camel tour guide so he knows the desert really well. He know where to go slow, where to speed up, when to engage low range (on the fly of course) and he would drift the Land Cruiser sideways round the foot of sand dunes! Most impressive. This hill descent was very hairy - it felt like the vehicle was on its nose. https://vimeo.com/61759108

One thing that surprised me was the variety of surfaces in the desert - it wasn't all sand. In fact for the firsthour and a half it was more like mud ground into dust with some sections very stony.
Other things that surprised me were:

1. There was a river runnign through the desert! The rain we had endured a few days previuously at Agdz had flowed down the Draa valley and on across the desert. In most places it appeared toi have dried up again but in fact it was just a skin of dry mud on top of very slippery gloopy mud. Achmed was really choosy about where and how he crossed the mud when it was necessary.
2. The amount of life there is in the desert. I know we only went about 80km into the Sahara, but there were loads of camels just apparently wandering around, Some donkeys that looked like they had escaped captivity; plenty of birdlife; not to mention the occasional goat herd.
3. We passed several wells which seem to be properly built with concrete walls.
4. The number of people trekking with camels into nthe desert. I thought that if you msigned up for a camel trip into the desert you got to ride the camel. Not so. Every caravan we saw the people were walking and the camels carried the camping gear, food and water. I'm glad we chose the 4x4!

Some stills:

1. Achmed the driver
2. A camel trip going in the opposite direction when we stopped at a well for water
3. They didn't look too cheerful to be honest, just kept plodding on by
4. These were a couple of locals who passed by while Achmed was working out how to cross a muddy patch.

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[makems]

Some of the life we saw in the desert:

1. Camels - of course!
2. Donkeys - must have escaped.
3. A rather large bird
4. Another rather large bird
5. Some pretty small, very well camouflaged birds - can any twitchers put a name to them?

 

[makems]

WE were supposed to visit the biggest sand dune int he area, but because of the previous rain there was a lake a mile wide and a few miles long in the way!
So we went and visited some other dunes. I suppose sand is sand after all!

1. The big dune and the lake in the way
2. Some sand
3. More sand
4. More sand but with me somewhere in the distance
5. Even more sand - there's a lot of it in the Sahara!

 

[Destination Unknown]

It has been said before but this thread is absolutely brilliant. Everyone who has been to Morocco and posted we thank you all. The details and photos have been so informative and wetted all our appetites for more.

THANK YOU


Brian and Chris

 

[Malcolm Bolt]

All this for a thick sliced loaf

Recovery truck arrived. Load platform up-ended to receive our van. I am told to steer as it is hauled aboard. I do so and start to move up at a serious angle. Unfortunately the van has a sizeable overhang and even though the guy has put down blocks to lift the back wheels we still managed to ground the rear platform. Luckily the only damage seems to be the brackets for the side lights and they should hammer back into place. Once the van was on the load platform I had to get out and walk down the slope trying not to fall off. (He would have done a better job of pushing my top half close to the van rather than my legs.)
Any way we were taken about 20km to a 'Secure and Safe place until they can find a garage with a big enough lift. For safe and secure read scrap yard with security fence, guard tower with night guard in it and two bloody great dogs that have not stopped barking running around the van loose. Just hoping that tomorrow they can find someone who is able to do the repair

 

[makems]

You've been up steeper slopes than that in Morocco!
Wuss.

And what happened to your inverter? You only just got it working a couple of weeks ago!

Seriously - I'm pleased you are at least no longer by the side of the road. Maybe the dogs are just lonely - why don't you send Cathryn out to invite them in and make a fuss of them? A piece of steak maybe?

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[Malcolm Bolt]

The inverter is OK really but as I haven't yet got the additional battery I don't have any more power than I used to and even though I had extra solars fitted they don't work in the dark.

 

[JockandRita]

Recovery truck arrived. Load platform up-ended to receive our van. I am told to steer as it is hauled aboard. I do so and start to move up at a serious angle. Unfortunately the van has a sizeable overhang and even though the guy has put down blocks to lift the back wheels we still managed to ground the rear platform. Luckily the only damage seems to be the brackets for the side lights and they should hammer back into place. Once the van was on the load platform I had to get out and walk down the slope trying not to fall off. (He would have done a better job of pushing my top half close to the van rather than my legs.)
Any way we were taken about 20km to a 'Secure and Safe place until they can find a garage with a big enough lift. For safe and secure read scrap yard with security fence, guard tower with night guard in it and two bloody great dogs that have not stopped barking running around the van loose. Just hoping that tomorrow they can find someone who is able to do the repair

It's all sounding a bit "deja vu" to Rita and I, having been there more than twice Malcolm. :Sad:
I really do hope they can sort you out, and get you back on the road soon. :thumb:

Good luck,

Jock.

 

[alfandM]

Recovery truck arrived. Load platform up-ended to receive our van. I am told to steer as it is hauled aboard. I do so and start to move up at a serious angle. Unfortunately the van has a sizeable overhang and even though the guy has put down blocks to lift the back wheels we still managed to ground the rear platform. Luckily the only damage seems to be the brackets for the side lights and they should hammer back into place. Once the van was on the load platform I had to get out and walk down the slope trying not to fall off. (He would have done a better job of pushing my top half close to the van rather than my legs.)
Any way we were taken about 20km to a 'Secure and Safe place until they can find a garage with a big enough lift. For safe and secure read scrap yard with security fence, guard tower with night guard in it and two bloody great dogs that have not stopped barking running around the van loose. Just hoping that tomorrow they can find someone who is able to do the repair

Hope you get soughted real soon and you get on your way,at not to much exspence,:thumb:

 

[Ven]

Hi, Very late to the party but we have thoroughly enjoyed this thread too, thanks so much for bothering to share your adventure. It has definitely made us think about possibly visiting at some point.

We had an email from Gaudie on 1st March and he's still having a great time by all accounts

 

[makems]

Pulled into Agdz yesterday and as we were reversing into position a voice said "you can't park there mate"It was Gordon!
He's set off this morning for Zagora and plans to cross back into Spain in about 3 weeks. That means he will be tail end Charlie as we plan to cross in about 2 weeks.

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