11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

The black art of moving from A to B on foreign soil
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PHILinFRANCE
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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

Post by PHILinFRANCE »

Loving this , brings back lots of memories , ive been 5 times and said thats it but i'm feeling a return ;)

ImageIMG_4276 by Philip Parkinson, on Flickr
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chunky butt
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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

Post by chunky butt »

Needs to be done ;)
diggermanbob
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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

Post by diggermanbob »

Don't forget me boys ;)
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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

Post by chunky butt »

Top man Bob, sorted ;)
Richard Simpson Mark II
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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

Post by Richard Simpson Mark II »

I think I've got some pics of exactly the same places, somewhere.
BurningGiraffe
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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

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Day 26 - 28/05/10
End Location: Afourer, Morocco
Days Mileage: 188
Total Mileage: 3459

Tempted to do another night but this hotel was not worth another stay so I headed out to check out the sights of Marakesh.
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My dodgy guidebook failed to get me swiftly to the Saadian Tombs so instead I followed a party of schoolkids as I assumed correctly they would be doing something worthwhile. The tombs were too busy to really enjoy so I was off again to the Bahia Palace, pausing only to direct some nervous female tourists to the Saadian tombs. They were obviously as jaded with the hawkers as I was and clearly thought I was going to try and sell them something. Do I look like a local?
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The palace was beautiful if a little run down in places and it is interesting how the moorish architecture in Tamedakte and Telouet, the Saadian tombs and now here have just got a bit more impressive each time. If I had done any of these in a different order the impact would have been lost. Each was just a step higher up the awesomeness scale than the previous one.
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Heading out of the city the traffic was fairly minimal and not that chaotic. Feeling rough after my poor nights sleep so after a while I stopped for yet another tagine, before heading off towards Ouzoud and its stunning waterfalls.

On arrival I parked up and then collected an 'official' guide who promptly led me off into the wilds to get me lost to ensure that I retained his services to actually find my way back to the falls. Not as fun as Jawad but professional. The falls were stunning, with a permanent rainbow laying over them in the afternoon light. I took a ride in the local equivalent of the maid of the mist which was little better than a raft and then headed off once more.

The roads down to Afourer were magnificent but I was feeling drained. When I arrived the hotel referred to by the michelin map was a big expensive 4* touristy place which I was not really keen on but I was just so bushed. After haggling the price down to 790Dh (£64) Itook it, mainly as the room had a bath which I promptly used. Bliss.

Dinner in the hotel restaurant was expensive and overpriced, and the ambience was horrid, catering to Mercedes cossetted French tourists who'd come to look at (but not interact with) Morocco. Not a high point of my trip!!
Link to my travels webpage:



http://BearingsUnlimited.blogspot.co.uk
BurningGiraffe
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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

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Link to my travels webpage:



http://BearingsUnlimited.blogspot.co.uk
BurningGiraffe
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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

Post by BurningGiraffe »

Day 27 - 29/05/10
End Location: Kenitra, Morocco
Days Mileage: 250
Total Mileage: 3709

In the morning all the French arseholes had been chauffered off to look at Morocco from a safe distance so I had a relaxed and pleasant breakfast. I cruised the main road back towards Kenifra where I stopped for refreshments and then went cross country towards Kenitra on what the map showed as a straight route but which was in truth the most twisty road so far.
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The town of Aguelmous wasn't even on the map but I had to make my way through a street market with an very unfriendly vibe and then out of town through miles of countryside literally covered with empty plastic bottles in their millions. I have never seen such a ruined landscape and it definitely made me think about the benefits of recycling and the mountains of unwanted plastics littering the world.
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The elevations were not great (less than 1000m) but up and down in a relentless series of gritty hairpins. I have never misread so many corners in my life!! After encounters with horrendously noisy guinea fowl and suicidally deranged dogs coming out of nowhere half way round a hairpin I rolled across fertile plains until I arrived at Kenitra.
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Rather than the charming moroccan coastal town I was expecting it was a nasty french feeling cargo port but on the way out of town I came across a weird resort hotel with rooms like thatched conical huts. They had beer, baths and a pool, as well as musical entertainment. Made the mistake of absent mindedly asking for a ham pizza (pork not a big thing in islamic countries apparently!!) and gave the manager a panic when my tab ran over 250Dh. Ceuta tomorrow so this will be my last night in Morocco!! What an experience it has been.
Link to my travels webpage:



http://BearingsUnlimited.blogspot.co.uk
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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

Post by BurningGiraffe »

Day 28 - 30/05/10
End Location: La Linea de la Conception, Spain (Gibraltar)
Days Mileage: 219
Total Mileage: 3929

Woke after some very weird dreams I had a Sunday lie in. A dodgy rumble and a dash back to the room for my first 'loose stool' event of the trip. Luckily it was a one-time thing so after another shower I was on my way.
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After negotiating a horrendous traffic jam in Larache I headed across to Lixus beach and promptly bogged the bike down in deep dry sand. Much sweating and swearing later I had it free and rode back up the road to see a uniformed security guard stood under a tree. He turned out to be the security officer for the Lixus historic site and it seemed I had found the only moroccan who spoke less french than I did!! He led me round the site and explaind that he had been employed after the best mosaic here had been vandalised and subsequently buried again for its own protection. His father was caretaker of the site so it was a family affair but they were nice, genuine people and I wished them well.
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Before long I had found the bypass around Tetouan and I was astonished by how nice it looked but that was nothing compared to Fnideq (the moroccan town adjoining Ceuta)! What had seemed like a ramshackle and chaotic shithole when I came through ten days ago now looked tidy, kempt and prosperously modern. They had even employed some street sweepers since I was here and it genuinely looked like a different town. Clearly this was alla about the change in my perception rather than any actual transformation of the town and the contrast with the other towns that I had seen through Morocco but it was a stunning transformation all the same.
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Crossing into Ceuta was a simple process without much help from the touts and after purchasing a ferry ticket from a roadside booth I was making the crossing in much better conditions than coming out.

Before long I has booked in at my previous campsite in La Linea, had set up my tent, and was crossing the campsite when a fellow camper said 'Hola' and asked if I used to attend Brockenhurst College? It turned out to a guy called James McClellan who was a friend of friends from way back. He had been cycling round Europe for the last year and had just ended up in Gibraltar. We had a great chat about all sorts, and people that we knew before being joined by some other campers. Franglais was spoken, much wine was drunk and before I knew it midnight had arrived and I retired to my tent.

It is amazing how much this tent in this place feels like home. A hard day today but ultimately a good one. Rest day tomorrow and Gibraltar's best full English.
Link to my travels webpage:



http://BearingsUnlimited.blogspot.co.uk
BurningGiraffe
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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

Post by BurningGiraffe »

Day 29 - 31/05/10
End Location: La Linea de la Conception, Spain (Gibraltar)
Days Mileage: 18
Total Mileage: 3947

Had a leisurely morning as I had to nip into Gibraltar to do a few chores. Unfortunately once I had mustered sufficient energy to ride over I discovered that it was a bank holiday and , given that the bank was one of my 'must do' chores I realised I was going to have to come back tomorrow.
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Commiserated with a tasty full English and then sought out the internet cafe which was open. Realised as I was uploading some pics that my camera had developed a fault and that a whiskery shadow was blighting almost all of the photos!! Bollocks. (I have tried to edit these out but it is still visible on some shots, particularly in the skies at about 2 o'clock position. once you see it you can't unsee it!).
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Back to the campsite to service the bike then off to the Mercadero to get some alcohol. James was staying another night so he was going to cook and I was to source the alcohol. Felt a bit stingy when I bought the €2.99 bottles but when it came to it James accused me of getting the posh stuff as he normally goes the €0.99!! Had a good long chat about all sorts again. James quizzed me about Morocco but despite my glowing endorsement I don't think he is quite built up the necessary levels of enthusiasm.
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What a pleasure it has been being able to share the great trip so far with someone who knows where I am coming from, in the most literal sense. Chores tomorrow then back on the road.
Link to my travels webpage:



http://BearingsUnlimited.blogspot.co.uk
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