11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

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BurningGiraffe
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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

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Day 23 - 25/05/10
End Location: Boulemane Dades, Morocco
Days Mileage: 233
Total Mileage: 2957

After, not surprisingly, an appalling nights sleep I was up before sunup to do the dunes again in the morning light. Walked about 1km into the dunes but was concerned about getting lost so tried to stay in sight of the hotel. Said goodbye to the french off roaders on BMWs doing the piste to Zagora and set off towards the Todra gorge.

I was nabbed by an insistent Moroccan who needed a favour and I was talked into taking 'emergency' water to Ruetarras as their 'canalisation' wasn't working. Hard to believe I know but it was just a sales tactic! However they were very nice folks and not pushy.

After chasing some kind of mad yellow 'roadrunner' lizard absolutely caning it along the road on its back legs I stopped just outside Tinehir to take a photo when familiar and madly waving couple on a BMW roared past. I caught up with them a little was down the road and it was only at this point that I actually remembered to properly introduce myself. The road to the gorge was in poor condition and I wondered how they fared two up with way more luggage (Yeah, I know, look at the shit I had strapped onto my bike!!)..
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The Todra gorge itself was very spectacular with a hotel built right under the huge overhanging lip of the gorge. It was the busiest place that I had been to so far with a good smattering of tourists. I rode on through and up towards Agoudal. Kasseem has said that the road was good all the way but I soon ran out of tarmac on the steepest section and decided that I would return the way that I had come given the sketchy handling of the overloaded KLR.
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I had bought bon bons to give to any begging kids which worked a treat rather than money. But the best was a sweet little girl who refused any sweets and just walked off carrying the hugest school bag, despite being a good 7km from the nearest village.

On the way back down I met a czech biker on a KTM 990 Adventure who was on a low budget two week trip and was wild camping everywhere due to spending 70% more on fuel that I was.
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In Boulmane Dades I selected the cheapest hotel from my ancient guidebook only to find it had gone upmarket at 300Dh (£24)! Had a lovely evening eating and chilling on the terrace, watching the geckos swarm round snaffling up the bugs and huge, ridiculously speedy ants. My faith in Moroccan friendliness and integrity has returned; another great day.
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BurningGiraffe
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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

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Day 24 - 26/05/10
End Location: Ait Benhaddou, Morocco
Days Mileage: 161
Total Mileage: 3118

(note: just realised that at some point I have gone from KM to Miles! It's because I have switched from one document to another detailing the trip. Apologies!)

Up bright and early and into town to get some cash from the bank as there was no cashpoint. Got a ticket as you would at the deli counter and waited my turn but they came up trumps.
Tower
Tower
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Wasn't impressed by the first 15km of the Gorge road but after passing R&R going in the opposite direction on some natty switchbacks it improved massively, getting better and better before culminating in Morocco's answer to the grand canyon. Truly awesome and ridiculously quiet. None of the tourists that I saw at Todra. I almost had the road to myself. Lots of stops but again the tarmac ran out before Agoudal so I turned about and headed back down.
Gorge
Gorge
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On the road to Skoura the wind was incredible. It was like being sandblasted. The poor Kawasaki was struggling to hit 50mph and the oil was getting burned as the motor worked hard. It was like a very 'down at heel' strip mall for 50km and I resorted to counting types of cars to take my mind off the unpleasantness of the ride. I stopped at Skoura and had a Fanta in a cafe but it was a very insular place and the only person who engaged with me at all was a lovely young woman who rather boldly gave me a huge yet shy smile.
Bike
Bike
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Eventually I stopped at a lake and just took my frustration out by sending the most expletive laden texts and shouting at the incessant wind.
I stopped at the worlds shittiest internet cafe at Ouazzazate before heading out to Ait Benhaddou. I'd had enough and everything is just looking dull, bleak and hot. Found the least bad hotel at Ait Benhaddou and then set off to see the Kasbah.

A young lad of about twelve wanted to be my guide despite my protestations, asking for a ludicrous 100Dh (£8). Eventually He agreed to guide me for 30 minutes for 40Dh but was less than impressed when he tried to stop after only ten. I made him lead me all over the town, getting my moneys worth until he was fed up and I had got what was agreed. What a grumpy old bastard I am today!! To be fair I would not have found the places that he showed me without assistance but I just wanted a little bit of payback for the endless pestering, hawking and aggravation.

I went back to the hotel in a much better mood and had another lovely tagine on the terrace, watching the sun go down over the hills.
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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

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Day 25 - 27/05/10 - Part 1
End Location: Taelouet (Marrakesh, Morocco)
Days Mileage: 154
Total Mileage: 3272

Today has just battered my senses! Awesome in every sense of the word. I barely know where to begin. Perhaps the most astonishing day of my life; certainly this trip!

Woke early and had an excellent breakfast, feeling much better than yesterday. Decided to revisit the kasbah in the sunshine and daylight. As i crossed the stepping stones to the entrance I saw a line of young would-be guides gathered outside, including my lad from yesterday. As soon as he saw me he and al his mates turned their backs on me! Hilarious. That's what you get for pestering me to take a guide I didn't want.
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As I wandered the higgledy-piggledy town I was invited into one of the houses to have a look round and introduced to the owners daughter. Still time for that moroccan bride everyone has been joshing me about but I decided against bringing it up, even in jest!!
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Back on the bike and heading for another run down Kasbah atTamedakte. From the outside the crumbling mud walls were nothing special but inside ti was surprisingly nice with whitewashed walls and a tiled court with a fountain. Was watched by the owners young son from under an upturned washing basket but I got the biggest cheeky smile. Shortchanged my bike watcher as I had run out of dirham coins so I sent him off with £1 instead.
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On the road north I stopped for a drink and made the acquaintance of a French couple on Honda XR250s. They had hired the bikes and were having a great time but invited me to visit them when I got to the alps as they were from the French town of Gap which was on my route.

As I pulled back out onto the main road I had a suicidal fossil salesman who literally jump into front of the bike in an attempt to stop me to look at his fossils, resulting in a very near miss on a bend, leading to many curses on both sides.

Next stop was Telouet and as I parked in the surprisingly busy visitors car park I picked up an idiosyncratic guide who looked like a Jamaican hippy. His name was Jawad and he offered to let me decide what his tour was worth - in fact it was excellent and he was very knowledgeable and spoke good English.

The palace itself in fact dated only from 1942 and from the outside it looked very run down. Inside though it was still impressive enough to justify its palace status. It had been owned by the powerful El Glauoi family back in the colonial era but they had fallen out of favour after some kind of revolutionary activity and it had fallen into disrepair. Long overdue repairs were being made and hopefully it's faded glory would get a bit of a buff.

Back in the village I was introduced to all sorts of folks and I got invited to stay once the other tourists had gone back to their hotels in Marrakesh. There was a really nice vibe and I was tempted. However, it was starting to get late and I still had to traverse the Tizi-n-tichka pass to get to Marrakesh myself. In retrospect I should have stayed just for the experience but I was on a roll.
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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

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Day 25 - 27/05/10 Part 2
End Location: Marrakesh, Morocco
Days Mileage: 154
Total Mileage: 3272

(Continued ) However, it was starting to get late and I still had to traverse the Tizi-n-tichka pass to get to Marrakesh myself. In retrospect I should have stayed just for the experience but I was on a roll.
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The pass was awesome - one of the most phenomenal rides of my life. Only a few stops as the riding was just so engaging. I was totally stoked and after an ongoing 'race' with a landcruiser who didn't like being overtaken by a bike (which he probably assumed was 125cc - Tough luck loser!!).
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I eventually rolled into Marrakesh as the sun was starting to set. I pulled out the guidebook and tried to work out a route into the centre but following the crazy streams of traffic I actually got swept down into the medina itself and ended up riding an overheating Kwacker along alleys packed with mopeds, donkeys and pedestrians in a frenzy of colour and activity. How some of these people make headway through the crowds is beyond me. At one point I got stuck behind a moped two up with the pillion carrying a 1.5metre plus glazed window frame!
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I pulled over to check the map again and was accosted by a man who shouted ' You want big square - come!' and proceeded to sprint off through the crowds. I set off behind him struggling to keep up in the crowds., He ran for what seemed like forever but in reality was probably only ten minutes, until I saw the tower of the Koutoubia mosque. He had nearly killed himself with the effort and collapsed into a heap, almost retching from his exertions. The evil voice in my head was tempted to gun the throttle and leave him for dust but after his sterling efforts I couldn't be so mean. I pulled over and stuffed a tip into the hand of my guide as he lay half in the gutter and half on the pavement, on the verge of a heart attack much to the amusement of various moroccan bystanders.

I was soon ensconced in a hotel near the Jema-el-faa and after photographing the mosque I hit the square as night fell and checked out the various diversions. Cobras, musicians, dancers and freaks. I had some food and then took a wander down dome of the sidestreets. Another helpful young guide offered, despite my protestations, to show me the way back to the square as, being a tourist, I was obviously lost. He then tried to lead me deeper into the maze of streets where I genuinely would have ended up not knowing where I was. However, he was left with a little egg on his face when I ignored him and, going the opposite direction and following my instincts, I walked straight back into the square. Another minor victory against the bad faith hawkers.

Unfortunately I had not noted either the name, the appearance or even the specific location of my hotel so I had a challenging half an hour as I tried various wrong buildings and offices, getting a mixture of reactions from security guards and families having dinner; all with many apologies on my part.

Eventually I stumbled on the right place but there is some kind of lesson to be learned there!!! What a phenomenal day. Any one of the experiences today would have been the highlight of a month back home. Even this morning seems like weeks ago.
Last edited by BurningGiraffe on Thu May 13, 2021 11:52 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: 11th anniversary of Europe and Morocco trip - Review

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