Morocco!!

[Brother Number One]

<table width=700 cellpadding="0" bgcolor="#444444">

<tr>

<td width="300">

<font color="white">

Hi All,

We are home now, this is the trip report, hope you like it.

</font>

</td>

<td width="400">

<img width="400" src="http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h72/brothernumberone/19e7re2.jpg" border="0" alt="the bike and the misses">

<font size=1 color="yellow">Just take the sodding picture, Dave.</font>

</td></tr></table>

<h2> :( Border Hassle</h2>

We got some.  We were in the UK just long enough to buy the Tiger but not long enough to get the logbook in my name.  We stopped in Birmingham, on the way to the ferry at Portsmouth, and Helen stood in heavy rain, guarding the bike, for two hours while I got a temporary logbook issued in my name from the regional DVLC office.  Cost us 3 Pounds.

At the Moroccan border, at Ceuta, we were immediately in the hands of the touts because the official in the glass cubicle was not at all impressed with the handwritten temporary logbook.  The main tout struck a deal in Arabic, with the official, and we payed 890 Dirams, about 54 pounds, for 10 days frontier insurance.  The real price (printed on the doc!) is 540 Dirams and we really wanted a month.  We were left in no position to argue, so we payed-up and got through.  We later had to find more insurance when the 10 days were up.

<table width=700>

<tr>

<td><img src="http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h72/brothernumberone/DSCN0155.jpg" width="400" alt="the view from the afternoon">

<font size=1 color="yellow">No idea at all what to make of Morocco at this point.</font></td>

<td>

<font color="white">

<h2>Day 1, 30/4/06, Asilah</h2>

As we approached Tangiers, it was getting late and a guy at traffic lights warned us not to ride after dark :shock: .  Progress was painfully slow and we started to get worried but the toll road south of Tangiers saved us.  :D

</font>

</td>

</tr></table>

<table width=700>

<tr>

<td width="300">

<font color="white">

We stayed the first two nights in Asilah.  The medina there is lovely; small, manageable and a good easy introduction to Morocco.  The campsite was not bad, we stayed at the first one you get to on the road from the toll road.

</font>

</td>

<td width="400">

<img width="400" src="http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h72/brothernumberone/DSC_3176.jpg" border="0" alt="local guy in the medina - photo by Helen">

<font size=1 color="yellow">Tis best to photograph Moroccans secretly as, aparently, they don't like it much.</font></td></tr></table>

<table width=700>

<tr><td><img width=400  src="http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h72/brothernumberone/DSC_3247.jpg" border="0" alt="eating a meal but already very fed-up">

<font size=1 color="yellow">Food falls off plate, food lands on floor, food placed on griddle for about 1 second, food back on plate.</font>

</td>

<td>

<h2>Day 3, Marrakech</h2>

<font color="white" size=2>

Still chasing good weather, we left Asilah and rode to Marrakech on the Marrakech Express (it's actually a road as well as an irritating old hippie song you can't get out of your head while you're here).  It rained heavily on the way so we looked for a cheap hotel and got hopelessly lost in the old town.  The bike's temperature guage rose a bit and I got annoyed every time I had to do yet another U-turn.  To be fair to Helen (navigator), the Lonely Planet map combined with  Marrakech's poor signposting would have confused anybody.



In the end, we gave up chasing cheap accommodation and payed 30 Pounds for a hotel; that's a real dent in our budget.  The concierge at the hotel was an arse, ignoring me completely because I don't speak French (luckily, Helen speaks a bit).  We ate a disappointing meal in the main square and went to bed missing Asilah, the cheap campsite and the friendly guys in the restaurants there.

</font>

</td></tr></table>



<table width=700 name="text left">

<tr>

<td width="300">

<h2>Day 4, Essaouira</h2>

<font color="white" size=2>

We did our best to give Marrakech another chance.  The plan was to find a campsite, or at least a cheaper hotel, and stay another night.  We walked for ages, a hot day at last, but could only find a Tourist Information Office that was no use at all; didn't even have a map!



We left Marrakech, feeling negative about the place, and rode to Essaouira.  Camping Des Oliviers is about 20mins short of Essaouira and is wonderful.  Beautiful thick grass, plenty of shade and clean loos.



By this time, we had shot the budget completely.  We were supposed to have taken longer to get here, touring Spain on the way, but the weather had kept us moving and, as a consequence, extra money had gone in the tank.  To counter this, we decided to stay put for a few days and save money by lolling about all day on the campsite.  Hard life.

</font>

</td>

<td width="400">

<img width=400 src="http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h72/brothernumberone/DSCN0206.jpg" border="0" alt="ramparts in Essaouira - photo by Dave">

<font size=1 color="yellow">Think of yer own pithy comment.</font>

</td></tr></table>

<table width=100% name="accom" bgcolor="gray">

<tr><td><h2>Accommodation</h2></td></tr>

<tr><td>Camping des Oliviers really is the dog's danglers and is likely to be the best accommodation we find in the whole of Morocco.  It's actually in the village of Ounara, about 20mins short of Essaouira on the Marrakesh road.  There is lovely thick grass, lots of shade, clean loos, hot water and a bar.  Cost is about 5 pounds per night and worth every penny.  The guy that dealt with us spoke good English and was friendly.

UPDATE: WE RETURNED TO THIS CAMPSITE AND HAD A BIG FALLOUT WITH THE PATRON.  DO NOT GO THERE UNLESS YOU ARE HAPPY TO HAVE PEOPLE REPITCH YOUR TENT AND MOVE ALL YOUR STUFF WHILE YOU ARE AWAY.

</td></tr></table>

<table width=700 name="text right">

<tr><td width=400>

<img width=400 src="http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h72/brothernumberone/DSCN0221.jpg" border="0" alt="in the foreground there is a Tiger, in the background there is a tree, in the tree there is a goat">

<font size=1 color="yellow">Spot the goat.</font>

<img width=400 src="http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h72/brothernumberone/DSCN0236.jpg" border="0" alt="Don't be fooled by the picture - Dave is completely rubbish off-road">

<font size=1 color="yellow">Riding off-rode; just a matter of poise and confidence.</font>

</td>

<td>

<h2>Day 8, 7/5/06, still camping in Essaouira</h2>

<font color="white">

We decided the budget could finally stretch to 5 litres of fuel so we went to explore the local dirt roads.  On the way, we passed some goats in trees (see pic).



We found a dirt road and I did my best.  It's difficult to say whether the Tiger is any good off-road because I am totally rubbish.  Managed to stay on, anyway.

<h2>Day 9</h2>

 :idea: Brilliant!

Managed to extend frontier insurance from the AXA office in Essaouira.  Due to being ripped off at the border, we only had 10 days' insurance.  From t'internet we knew we could extend if we went to Agadir and trolled around all the insurance agents, with Helen's bad French, till we found the one that deals with frontier insurance.  This was all going to take a day out of our schedule and add unwanted miles to the suffering rear Mich Anakee.

The AXA office is on the same street as the supermarket in Essaouira.  One of the nice ladies in the Tourist Information office will show you but you may be charged a pound for the map depending on which of the ladies you get.

<font>

</td></tr></table>



<table width=700 name="text left">

<tr>

<td width="300">

<h2>Day 10, 9/5/06, Ouarzazate</h2>

<font color="white" size=2>

Finally we have left the lovely campsite in Essaouira, we were there 6 days in all!  Rode back through Marrakech  :twisted:  and took the N9 to Ouarzazate.  Nice road and some great scenery.  Saw a few adventure riders coming the other way but no other Tigers  :!:



Planned to camp at Ouarzazate but, when we got there, the campsite had no shade and the ground was hard as a carpark and had no grass.  We couldn't face it after the camping heaven we had left and so we have blown another 15 Pounds on a hotel.  So far, we have averaged one night in a room for every 6 under canvas; not too bad, I suppose.

</font>

</td>

<td width="400">

<img width=400 src="http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h72/brothernumberone/DSC_3428.jpg" border="0" alt="You ride off into the desert and I'll take a picture - yeah, right, like I'm coming back... damn, she's got me camera">

<font size=1 color="yellow">Not a 'staged' photograph at all, no.</font>

</td></tr></table>

<table width=100% name="accom" bgcolor="gray">

<tr><td><h2>Accommodation</h2></td></tr>

<tr><td>We stayed at Hotel Amlal.  The Lonely Planet says it has guarded parking at the front but the really nice lady running the place actually locked the bike up for us in the builging next door.  Bit of a squeeze getting the Touratechs through the doorway.  Breakfast was not included but crepes ordered off the menu were dead cheap and very filling.  Cafe au lait was typical weak Moroccan stuff.  Lonely Planet price was a mile off, room cost us 15 Pounds.  The lady and the guy that dealt with us spoke good English and were really nice.

</td></tr></table>



<h2>Day 11, Tinerhir</h2>

We found Camping Le Soleil in the Todra Gorge.  The Lonely Planet gives it a good rating and several people on t'internet said this is the best campsite in all of Morocco.  For camper vans it's okay but we struggled to find grass to pitch the tent on.  This blog is turning into a rant about campsites.



Anyway, the ride here was pretty good and we managed to get a coffee on the way without getting ripped off.  The desert continues to be interesting but we didn't get the camera out because the light was flat and dull.



<table width=700 name="text right">

<tr><td width=400>

<img width=400 src="http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h72/brothernumberone/DSCN0307.jpg" border="0" alt="chappy to left of shot is me">

<font size=1 color="yellow">Tis a gorge, like the one at Cheddar but bigger.  Neither are really made of cheese.</font>

</td>

<td>

<h2>Day 12, ride up the Todra Gorge</h2>

<font color="white">

Had a great time in Morocco so far mainly because I love motorcycling and camping.  People here are great and the old towns are interesting.  Today, though, was the first of the really great days.  We rode down the stunning gorge, early, before the 4x4s woke up.



On the way back we stopped at a cafe, for a coffee, and chatted to a really nice guy.  Moroccan people are lovely but waiters are not always the nicest; this guy was just great, knew about Robin Hood and everything.  The place is called Des Gorges and it's just before the very narrow, deep bit going up the gorge.

<font>

</td></tr></table>



<table width=700 name="text left">

<tr>

<td width="300">

<h2>Day 12, Ride Down Dades Gorge</h2>

<font color="white">

Another great biking day.  Indulged in a 30 mile blast down the desert road from Tenrhir to Boumalne.  We usually stick doggedly to the 65mph limit, as the locals do, but today we were out early and the road was clear and the visibility was great.



The road down Dades Gorge is better for biking than Todra Gorge; the road is wider.  Again, we stopped for coffee and met really nice people.

</font>

</td>

<td width="400">

<img width=400 src="http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h72/brothernumberone/DSC_3575.jpg" border="0" alt="Anyone remember the episode of 'Are You Being Served' where John Inman comes out the lift wearing black bike leathers?">

<font size=1 color="yellow">

'Go closer to the edge, Dave.'

'Sod off, Helen.'</font>

<img width=400 src="http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h72/brothernumberone/DSC_3741.jpg" border="0" alt="Silent campsite, sultry bike, bovine photographer.">

<font size=1 color="yellow">

Aaaaaaaand cue Meat Loaf.</font>

</td></tr></table>



<table width=700 name="text right">

<tr><td width=400>

<img width=400 src="http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h72/brothernumberone/DSC_3767.jpg" border="0" alt="We went back for the Tiger and easily blasted over this dune.  No pictures, sorry.">

<font size=1 color="yellow">Dunes at Merzouga</font>

</td>

<td>

<h2>Day 15, Merzouga, Camel Ride in the Dunes</h2><font color="white">

Long ride today, from Tinerhir to Merzouga, but a great Moroccan road.  A vaguely wilderness experience as traffic went from light to vertually non-existent and, in places, dunes began to reclaim the road.





<font>

</td></tr></table>



<table width=700 name="text left">

<tr>

<td width="300">

<h2>Day 16, Zagora</h2>

<font color="white">

We got up early to take the Tiger out onto the piste, before breakfast, and before a long ride to Zagora.



We planned to round the impressive 'erg' and visit otherwise inaccessible villages, view colonial houses and generally see what was on the other side of the big pile of sand.  We got stuck in sand twice and called the whole thing off.

</font>

</td>

<td width="400">

<img  width="400" src="http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h72/brothernumberone/DSC_3786.jpg" border="0" alt="Bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger!">

<font size=1 color="yellow">Aye, wherever a camel can go, a Tiger can too (not).</font>

</td></tr></table>

The end of the trip is now a bit of a haze.  We returned to Essuara, planning to chill out on our favourite campsite.  After one day we managed to have a major fallout with the camp patron and we ended up out on our ear.  We returned to the dreaded Merrokesh and made the most of it for a day but we had lost the spirit of the trip.  We headed north and got out of Morocco with memories of the patrom threatening to call the gendarmes.  I'd go back to Morocco, it's great, but watch out for French guys running campsites.

<h2>Top Kit</h2>

> 04 Triumph Tiger

> Touratech pan ears

> Scottoiler touring kit

> Nikon D50 digital SLR camera

> Karimor Beta geodesic tent

<h2>Okay Kit</h2>

> Yellow Corn airflow jacket.  Works well but nonsensical logos make you look a tw&t "Strong as a Horse."

> Arai RV; why is it so difficult to get the visor off?

<h2>Rubbish Kit</h2>

! Camping Gaz stove and resealable canister; can't get canisters anywhere.

[Brother Number One]

:D Update soon!

[Patrick the Scot]

Are you going to publish your wanderings and observations?

[Brother Number One]

Are you going to publish your wanderings and observations?

I suppose I could be persuaded, are you offering me a publishing deal  :?:  

[Brother Number One]

I have updated the blog thing at the top of this thread and I hope you like it  :oops:

[wasions]

I really wanna see that YCA jacket - ye tw&t!   8)



Great read.  Fab pics.  Keep 'em comin'!

[german]

Excellent trip,



I returned one week ago of one trip of 16 days, we did 6,000kms , as soon as I scan the photograph, I will show these in the page,