Leggy and Dusty

We had talked about going to morocco on and off for the last 2 year so when I got layed off it seemed to be a good time to go. So I texted my mate Shaun '' Morocco on the 10th September any problems?'' no responce a week later I rang him '' its only 6 weeks away,yes? OK I'll go''. so with 6 weeks to go we set off planning and preparing, me and Denise in our Discovery 2 td5 and Shaun and Maggie in Leggy their modified series 2.

Most of the vehicle preparation had all ready been done we both had roof tents fitted and were kitted out for camping.So just car maintenance and the odd bit to bolt on I fitted a Mantec Steering gaurd to the disco,thanks to Barry at Flatdog for pulling out all the stops to get Mantec to send it direct to me in time for the trip.Shaun fitted a new set of Tyres and changed oils and the odd seal.with 3 days left to go we were as ready as we were going to be. Me and Shaun would set off on Sunday on the Dover Calais ferry, Denise was unable to get the required time off work, so she and Maggie would book a flight to Malaga we would pick them up on Thursday 15th September.

Sunday Morning came and we were on our way to Dover, catching the 1pm ferry to calais after an uneventful crossing we arrived in France and were on our way down, driving until about 6pm before looking for a camp site and setting up camp.the next day we were up and off heading to Bordeaux, campimg up at about 7pm just out side, tomorrow we would be in spain.

On Tuesday morning we set off into spain heading for Burgos then onto Palencia where we made camp, we had plenty of time before picking up Denise and Maggie on Thursday,so we decided that we would pay a visit to some old friends. Brian and Sue that now live 30k west of Ronda,a phone call later it was arranged that we would meet them at their local village of El Gastor on  Wednesday evening.What a fantastic part of Spain massive land scapes picturesque villagers national park on their door step. As plannd we met them at 7 30 pm back to their place for food and beer spent the evening catching up.Thursday morning Brian took us on a tour of the area in the afternoon we had lunch at local bar before saying our good byes and setting off to pick up Denise and Maggie. Malaga Airport is about 2 hours drive from Brian and Sue's we hit the Airport at 7pm. unable to park near to the arrivals, cars to big, had to park a fair bit down the road.texted Denise to Ring when they landed and we would come and pick them up she did once every one was reunited we set off to find a camp site, Denise and Maggie hoping for a 5 star Hotel, we found a camp site at Mijas camping Los Jarales.

Friday morning we set off for Algeciras stopping on the way to get ferry tickets for Morroco deciding to use the new port at Tangir med and to get the ferry on Saturday morning. After doing some shopping for the trip we camped up early, some chill out time, spoke to soon Maggie cried out in pain she had lost a filling and found the hole it left.so Shaun and Maggie off to find a Dentist better here I think than Morroco  back within the hour all sorted. This would not be the last time we seek medical help.

Saturday morning up early and off to the ferry port,very quiet is it the time of year or problems in the middle east? any way once again an uneventful crossing.Passport control is done on the ferry so most of the paper work is done before you land,a cup of coffee and a bun,look up and out the window,Morocco. All upon deck watching us sail into port. Now Tangir med is a new port and its said that it lacks the character of Ceuta,but it makes up for in lack of hassle. Within half an hour we were in Morocco looking for a garage, being from Yorkshire we had come across on resserve so we were both needing diesel, note:no garage within 20/30k of Tangir med, by the time we found a garage it was touch and go but worth it as a full tank 89 Ltrs for 650 md about £52. So we are now in Morocco tanks full of diesel and on the road heading for Meknes.The roads are good not much traffic breaks us in gentley, We stopped for lunch at a very Moroccan looking cafe omelet bread and a cup of coffee 60md for 4 not bad.Back on the road heading for the first campsite in Morocco at Moulay Idriss {The one that was at Meknes has closed down} it was 8pm when we got there no problem camping up. All the campsites we used in Morocco came out of Camping Morocco from Vicarious books reconmended by Sam Watson of the RGS. Check it out if you are planning to go to Morocco. After a good nights sleep we were on our way to the Cedar forest.

By 9:15 am we were on our way stopping at Azrou for fresh meat and veg taking the time for coffee and free potatoe cakes,which were very good, stocked up and full up we carried on to the cedar forest on off road tracks. The views were stunning every where you looked what a land scape fantasic. The tracks were good and we made good time,stopping for lunch at 1:30pm. We were getting ready to go when three Moroccan men turned up, at first we thought they were after cigs and hats ect,we soon found out we were wrong, when young man at the back came forward. Now this young man had a coat around his head, nothing could have prepared us for what happend next. His friend went to him and removed the coat to reveal a cut that was 100mm long 20mm wide down to the bone just above his right eye, I dont think I have ever seen one as bad. Both first aid kits were out of the cars and Shaun started to treat him, we did what we could but it clear he would need medical attention.and we were miles from any were in the middle of the Cedar forest. We knew we could not fit all three men in the cars but we could find room for the injured one if he could show us where the medical centre was, we moved kit around and Maggie got in with us in the Disco, the badley dazed young man in with Shaun to show him the way. It was a 20/30k detour Shaun trying to keep him awake it took us about a hour but we made it to the medical centre. He thanked us and we were back on our way. We had planned to wild camp in the forest and needed to get to the clearing and now we were running late,we had a long day off road with what happend and it was starting to get dark when we got there, just as well would'nt fancy driving these tracks at night. All worked out in the end, we were all thinking how the young man got on.

We had a peaceful night in the  forest all well rested we were up early and on the road to Tinerhir and Todra Gorge. We had stopped for fuel and coffee and were crossing the High Atlas at 6,200ft by 11am. Having stopped to take photo's we were approched by two Moroccoan guards just wanting to pass the time of day, we gave them water and talked about Land Rovers Said good bye we went on our way. It was 4:30pm when we arrived at Tinerhir, we drove through the Gorge stopped to take photo's when we were surrounded by members of a Spanish off road club curious about Shaun's Land Rover, bonnet up lots of pointing heads over under and in, bonnet down they had their photo taken with it and were off. We camped at Hotel camping Le Soleil a very good campsite would turn out to be the best of the trip.

Today we were heading for Zagora, off road over the black mountain. The track up was easy going most of the time, a lot of road building going on at the bottom.It was lunch time by the time we got to the top, dissapointment the cafe was shut did not expect a cafe at 7,400 ft  and a campsite. We had a picnic lunch before starting down the other side.The track on this side was bad we were feeling sea sick with the car swaying from side to side, as we picked our way down. The track seemed to go on for ever with no end insight we were glad to get off it.

We had planned a two night stop at Zagora and booked into the Hotel Kasa for some R&R. We got a good deal, full board.Had a few beers dinner then bed.  After breakfast  Denise and Maggie had planned to spend the day around the pool, Shaun and I went for a walk around the local market came back with flipflops and pomigranits and joined Denise and Maggie by the pool. That night before dinner we went to meet Hassan an old friend of Shaun's from way back.We were sat talking to Hassan when Matt and Nic, two lads we had met at the R.G.S. weekend near York in May came in,small world what, Matt and Nic were heading for the Black mountain we were heading for the Sahara.

Today we head for Mhamid where the road ends and the Desert begins. Before leaving Zagora we stocked up with water and bread for our two day jolly into the Desert. I'd never driven on sand before but enjoyed every minute of it, the car coped really well on std tyres and no diff lock. [This was'nt to last.] We were heading for Lake Iriqi and the dunes at Erg Chegaga,to play and camp. On our way we were stopped by a young English couple who were on a trip from Marrakesh, and could not believe two British cars in the Desert. we stopped for lunch at the oasis took a photo of the old series 2 before moving on. We arrived at the dunes at 2pm and played until 5pm, well I say played it was more me getting stuck and Shaun pulling me out. We  carried on until 5pm when we drove to a flat area within the dunes, to set up camp and put the kettle on. We had a really good day and spent the evening looking up at the night sky.

The next day saw us continue off road on the 2004 Paris Daker route heading for Tata. We started off well racing along the salt flats and making really good time.The tracks were good, we had been traverling for a couple of hours, when we must have took a wrong turn,or driffted of course. Here we had our first encounter with the Moroccan Military, on an outpost over looking the Algerian border. We were turned around and sent back away from them. Back on track we carried on for about two hours when we came across outpost number 2. As before we were told to turn around, all went well until we came across a Military base just before we needed to turn left for Tata, now you would think 3rd time lucky, not a hope in hell. We tried to explan that we wanted to turn left away from the base towards Tata, tried to show them on the map, but no way. Follow us was the reply, with a little apprehension we did, thay took us to a track and told us to follow it, we did.It was a rocky, flinty, bumpy track which seemed to go on forever. we had been on it for about a hour, when I said to Denise it feels like we've got a puncture, I stopped.looked out the window, rear offside tyre flat, Denise: so is this one, bugger not one puncture but two offside 20mm hole in the middle of the tread. Nearside large rip in the sidewall and I run it flat without knowing this tyre was a write off. so two flat tyres, one spare, 48 deg C in the middle of the desert sh**.

I shouted Shaun on the C.B, he turned around and came back, now, Shaun is a good man in a crisis, just as well. Jack out, spare off the back, I change the nearside wheel as that tyre was a total write off, Now on three wheels we turned our attention to the offside tyre ,we both had puncture repair kits with us, but it was clear that the string type would not seal it, the hole was just to large, fortunately Shaun was carrying some dicky bow earth mover type plugs. It took two of these plugs before we could get it to hold air. We set off, Denise worried and feeling sick, me worried with ever thing crossed. Stopping to check every 15 minutes, once we gained confidence every 30 minutes. Still on the rocky track, we carried on for what seemed a life time. Finaly we reached tarmac, the tyre had held, so far so good. Tata was still  over a hours drive away, we carried on, still stopping and checking. We made Tata at 4:30pm pulled in to a garage to check, it was still up but it would need repairing. Between what looked like a spray bay and a metal fabrication shop we found a tyer bay. I asked a young lad, using a lot of pointing who mends tyers? He replyed me.

Shaun was parked across the road. I pulled over and the young lad jacked up the car and took the wheel off. Denise and Maggie sat on the edge of pavement Denise Was still feeling apprehensive, but hey we were 2000 miles away from home so she was entiteld to feel a bit worried.Whilst they sat some young Moroccon girls stopped to talk to them, they had Quite a conversation which took Denise's mind off things. Me and Shaun were with the young lad who had managed to get the tyre off the rim, it did'nt look good what ever had done the damage had cut through the wires in the tyre we tidyed it up the best we could, Shaun was carrying some mushroom type patches the type used in the UK, these looked the best bet so we pulled one through. It looked a good seal well stuck down we were optimistic, the tyre was put back on and inflated. Bugger still blowing bubbles, still don't know why. Tyre off again looks ok? still stuck down, by this time the young lads father was here he sent some one for an inner tube, When it came it was a 16'' tube not much use for a 18'' wheel. The lads father decided to vulcanise a patch on this he did using a home press and a 1960's iron, patch on all looked well tyre back inflated still leaking. we gave up on it. we knew we required a new tyre, we knew we could not get one here in Tata, so we will keep stopping and pumping it up and try and get one in Taroudant tomorrow.

Before we left Tata we needed to pump up the tyre as it was flat, probably worse now than when we started to repair it. we decided to plug it again, so out came the earth mover plugs. We were heading for Taroudant Known as little Marrakesh, surley we would get a new tyre there. Off we went stopping to pump up the tyre every 30 mins.The views were stunning the stripie mountains of the Anti Atlas. Stopping only three times to inflate the tyre we were on our way in to Taroudant when Shaun spotted a Tyre bay, we pulled up and walked over, jackpot the owner spoke good English, I asked if he had a 255x55x18 tyre no was the reply but I can get you one for Monday, it was Saturday. Sunday tomorrow he said nothing happens. we left a deposit and the wheel, he said he would try and get it for tomorrow but would not know until after 6pm. He put his mobil number on the back of a card and asked me to ring him after 6pm. Feeling a lot better we moved on to find the hotel Taroudant. the hotel is in the Madina and not easy to find, so we asked someone to show us, follow me he said we did and within 5 minutes we were there. After booking in for 2 nights we went out to explore the town, Shaun got a hair cut. we sat and had a drink. I rang the garage no joy all I got was someone speaking Arabic, so I sent a text and got a replay, yes ready for 10am tomorrow. result!. You can get 18ins tyres in Morocco but not that easy and expensive 2700md, if I had been on 16ins wheels things would have been easy to sort as tubes and tyres are easy to get hold of. The next time I go it will be on 16ins steel wheels. If you are in Taroudant and need a tyre try Pneumatiques Soldi route principale ait IAAZA Taroudant. tel 028 53 65 25.

Breakfast was pancakes and coffee at the cafe across from the hotel actually very good. Me and Shaun took the Disco to get the tyre, it was ready for us when we got there, once changed I paid we were on our way, feeling happy to be on 4 good tyres. Spent the rest of the day exploring Taroudant listening to story tellers, watching snake charmers and haggling for tajines at the Berber market.

Today we are on our way to Essousaira the windy city, the first big place we came to was Agadir a moden city by the sea more like Spain than Morocco with big hotels and apartments blocks.Is this the future? we left Agadir and headed up the coast road. We arived at Essousaira at about 2pm we found a campsite and booked in then drove off into town. We parked up and went for a walk around the harbour and town stopping to have lunch at fish stall number 14. What a fantastic mix of fish, we picked what we wanted agreed a price, off it went to be cooked closely followed by Maggie checking out the cooking. The meal was really good, we all enjoyed it, and all for 400mds. full up we headed back to the campsite to set up camp.

After breakfast we decided to get a Taxi back into town and spend the day exploring Essousaira. Taxi's few and far between,so we ended up on the local bus which dropped us off in town. Today was just a chill out day, a steady plod walk around take some photos, have a coffee and watch the world go by. Lunch was the fish stalls again, today only 300mds for 4 of us with drinks and salad. Full up we did a bit of shopping before heading back.

Essousaira probably deserves more than I've written. The photographs say far more than I could possibly put into words.

Today we head north from Essousaira, the plan is to get as far as we can towards Tanger. We stopped for lunch at a motorway service station. A moden buger bar, you would find any were in Europe, we had buger chips and a can of coke.Feeling better we plodded on until about 7:15pm before we made camp, we were now 2/3 hours from Tanger Med. We were up early and on our way stopping to fill up with cheap diesel for the last time and Shaun and Maggie to do some last minute shopping. Our next stop would be the ferry port, which we passed through without any problems. We were on deck as the ferry sailed out of port. Our departure from Morocco didn't pass without a hint of sadness we were on our way home. our Moroccan adventure for now over.

Comments (2)

Hello
written by Russ, October 13, 2011

Hi Harry,

Looking forward to the next installment.

Say hello to Shaun and Maggie from Russ, Marie and kids would you?
We went with them to Morocco in 2007 Happy days.

Russ

Hello Russ
written by Harry Mangham, October 18, 2011

HI Russ

Shaun says Hello nice to hear from you. He would like your E Mail adress if poss, you can PM me if you want.

Harry