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Leaving from Dover on the 2nd of January 2008 we arrived in Calais at 0.15hrs. and stayed on th port for the night at Sans Billet car park. Leaving next morning we headed for Attichy and the municipal campsite as they are good friends having stayed there many times, it is a lovely site with excellent facilities and handy for the A1 motorway for the run around the Paris.
We stayed the night and tackled Paris heading for Beaugency Aire for a very pleasant evening with a couple of French and one Dutch couples in lovely evening sunshine, the obligatory vin rouge and Pastis session was of course observed complete with nibbles.
The following day we set of for our good friends house in Bourniex (Limoges area) and stayed for 3 nights while they got ready to accompany us on our trip to Morocco. We left on the 7th Jan and headed for ********** Aire and it was a lovely spot just outside the village on a hill with views down the valley, it had water, electric and black water dump all free, we had meal and a few beers in the local bar with excellent local company for vocal exchanges.
The next morning we decided to travel too L’ Hospitalet de L’Infant south of Cambrils to a great site right on the beach, expensive for short stays but good facilities and we have been going there for years. It was when we arrived here that our friends had a personnel problem and decided that they had to return home to resolve it so sadly they left us to continue alone, we were so sorry to lose their company as apart from being our dear friends we lost a little of our security (two vans ect.) and also Janet spoke excellent French which was to be very useful in Morocco.
We left l’hospitalet and headed for the newish Aire at Alfas del Pi near Altea and it was more than we expected, a great stay over spot or as some had done made it their winter long stay stop. It is well planned out with good size pitches and it is possible to get a RV in although it is quite tight in some of the corners getting to site, there are showers and grey/black dumps even for RVs, 16amp electric and even free wifi

We stayed two days then we headed south for Algeciras for the ferry but stayed one night at another new Aire type place called El Playazo Parking in Nerja just outside town on the N340A, its right on the beach, with dumps and vehicle washing, showers and toilets and washing machines also electric supply, it will take an RV but you have too be very careful entering and leaving the site if you have a long rear hangover because of the ramp from the road to the site. More later about this site as we had a big problem here on our return stay.
We stayed the one night and next morning departed for the ticket office in Algerciras which we found easily and paid our €199 for a open return from Algeciras to Ceuta, after being advised it was a better entry port than Tangier. We got the ferry one hour later for the 60 minute crossing and pleasant enough it was, though it was crowded because we where daft enough to pick a Sunday crossing and half of Morocco were returning home and half of Spain were going day tripping for cheap goods in Ceuta, plus around 20 motor homes.
Our arrival in Ceuta (Sebta) was chaos as many hundreds of people tried to gain entry to Morocco, fortunately we were one of the first to leave the ferry and drove straight too the border crossing, thankfully not getting lost on the way as by now TomTom had deserted us. We where herded around all over the place until one policeman ushered me into a spot and told me to get on with the entry permits and customs control and he would look after my van (our first encounter of we will help you, but it will cost you) I was happy to give him €5 to guard our van as my wife Barbara was still inside and no amount of coaxing would get her out as she said to me there are some very shady people about in funny clothes and she wanted to stay in the van for security, it was as well she did because after doing all the paperwork and then crossing too the exit side of the control to go too the bank for exchanging my €s into Dirham’s I heard Barbara screaming rather loudly and turning around I saw a young lad climbing on the bike rake and trying to get on the roof, I dropped everything through the bank tellers window ( money, passports and wallets I think through panic) and raced across to help Barbara out and to kick some arse but it was not necessary as the policeman I had paid soon dispensed the youth with a swift belt with his big stick across his back and legs and he fled.
It took a while to calm Barbara down then it dawned on me all my money ect. Was still across the road with the bank teller, so fearing the worst and expecting all was lost or stolen I returned too the bank window and sure enough all my belongings had been put safely away awaiting my return, I found this type of honesty throughout our Moroccan trip and never once did we feel threatened or feel insecure whilst there.
One hour from arriving we left the border all papered up and with our police control number in the passport, and headed for our first stopover which was Chefchaouen camping, this is where the fun started, we missed a turning in Tetouan and ended up in the centre ville and it was market day, the streets are full of stalls and parked cars and vans of all sizes also hundreds of milling, strolling people made it a very interesting route. We managed to sort of get through without much trouble and pleasantly enough with very little hassle from the locals, but I think 1 or 2 made have made some direct meaning to my parentage.
We came across a roundabout and asked the nice policeman for directions which he promptly delivered in Arabic and being fluent (not) in the language bid him Merci and went on our way only to end up 15 minutes later at the very same spot, at which point the very nice policeman was a little more not nice but did get out his notebook so I thought here we go our first fixed penalty and we have only been here twenty minutes.
Too our amazement he drew us a map showing the way out of town and bid us farewell (I think or it may have been don’t come back again) so off we went and sure enough we are now on the right road.
Arriving at Chefchaouan site we settled in, put on the kettle after cleaning out grey/black water and refilling water tank and had a very welcoming cuppa while we decided what we would go and see in this very famous town, we picked out the Grand Mosque, the Fondouk, the Kasbah and the Medina. That’s when things got decidedly very wet, it started raining (our first since we left the UK) and did not stop for 36 hours, the site resembled a paddy field next morning and bringing in the electric lead me to be covered in a very bright red clay. It was pointless walking into the town as the streets where awash with bright red water and it was getting everywhere, we decided to abandon our visit and move on to our 2nd stopover which was too be Meknes after visiting Volubilus a famous roman ruin en-route. It was started by the Mauretanian people in around the 3rd century BC then being developed over many centuries by Christians and Romans

We enjoyed this part as we strolled around the streets thousands of Romans and chariots had passed through so long ago, it was very interesting and well worth the visit even though by now we were six inches taller due to the amount of red clay stuck firmly to our shoes, yes it was still raining so of too Meknes camping for some serious drying and cleaning, I could not believe the state of the outside of my beloved motor home, it had become two tone with mucky white half way up and a decidedly bright red from half way down, it took ages to get it clean again when we got to Meknes.
Arriving at Meknes caused a slight problem as I was given directions to the site at a garage we had used as we entered town (we filled up every time we stopped on overnight sites, this is essential the further inland you go) I must have heard his directions incorrectly as I was sure he said go past McDonalds (yes I know it’s the best thing to do) so we did, but what he meant was turn right at M/Ds and then first right again, up to the gate of the Medina, turn left (we went right) straight up through next gateway, (Place el-Hedime) straight on and then first left through another gate and behold the site appeared.

Meknes camping is very nice being situated within the Medina walls, 24hr security, has electric but taps can be a long way from van depending on you pitch, dumping is around the back of the very unsuitable toilet block, showers are hot if you ask the guardian to light the boiler or tell him the previous evening you want a shower and he will give you a knock when it’s ready.
This is the first hard standing (concrete) we have had and I used the situation to wash our van and for a good cleanup all through.
Meknes is the first imperial city we have visited and is the 5th largest city in Morocco and a delight to stroll around visiting the all the fascinating places from the Musse Dar Jamai, Bassin de l’Aguedal, Souks and Kissaria the grand Mosque is jus a picture to behold but like all the Mosques in Morocco we infidels are barred except for the grand Mosque in Casablanca.
We have yet to see a UK camper anywhere along our chosen route and begin to think we have taken the wrong direction from Ceuta but no matter it’s nice having the Dutch, Germans, and Italians for company in the very pleasant evening sun and swapping information on where have been and where we are going, so we stay 3 days in Meknes as there is so much to see and the place itself gave us no grounds at all too feel unsafe wherever we went, (this did change later) in fact the people were the most pleasant to get on with we have found in any of our travels throughout mainland Europe.
We eventually decided to carry on to Midelt so of we go and on arrival found it to be the dirtiest, scruffy and inhospitable place so far, the campsite was appalling, everyone was walking around with nothing to do, so large groups congregated everywhere on street corners and this is when the begging got real serious, being hassled at every opportunity which made it very unpleasant so off we decide to go onward to wherever we landed with no plan in place, in fact it was here we decided the only plan from now on was there was no plan.
We set of along the N13 and when it came to 15.30hrs we decided to find somewhere to stay for the night and approaching the Tunnel de Legionnaire  We came across the Auberge de Ziz in the Gorges de Ziz and we made very welcome by the owner the name of I still cannot remember but he gave us mint tea first before showing us proudly around his Auberge which was spotlessly clean, and then turned the boiler on for our shower later, but as Barbara will not under any circumstance use the stand and deliver toilets he kindly said we could use one of the unoccupied suite’s which had European style one’s, she never did use them as she always use’s our own.
Suitably ensconced in our spot with the most fantastic views along the Gorges de Ziz and the Wadi Ziz we where presented with our first Tagine of beautiful lamb so succulent it still makes my mouth water, washed down with a bottle of Meknes vin rouge it was as most brilliant stopover and all for 100DHs (€10) for everything.
So now we are of too Todra Gorge and the campsite there (the reason for campsites is that it is illegal to wild camp except where there is a guardian too whom you pay 20DH for 24hrs.) and also for our own security as we are often on our own at night and Barbara is getting a little upset the further into the middle of the countryside. We actually missed the turnoff for the Gorges de Todra and went into Tinerhir 3kms passed the turn where we unexpectedly bumped into Ray from Desert Detours who was having his truck repaired because of lose of power.
We had a coffee and a chat about things and Ray asked us if we wanted to rejoin the trip and as Barbara was becoming more unhappy about our travelling solo, we haggled about the cost as one does in Morocco and Ray made what I thought was a generous offer and we accepted so we went and caught up with the tour and met some very nice fellow travellers and Barbara settled down and began enjoying the trip once more. (more later about the tour)
We spent a very pleasant evening in the site restaurant, we even had some of the staff entertain us on the local Moroccan drums, all in all a good day.
Next morning we got up early (for us) at 07.00hrs so we could have breakfast then go and see the Gorge as it is quite and peaceful at this time, we set off with Jim and Frances following and spent a pleasant ½ hour walking around, frankly that’s all you need, and it was ruddy freezing and blowing a gale through the gorge so time to set of for Ouarzazate our next site, the only one in the town and so was quite busy, but our spot was pre-booked by Ray, (let me say now and only the once all the sites from here on where of a low quality) we were the first 2 vans to arrive but Ray and his guides where already their.
Ray told everyone this was the town with the best restaurant on the tour so a group of people went along, we decided not too and after what was said next morning we made the right decision.
We left next morning for Ait Ben Addou and parked on the hotel car park with no facilities and apart from one of the finest Kasbahs I have ever seen I do not really no why we were here as the village was to say the least uninspiring, we left the next morning via the valley of roses were the roses where turned into all kinds of smelly things and also the silk scarf shop that was the one that Ray recommended was the best value for money, (HA HA) We bartered for 3 silk scarves and started at 300dh each, then you half that and knock another 10% off and start all over again, we eventually got them for 150dh each (€15) and we are told that they will cost 500dh in Marrakech so we are pleased with our supposed b argains, (more later about this).
Off we go to Marrakech next morning and a pleasant and scenic route over the Tizi-n-Tichka pass through the high Atlas mountains, we went through fantastic villages that thronged with people and animals and at times the road was completely blocked while the stood around talking and you just sat there and waited for a clear path, it was really nice watching the coming and goings but of course you are pestered too the limit for anything and everything you have, if anything did get me down it was the constant and unrelenting begging from everyone, and even in the middle of an open plain 30 miles from anywhere and not a thing in site you stop for a brew or a picture and from out of the ground pops someone with their hand out muttering something about Alms, Allah and family.
So too Marrakech after calling at the Metro (Macro type place) for replenishing the food, drinking water and of course some vin for the evening chat show. Marrakech itself it not recommended for driving through, so around the ring road and 10kms out of town is the site that had been selected, we got our first experience of the speeding laws here as when following a 4x4 along at 60kms he suddenly slowed so I pulled out and overtook him and immediately saw the police had pulled Anthony a fellow traveller a little way up the dual carriageway, I immediately pulled back in and dropped to 40km and as we went past got a very visual and verbal rebuke from the policeman, luckily for me he was busy fining Anthony 400dh for speeding, this was on a dual carriageway with no buildings around only scrub land and 10 clicks out of town, makes you think who pays the police wages, but speeding is strictly controlled everywhere even on approaching motorway toll booths.
Now for Marrakech itself, it’s one of those places you have heard and read about from an early age and for me was to be the one must see place on our trip, that said I must confess to being a little disillusioned with the place, yes it was fascinating, exciting and very busy in Place Jemaa-el-Fna the place to be and to be seen, we spent a day visiting the Souks and of course the opportunity to see inside the Koutoubia Mosque with bare feet we where allowed into a small part of the mosque and a delight it was, I would have loved to be able to climb the tower for a view of the city but only Muslims are allowed this privilege.
In the early afternoon we entered the square proper for a look around be returning in the evening for the dancers, snake charmers (do not appear at night) and the famous story tellers, well if the evening was to be as frantic at the begging and the paying for any picture or even listening to the story tellers it was going to be an expensive night. If you took a picture of snakes (daytime) they wanted money for this, then of course the charmer (good word that) wanted paying as well, the water sellers wanted payment even if you bought there smelly water first and usually 1 or 2 more joined in and they wanted money as well, it was all getting out of hand so I just took pictures from a safe distance with the zoom and blankly refused any harassment with criers for payment which usually was followed by a tirade of Arabic abuse in the name of Allah decreeing something or other.
We had a wonderful lunch overlooking the square before having another go so we went around the park and the garden in riad we were passing before returning too the sit for a relax and cleanup before the evenings entertainment.
We return to the square around 19.30hrs just as everything was really buzzing and stood and watched the locals by the hundreds listening too the story tellers, but we are harassed right away for the privilege of just standing there watching, so we refused and moved on toward the musicians and the dancers, this time we are caught from every angle by the musicians, the dancers, the jugglers and uncle tom cobbley as well I think, so we gave in and passed a few dhs around but straight away got cries of encore, this is not enough for such good entertainment and it was starting to get out of hand so I threw a few more coins in the boxes and still they wanted more, so a quick shout in the direction of the tourist police patrolling the square soon had them leave us alone, but once again Allah was present.
We went for dinner in one of the many food stalls in the square cooking all sorts of mysterious and beautiful looking food, but I chicken out and had a chicken Tagine, and a bottle of con gas Agua
 
After dinner we decided to have one more try at seeing life in all its splendour in one of the famous squares in the world and to be very honest we had had enough of being shoved around ran over by scooter mad kids, hussled for everything we had and generally a feeling of disappointment, would we go back sometime, I think not as I am not sure Allah thinks to much off me.
We arrived back on site at around 22.30hrs to find that most of the others had beaten a hasty retreat early than us so I think that sums up Marrakech, been there, done that and didn’t buy a tee shirt.
The next morning we set off for Essaouira and after a very pretty drive and a lunch stop we got our first view of the town, a lot bigger than I thought it was, we where very pleased to be there as it was for us the highlight of the trip so far. The campsite resembled a very scruffy plot of scrub land just out of the town and across from the beach were wild camping was allowed under the watchful eye of a guardian. As this was the last stopover on the tour we decided to make the best of a bad lot and got down into town, and what a delight it was, Ray said it was his favourite town in Morocco in we saw why. The prettiest of blue and white buildings and also the fishing boats in the port where the same colour, the souk was a delight to walk around with very little hassle and we felt extremely safe, the walled medina was lovely and the fish restaurants were to die for, any fish you could think of and done to perfection. This without a doubt is the best place we have seen (nearly).
We spent a wonderful 3 days there, and finished the trip with a wonderful meal in a restaurant inside a beautiful riad courtesy of Ray, it was so relaxing but now it was time to say our goodbye’s to all as some where going further south, and some where heading north for the exit port. Ray said his goodbyes that evening and had gone on alone from here by the time we arose the last morning, we said our fond farewell to a great group of travellers and bid them a safe and happy onward trip, so of to the north for us once again on our own but by now I had know fears of travelling alone in Morocco.
We followed the route de costa to south of Casablanca and joined the motorway to Larache were we stayed on a free Aire overnight with a guardian (20dh for the night), we fuelled up at the only garage we saw that accepted credit cards (very rare in Morocco) and decided to look at Asilah on the way too Tangier, what a very pleasant, clean and safe place this was and it scored more wow points than Essaouira being the most perfect town for beauty and serenity we had found. We stayed on the beach with the customary guardian and spent all day walking around and enjoying the place, a must if we ever return to Morocco.
We departed sadly all too soon for me but we had places to go and people to meet on our homeward trip so off too Tangier early, so early we hit rush hour traffic in the centre and Barbara was terrified but I love this sort of thing as it brings back fond memories of my truck driving days. We got to Ceuta around 11.30hrs and we were through into Spain in less than 15 minutes so off to the ferry port for the short crossing to Algeciras. We could not get the 13.30 ferry as we were to high so had to wait until 15.30 for one we could get on.
Back on mainland Spain we decided to return to to motor home parking at Nerja and stay a coupl of day’s washing everything including the van that was by now resembling a Paris/Dakar truck.
We arrived around 18.30hrs and got place on the pitch, hooked up and fresh water on board, clean toilet and most importantly a nice cuppa to round of a very good day, which was about too turn into a disastrous night and following 2 weeks.
We decided to go for a shower and it was then all hell was released as I slipped in the shower and shattered my right wrist and hand so spending the next 7hrs. In Velez Malaga hospital. I have never in my life suffered such pain and I have broken a few bones in the past.
Well back on site at 03.00hrs I did get some sleep as I was so pumped full of painkillers but next mid morning when they wore of it was real bad so we popped a few more and things relaxed a little so we had to decide our next move as it was impossible to drive, so we called our children and they where all willing to fly out too Malaga and drive my little beauty home, not a chance I told them, I have to return to hospital on the 15th of Feb. and if the doctor say’s I can drive I will bring the van home myself, when I have got a knob for the steering wheel so I can use only one hand. If they don’t give me permission I will them send for our son who has his own m/home to fly out and collect us.
Well being stuck here in Nerja is not all that bad and the hand/wrist is feeling decidedly better it gave us a chance to look around the area and a very nice place it is, but far to many brits abroad and English bars as well as English breakfast places for me.
Well today is the 13th Feb. only two more days and I will know the situation in regard to coming home, I do hope that we can, so more later.
Well we went to the hospital today 15th Feb and it was horrendous, we got there at 08.15 for a 09.15 appointment and there must have been 300 people waiting around in corridors, it was like a scene from an early communist block country, anyway we went too door 14 as per instructions and handed in our paperwork and waited an hour for our turn.
It was then that it all turn into hell, we are told they had set the hand/wrist wrong they would have to re-break it and pin it then reset and then wait 3 weeks before we could travel even by air.
We decided to forego there option and return to the UK for proper treatment, so next morning we set of for Calais and as now we are at Albir de Pi Aire and will carry on in a couple of days.
Remember early when I mentioned the fantastic bargain silk scarves we got that Ray said were the best value around at €15 each, well at the market in downtown Nerja the exact made pieces were a staggering €10 CHEAPER so much for Ray’s advise on where to buy your cheap goods.
In conclusion too the Morocco trip would we ever return, that depends on a number of factors, we would certainly not return on a guided tour as we personally do not think they are good value for the great initial expense. We negotiated a price for our a half tour this included the backup from Ray and with 8 nights on campsites and one night in a free car park plus the free meal on the final night we feel it was expensive for what we received.
Do not get me wrong about Desert Tours (Ray) we came to a decision on cost and we accepted that and the help and security we got from Ray was excellent, I personally did not think it was good value for the cost that’s all, but I will always say that if you want to see Morocco and are nervous about travelling alone it is the best way to see the country .
We would return sometime but only with 3 or 4 m/homes maximum and do the trip as a small group, maybe with some of the people we had left recently, Barbara did not enjoy Morocco as much as I did but we did see some fantastic places and some stunning scenery, met some smashing folk, locals as well as travellers, and there is lots we missed especially the desert camping, I would have loved that by all accounts.
Our biggest regret was that the constant begging from dawn til dusk it eventually got too me and wore us down also took a deal of pleasure from just walking around enjoying the sites and sounds of this wonderful country.
We hope to be back in the UK around 25th Feb and will go straight to our local hospital for an appraisal on what can be done with my broken bones.
I will on return home put in all the routes, costs, sites and mileages and also lots of pictures of a truly great experience, all the ups and all the downs.
Thanks for the detailed write-up WG, we are toying with going to Morocco in the the truck next month.
We would be travelling on our own, and wouldn't be going on a guided tour.
I'm curious to know the aire you stayed on the the 7th... as it appears to be *** star'd *** out??
Your wrist sounds bl**dy painful!
The Kasbar in Ait-Ban Haddou looks amazing, something similar to bits of the Yemen I've seen on TV.
I'd be really interested to know your costs etc when you are back.
Thanks again for taking the time to write this, (bet it was quite a while with one hand! )
Wilse
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Thanks for the write up, it was great! I hope your wrist gets fixed this time and that you don't suffer to much pain.
Your right about the begging which the Arabs seem to excel at. We won't go again to an Arab country just because of that. They are always asking for money and they get so angry with us. They feel that we're so rich, that we should be giving it away to them anyway and are just being awkward when we say no, for the thousanth time.
good luck with your wrist though and I hope you'll write up again.
Wilse, the reason the Aire is starred is that for the life of me i can't remember the name of the village, but i will find out and post details.
If you do decide to go to Morocco on your own choose Algeciras to Seta/Sebta as your entry port as it is easier and quieter than Tangier (but is still very busy) use one of the official tourist guides to make your entry easier as it will only cost a few €s and it takes the hassle out of things.
I would not recommend wild camping except in authorised places, not just for safety as we found the country very safe, but if you camp in a remote area and have a problem you are on your own literally.
Vivvy, yes the begging did get to me eventually and yes i suppose we kept the fire burning so too speak by giving in to their requests for money, or anything you have including clothes, mobiles, shoes and even our bikes, we did give clothes away to the families we met in the Atlas mountians but when we saw the way they live and how little they have the eyes of the children melted my wifes heart, but then practice makes perfect so they say.
We will return sometime and i will not be so worried about rejecting the onslaught of the locals but the place itself requires a second veiwing.
The place gave me the creeps. You could be in the middle of nowhere and think you have found a nice spot to make a cup of tea and somebody who looked like a member of the klu klux klan would pop out from behind a rock and try to get you to buy hashhish. There were more people trying to sell you drugs than there ever are in south london.
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