Week 1, Morocco: Fez

Up to the 25th: packing, and preparing ...

... but then finally the day was there. My good friend Henk took me to Rotterdam Airport for my flight to Fez.

Landed late in the afternoon.

No wifi at the airport, but luckily the cab driver had made a sign with my name on it, so...

Arrived at the meeting place (a (rather luxurious) camp site), where i had a cabin (tiny bungalow) for the first two nights.

Unpacked and grabbed a burger at the camp site's restaurant.

No alcohol here as you can see (but i brought a tax-free bottle of wine) ...

Found the truck, that will take us all (group of 25) along the West coast.

Driver is Jordan, tour guide is Cloe. Very nice people.

Nice introduction conversation, but no other travelers yet, so... i'm the first.

Back to my cabin: saw BBC news, took a shower, 1 glass of wine and slept like a log ...

October, 26th:

Breakfast at the campsite's restaurant and on my way to a huge mall to find an ATM and do some shopping. Took me more than 2 hours (long walks), but hey... time is on my side now!!

Came back around noon, unpacked, made lunch, another walk to a nearby tea-house, made diner, and now updating my blog at the campsite ... i think i will have another excellent night of sleep.

Luxury will be over from tomorrow and on wards, because i will move from my cabin, to the campsite and start living in my little tent.

More tomorrow ...

October 27th:

Slept in till 8.30, showered, shaved, breakfasted and moved to the campsite to install my tent there.

Ran into Garry, one of the group who will follow the truck in his own vehicle (a land-rover).

Went back to the supermarket to get some stuff to store my valuables. Grabbed a burger at McD's and walked back.

Spend the rest of the (chilly!) afternoon updating blogs, talks, etc.

Diner was just a sandwich with tuna/tomato sauce and a soda. At the tent.

Oh yeah, ants here ... by the zillions! Keep the tent zipped up!

Now updating blog at the campsites reception ...

Drank my last bit of wine at the tent and slept like a log.

October 28th:

Woke up 7.30, showered, breakfasted, coffee and chats with Jordan (driver) and checked the news at the reception (wifi place).

At 10.30 Garry (GB), Jordan, Cloe and me went to the old part of town by cab. Did a very nice stroll there ... take a look:

Beautiful leather products ...

We didn't know if it was a horses head or the head of a tapir ...

Preparing a horses head for consumption ...

Mint tea for 50 cents ...

Bought a very nice leather wallet (4,-), had a magnificent Moroccan mint tea (0,50) and strolled some more.

Got lost (MAPS.ME got confused), but found a taxi to bring us to the Carre Four, where i bought a new bottle of wine (see if this one lasts as long as the previous one ...;-) )

Then (again by cab) back to the campsite. Checked my mail, unpacked, met Dave (new group member) and killed the time playing digger and blog writing.

Got some tea at a local restaurant (with a nice view):

... and had diner with Garry and Marc (driver of another following vehicle).

Updated blog and went back to my tent to chat a little with Jordan over a glass of wine. Went to sleep at 10.00h

Anyway, all in all a nice day.

Tomorrow is the official start of the tour, but of the 22 group members only 4 have showed up so far .... Met a few others via our Whats-app group though ...

Laterz...

October 29th:

Rose at 7.30, long showers and toiletries, small home made (i.e. "tent made") breakfast, did the news over a cup of coffee at the restaurant and (secretly) downloaded complete season 1 of Start trek TNG. For the lonely nights at the desert over the upcoming weeks.

Met some the newly arrived fellow travelers, and at 12.30 went for an incredible extensive brunch to a local restaurant nearby. With Rasheer (UK-India), Garry and Marc.

They went back, and I went to the mega-sized supermarket for some last shopping's.

Back at the campsite at 16.00 h for the instructions before the trip starts. Group looks ok. You will get to know the names over the next few days.

Took a look at the dutch football results and could not suppress a big smile ... Ajax ... hahahaha ... last!

Back at the truck, chatted with the newcomers, diner (not hungry at all after the big brunch), and updating blog at the restaurant.

Glass of wine, little chats at the truck and a early night again...

Laterz ...

October 30th:

Slept good, but ... rain. Ground was soaked, but the inside of my tent stayed dry, so...

Breakfast under the tarp. Really good breakfast: eggs, coffee, tea, serials, bread, everything...

But the bloody rain wouldn't stop:

And so... spend the biggest part of the day internetting at the reception:

Gretchen from the US and Ben from Germany

Also explained to Freddie (Dutch) how MAPS.ME worked...

Had chat over tea with Rajsrhee in the afternoon and voluntarily helped the staff's cook group:

The spaghetti tasted great.

Meanwhile Tom (Ireland) made a new friend:

Now update blog ...

All in all a pretty boring day, but tomorrow we will be on the road. Finally.

Laterz ...

October 31st:

Finally... on the road ....

Left the campsite, after breakfast and packing.

To the huge supermarket for food tonight (we're bush camping).

Then a very nice and scenic tour on our way to Gorge Valley (near Toudgha)...

Long drive in the morning. Here's some pictures and short movies:

Had lunch in a small town. Everybody went for the restaurants, but this dutch guy (together with Andy (UK)) had some bread, orange juice and cheese, and as a bonus we found a nice spot in a nearby park, with a splendid view:

The afternoon, we drove further, with again stunning scenery, but also poverty: