30-12-2010
30-12-2010
So, finally an update since Spain! Things haven’t been quiet, I can assure you! I’m typing this from our apartment in Marrakesh, Morocco… that’s right, apartment – not hotel.
So, after swapping the wheel bearings in Spain (and telling myself I need to email Leatherman to thank them for making such great kit!) we headed south into Africa the day after. We left the hotel around 7:30, to finally board the ferry at 9:00am. A brief stint on the ferry queuing for immigration (with a lot of horn honking and engine revv’ing while loading) and we were officially on Moroccan soil!
Sadly, the queue on the ferry was just the start of the formalities… we then spent almost 2 hours trying to get through the border. It would appear that the nice new digital system (D16 online temporary importation form) caused chaos. While the fixers were able to sort out all the old fashion, triplicate import documents within an impressive 30 minutes, those who had filled out the forms online (like us) really caused them grief. Some thought that they didn’t need stamps, other thought we did… Either way, one guy went to the vehicle registration desk 3 times, while others went none…
Either way, a good few hours later we were allowed lose onto Moroccan roads… only to wait in another queue while we got out green cards… anyhow, eventually, we managed to get to Rabat! We even found the Mauritanian embassy at our first attempt, which was a bonus. The downside? We couldn’t find a place to stay… eventually Clare (from the red party car) found a hotel in the roadbook… address in hand, we relied on a google-map to get us there… only thing was that “there” was in the middle of Rabat’s main “souk”, or market. For those that know Gambia, think driving around Serekunda’s pedestrian areas…. Oh, and outside there was a protest in full swing…
When we eventually got out (I’ve got a video here… I’ll upload it once I get back), we headed for the first parking lot we could. Again, this took a while as the parking lot was full and they were only letting people in as people left the lot… and he wouldn’t let us through… after a 5 Dirham “fee” per car (about 50p) we got out and headed for an underground parking lot nearby which the girls saw on our way in.
Cars abandoned, we headed for the “hotel”, which turned out to be a Kasbah (traditional Moroccan house, with the garden in the centre and the rooms around). Other than a French family, the 14 of us filled the place up… And as we sat in the central garden sipping some Moroccan tea, the French family made it VERY obvious that they did not appreciate our chatting in the garden and our presence there… oops! The “hotel” itself was, well, interesting. 14 people (plus the family), sharing 1 shower and 2 holes… and by holes I really mean W.C.s – but they were nothing more than a hole in the floor… charming! Also, there was one sink in the garden to wash hands and brush teeth, etc… (oh, and no t.p. nor flushing… sluice it all!). The beds were clearly dirty, so I cocooned myself in my sleeping bag liner and hoped whatever I caught wasn’t too deadly…
Anyhow, morning after bright and early (making sure we let the still sleeping French guys know that we didn’t appreciate their sleeping in when we had to be up at 6:45) we headed for the embassy again. Problem was, I couldn’t find my passport pictures (along with 2 other people), and we all needed photocopies of our Moroccan entry stamps… darn! To make matters worse, the local photocopy place was refusing to start until 8:30… 30 minutes too late! Even a 100 dirham “incentive” (10 GBP ish) wouldn’t budge him… anyhow, somehow we got all the documents filled out (guessing some parts, like “If you are originally from a country other than the one you reside in, are you allowed back into your original country?” <yes><no> “If yes, state why” … hmmm… because I don’t have a criminal record?
Next on the list was the teller… who every time we asked a question told us that the more questions we asked, the slower he would go… and duly slowed down his pace for each question. Eventually, Clare found a way to appeal to his … well, human side and got him to take all the passports (along with 400-odd pounds in cash to cover everyone…)
Passports dropped off, we had a problem – our apartment in Marrakesh was starting from today (30th) while the passports would be ready the day after. Marrakesh and Rabat are about 4 hours apart… so again the ladies came to the rescue – by being kind enough to agree to collect our passports tomorrow for us! Wahoo!
We even had a chance to eat some steamed goat head (along with some other sweet meats I couldn’t identify…) which was definitely a new experience for most. The looks of surprise, horror and revulsion on the faces of other tourists as they passed by were utterly priceless.
So, a quick 4 hour ride down to Marrakesh and another 3 hours in traffic in Marrakesh and we got to the apartment. It’s not spectacular… but it has a hot shower, a small kitchen… and most importantly, a real toilet! Anyhow… I think I’ll end this here given the time…. I’m dead tired and need some rest! Goodnight world!
M.