Having an "off" moment

Lots been happening since I last posted. On Australia day I headed east over the Tizi-n-Ticha pass which at 2300m is slightly higher than the top of Mount Kosciusko which on the way up and down gave me some spectacular views - and at the top more experience of snow.

Once over the pass I headed to the city of Ouarzazate  as I approached was flagged down a man  whose car had supposedly broken and asking me to take a message to his cousin. It turned out to be a scam to get "the tourist" to his carpet shop. Whilst I managed to avoid purchasing anything I did get this fetching photo as part of the softening up process.

Ouarzazate was alovely little town, and apart from the above, nicely free of get the tourist hassle. So enjoyed it I stayed a second unplanned night there.

From Ouarzazate I went to Gorge du'Dades which is famed for the beauty of its rock formations. It didn't dissapoint and as ever my photos dont do the place justice.

 Whilst there I found out my two Australian friends met earlier in the trip were in Todra Gorge, the next gorge over and another of the recommended must sees. On the map I found there was a linking dirt road between the head of the gorges and thought it had to be worth a go as a route over to them. The only issue was it went over a pass at 2900m well above the snow line - but local advice assured me it should be clear.

 

It waslookn't - and all the melting snow somewhat below the pass had turned the road to a sticky, horrible mess. The consequence was predictable.

Getting the bike upright from here took me two hours because what you can't see in the photo is it's lying wheels up / seat downwards a steep slope. To be able to make it light enough to lift from that position I had, whilst it was on its side, to remove all the luggage plus fuel tank, a particularly awkward and muddy job.  Ah the joys of motorcycling!

Running in a circle - Marrakesh style

From Azrou I headed for Marrakesh. Originally the idea was to simply had straight there on highway - about 400k's - initially that went well, quiet and scenic roads, but as I got closer to Marrakesh the traffic built up and the riding got less fun. So on the spur of the moment I turned off to a side road that was marked on my map as scenic. Well that was an understatement, it now rates as one of my to two roads in the world, some thirty or forty kilometers of winding, often single track, tarmac cutting its way dramatically up and down the sides of steep gorges inhabited by only the occasional village. What an antidote to the highway. As dusk was approaching I chose to stop at the first place big enough to have an hotel that I came too, not expecting there to be much there, but luck was running with me I had happened upon ( completely by chance) one of the most famous tourist sites of the region, the Cascades D'Ouzard. These are a set of waterfalls that are the second tallest in Africa - not quite Victoria falls standard but pretty impressive.

I stopped two nights in Marrakesh after making it there the next day. Quite enjoyed it and the sights of the famous Djemaa el-fna square; snake charmers, belly dancers, jugglers and other strange entertainers plus the myriad of food stalls was definitely worth seeing. However at the end of it, it was a big city and I definitely prefer the smaller less hectic places. (As an aside, look closely at the palm trees photo - they are really mobile phone towers)

By the way the running around in a circle in the post title refers to the fact I did the Marrakesh half marathon whilst I was there. A much bigger event than I was expecting, there were many thousands of runners. I managed to just achieve the time of two hours I was aiming for so came away happy if foot sore.

Snow bound!

Not the title I was expecting to be writing! When look at the map of Morocco you realize how dominated it is by a central spine of the Atlas Mountains, but as the the of us headed out of Meknes we didn't realize the full implications. We headed for a small town of Azrou where we  to spend the night before going or separate ways - Craig and Jenny to the south and the dunes of the Sahara and I west to Marrakesh. As we drove off of town I thought I saw a few cars with snow on their roof and  as we drove up into the foothills it was obvious there was some about somewhere. As we reached 1100m we found where - apparently the first big dump of the year had occurred.


To get to Azrou we went over a (relatively low pass) of 1500m which was fortunately well cleared before doing into the town itself to find it will clogged up with vehicles. Apparently the road we had come in was the only open road. In the end I spent two nights in until the road to Marrakesh opened, Craig and Jenni had to spent one more until the road South was clear. During the first night there we met Raschid and Ahmed, two locals, who offered to take us trekking above snow line, so that's what we did, walking and clambering up to 1800m to an abandoned monastery.

Morocco 101

Spain on left, Africa on the right

The first few days in Morocco have flowns by and it's been a great experience with lots of learning about a different way of life. Leaving the ferry terminal was really the end of Europe and since then we've (myself and the two other Australian motorcyclists, Craig and Jenni, I met on the ferry) have quickly been learning things are done differently in Arabian Africa.

First stop was the town of Tetouan about 30k south which is where we got our "Morocco 101". We only pulled into get fuel for the bikes but within minutes are taken in hand by a local tourist hustler (starting with the obligatory where are you from? to establish which language to use - but then following the reply somewhat bizarrely with "lubbly jubbly" a phrase I haven't heard since watching Alexi Sasyle in the Young Ones in the eighties). After helping us get fuel he passed us on to his friend who offered us secure parking and then the next one who offered to guide us round the lanes of the Medina (traditional walled market and housing area with labyrinth lanes only a few feet wide - enter without a guide and you will be quickly lost), followed by someone else to try and sell us the obligatory carpet and souvenirs, someone else to sell a meal and so on. We quickly learned that in Morocco there is always someone immediately available to help you with your every need. Of course everyone wants paying  - but it's very little; that first few hours in Tetouan cost us each less than $15, well over what we probably should have paid, but still a bargain to have the bikes guarded, to be fed and guided and well informed about the history and working of the Medina over several hours.

From there we continued about another 100km south to Chefchouan to stop for the night. The experience above repeated itself for finding a hotel and parking for the bikes, though after the first experience we now (probably falsely) felt a little more in control. Chefchouan is famous for the picturesque nature of its Medina where for some historical reason I never understood, is painted predominantly in blue.

From there it was on to Meknes to enable a visit to the Roman ruins at Volubilus - an amazing 40 hectare site where it is still write possible to see the overall structure of the city which functioned for five hundred years from 200 BC onwards. What was amazing about it was not only the state of preservation but also the unfettered access you have just to wander around with only minimal barriers and restrictions

One week in France

Currently on a ferry and in three hours, all being well, I finally enter Morocco - both an exciting and slightly intimidating thought. The past week has been a fast trip down through France.

Start of the week saw me arriving in Cherbourg from where it was a short ride into Normandy where I stopped in Bayeaux one night intending to see some of the D Day beaches and sights and the famous tapestry . The former was successful and very thought provoking, the latter unsuccessful as the tapestry museum, like many in France as I later discovered, was closed for January (in fact the whole of the north of France gave a feeling of being closed for the month). Bayeaux cathedral also turned out to be a magnificent sight.

My My hotel for the night 

Arrowmanche beach and remains of the Mulberry Harbour

After that it was a quick trip cross country,avoiding the auto routes and using the backroads so I actually saw some of the towns, to Lyon where I caught up with Duncan.

 It was ingreat seeing him again after 6 months or so. We spent the first night wandering around the town and then next day hopped on a train and went to Geneva in Switzerland. Duncan really wanted to see the exhibition at the Large Hadron Collider ( Google it) there and since it was only two hours away it seemed to good an opportunity to miss. The exhibition was good but do was just wandering around the edge of Lake Geneva looking at the Alps in the background, all together a great day.

The next day we both headed down to Marseille (him by train, me on the bike) where we meet up again for another two days. We both really liked Marseille - it had a really lovely feel about it with energy that had in winter been missing elsewhere in France.

 It was a great four days that I spent with Duncan and I think we both were sorry that it came to an end to quickly but we both had our separate plans. He was seeing of to hitch to Spain, hopefully Barcelona, and I for Morocco.

Having used up a week getting across to the south of France, I decided to abandon my original plan of riding down to the tip of Spain to do the crossing as that would have used up another week and instead have taken the weekly ferry that runs from Sete, two hours west of Marseille, direct to Tangier. It's a thirty hour trip, but it's been smooth and comfortable. It's also passed quickly as there are two other traveling motorcyclists onboard, also Australians, and so we have spent much of the time comparing notes and plans and it is likely we will now travel together for the first day or two.

Wish me well in Morocco.

Morocco - hereI come

January 2014 was supposed to be the start date of a trip down to Morocco, but with the bike begin stolen in the UK before I even got going it never happened. Fortunately it was recovered a few weeks later, but somewhat worse for wear so that trip never happened; now one year on with it fully (he says with fingers crossed) repaired I'm having another go.

Yesterday I left my father's house in Swansea (where the bike has been hibernating in his garden summer house) and made it to Poole on the south coast of the UK. Today I'm on the ferry - next stop France and riding on the wrong side of the road.

The plan is a couple of days in Normandy looking at some of the D Day memorials and then down to Lyon in mid France to catch up with Duncan my youngest son, who is currently hitchhiking around Europe, then I'll ride on down into Spain before catching the ferry into Morocco. Unfortunately I'll only have about 3 weeks there before I have to head back to the UK to park the bike again as I've promised to be back at work in Australia in late February.

However this is only a taster - the plan is to come back in the second half of the year and start my long talked about trip down the length of Africa - and if that works onto the America's. You've got have dreams!