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Morocco Tour 2018
April 13-29, 2018
20 motorcycles - 25 participants
Where do you start?
For me, this trip was a premiere in two ways, there is still something like that at the age of 55!
I was completely enthusiastic on both points.
THE ORGANIZATION
Initial skepticism, as a newcomer, immediately gave way to enthusiasm for being in a large group with two languages for two weeks.
First of all, I would like to thank our organizing team. The travel planning, travel route including hotel selection, motorcycle transport, room allocation, route suggestions, dinner, ferry bookings, briefings and what else do I know - all of this was perfect in my eyes. Ok - the motorcycle return did not go smoothly, but that was not in sight.
The combination of a round trip and a fixed stay for a few days - ideal.
The trip
Málaga
We met in different groups at different times from different places and countries in a very "old" hotel in a commercial area in Malaga
Ironically on a Friday, the 13th. At a late hour - we arrived at midnight - a "get-to-know beer" from the bar was organized with great persuasion. Fortunately, our Icelandic friends had a longer journey and therefore more time for several introductory drinks. Large breakfast on Saturday - meeting point for the only coffee machine. And then a taxi to the motorcycles. Everything was there, everyone found his pants and other things and off we went through Andalusia.
This was followed by the presentation of the individual participants, moderated by Addi for Iceland and Haukur for Germany. The visit of a wedding couple only briefly interrupted the social beer exchange - it could have been our last - who knows what we get in Morocco?
Tangier
The following Sunday was all about translation and arrival in Tangier - Morocco.
After a short drive we reached the port of Tarifa and within two or three hours we and the motorcycles (expertly moored by the staff or owner) were all in the ship - one with two tickets!
The entry turned out to be very quick and uncomplicated, so that we reached our hotel in Tangier very quickly. After allocation of rooms and a fun parking lot ride, we had the whole afternoon to explore Tangier - currency exchange, markets, the old town with a visit to the castle, peppermint tea etc. It was very surprising how quickly the transition to oriental life went.
In the evening there was the first Tangine in our hotel, our constant dinner in Morocco. And we celebrated his birthday with Haukur - in traditional garb.
Volubilis
The next few days our paths led from Tangier to Marrakech through surprisingly green landscapes with plantations (oranges, olives). Past well-tended fields, up gentle hills and all this on surprisingly good asphalt roads. Of course, there were also side trips to well-maintained gravel roads. In some cases, even sandy passages were selected, which, however, did not turn out to be passable due to the previous precipitation.
The first day of travel ended in a somewhat older hotel in Volubilis, which was located right next to Roman ruins and offered a gigantic view of the adjacent plain with a wonderful sunset.
The next stage
We had extended our next stage, one of the longer ones with 400 km, by a very nice, albeit unforeseen round trip. We left our predetermined road and ventured onto a gravel road intended as a shortcut. After a few construction machines cleared the way for us, it was very nice and fast to drive, past olive and apple trees, along a river in a wide landscape. After a very good and long lunch break in a village square, we found ourselves again at our branch from the morning after a short journey! In one of the next villages we briefly lost Jürgen. At the end of this exciting day Laurent also broke the chain. He had to be towed by Wolfgang to the next gas station, where the broken chain was actually patched up again overnight. We drove the last gravel passage over 50 km at dusk and arrived a little late at the hotel. Luckily we had to wait for dinner!
Marrakech
The next day belonged to all of Marrakech. Everyone had their last few meters to the hotel, which was very well hidden right in the narrow medina. We got lost in the narrow shopping streets and ended up in the large market square, where Harald found us and led us back through the streets to the hotel. But some were still puzzled: how and where do I get to the hotel, where do I park and how can I get a room with a little overwhelmed staff? This was partially resolved by everyone after some delay.
Then there was a very good city tour (old sultan's palace, market alleys, dubious sales demonstration of herbs, hustle and bustle at the market place).
In the evening we had one of the best dinners of the trip and word had also got around among the local ladies that (for the first time?) Icelanders are in town. These were then greeted with dances typical of the country.
There follows an overpass day, on which we should get to know the other side of Morocco, away from the green side towards the brown, ocher, barren side of this country.
Unfortunately, the day started with an accident by Peter, who broke some ribs and his shoulder in a fall. Here the journey came to an abrupt end for him. After a somewhat bumpy start, he was well looked after and flown home after a few days. Meanwhile, Peter is reasonably fit again and even if the motorcycle season is over for this year, it is still enough for visits to the beer garden! Get well soon.
Tizi-n-Tichka pass
For everyone else it went over the Tizi-n-Tichka Pass (2260 m) in the High Atlas on the best road over to the barren side of this country. Only now did the country imagine itself as I had previously expected. We passed old Berber villages and the first oases on our way to Boumalne. We moved into a very nice hotel, which we had all to ourselves as a base for the next 5 nights. From there, various individual tours could be undertaken (Gorges de Dades, Gorges du Todra, Rosental, Valle du Draa, etc.). If you wanted, you could just relax in the hotel and by the pool.
My group could not resist the "Sahara" seduction and we afforded a night in a hotel on the edge of the Sahara with the possibility of star observation - unfortunately without success. But there was an impressive sandstorm for that.
The next day we tried on an old Paris-Dakar stage on the way to the desert camp. With these “sandpit games” in the dunes, we reached our limits and those of motorcycles. So the way to the camp was longer than expected, especially since the last route was covered by camels in just over an hour. At the camp there was a reunion with the hard Icelandic core who actually managed to have beer there for the first time since Bedouin memory!
The next morning, getting up at sunrise (!) Was tough. After the morning camel ride back to the motorcycles, we visited a James Bond location and took an unforgettable route through the mountains. Unfortunately, the path shown in the navigation system through a stream bed turned out to be a dead end. So we had to turn around again. Even our enduro cracks reached their limits. I think we only reached the hotel around midnight and as a reward there was actually a Wiener Schnitzel !! I think everyone connects these days in Boumalne with their own memories and experiences of this wonderful area. The next morning our trip took us across the Todra gorge up into the heights of the Atlas. We switched back to the green side and unfortunately also to the rain. On the one hand, this gave us funny river crossings (the Iceland travelers were back in their element), on the other hand, they also forced us to change the route. As always, we found the right way with the friendly support of the population, a large navigation and map study and a welcome stop (chicken, omelet, tea, cola). To everyone's delight (?), Snow was still waiting for us before we reached our hotel (type of Scottish country house). Some whiskeys were then of course compulsory.
The next morning was then all about minor repairs. Tire patches, glue cylinder covers again with the borrowed GS - thanks to Herman. Addis developed condom seal failed - although superstrong!
And yet at some point it started towards Chefchaouen. The route was spiced with a small off-road tour to a dam construction site - you have to see it. The late afternoon was the tour of the blue city with its winding streets and small shops, a very worth seeing kashba and a well-kept coffee house. Unfortunately, in addition to a somewhat modest meal, our hotel did not offer internet or television that evening. So at least we didn't have to watch Bayern leave and there wasn't any beer!
The second Thursday of our trip gave us another breakdown: Uwe crashed in a curve, but luckily was able to continue. He flew home from Spain on Friday evening with the caring help of "nurse" Wolfgang. In the future we should declare Thursdays to be days off!
We crossed the last chain of hills, found a very nice gravel track (with fog bank!) And reached the Mediterranean. We strengthened ourselves in a very authentic "fish restaurant". Then we went the wonderful coastal road via the Spanish enclave of Ceuta back to Tangier to our arrival hotel. Last market visits, another good mint tea and of course a nice Casablanca (until the bar was empty).
The three-country day is coming
We leave Morocco and after another absolutely unproblematic border and customs check board our ferry (in which we were allowed to take a seat in the first class). In a short time we can reach Tarifa - Europe again. On the way to our hotel it's quick to England (as long as this is still possible without a visa) - drive through Gibraltar once - but without left-hand traffic.
The first night back in Europe we were accommodated in a huge hotel complex. Everything was great: room, beer, drinks, pools, dinner buffet - only the sea temperature was very low. But there were a few heroes. It was a long evening. The next and last motorcycle day started a little later, there was also a huge breakfast buffet!
We got to know some great routes in Andalusia again - up into the mountains - before we parted with our equipment and motorcycles in Málaga. From our night quarters at the airport, we take the bus to downtown Málaga. After a short city tour, a long farewell evening follows in a beautiful restaurant in the old town. As a surprise of the evening, Addi Haukur hands over an unopened (!) Liquor bottle. In the meantime, she has survived the entire trip to Iceland and now Morocco and the respective arrival and is to accompany the future tours.
My dear friends, may we soon undertake such an interesting and entertaining trip in an illustrious group - the Pyrenees are waiting!
These are my impressions of this trip, everyone will have their own memories and experiences of Morocco maybe you can share it with us!
Bye for now
Flo's
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