The Sh*t hits the Fan before Departure

The SH*T Hits the Fan before Departure !!

Well well, we thought Def was completely revised and ready to go.... NOT!!!

Just before arriving at my parents' place some kind of strange squeaky noise made itself heard. U-joint? It made that type of noise and it would not have been the first time.....

There's only one solution... Inspection upon arrival! And Yes, the U-joint (croisillion in French ;-) decided to bug. 

The spare U-joint that we brought with us turned out to be the wrong one! Tomorrow the hunt is on for a joint that will fit.

The technical team is doing their best.....

Introduction to Morocco

Morocco is an exotic gateway to Africa; its mountains, desert and coast are populated by Berbers and nomads, and its ancient medina lanes lead to souqs and riads.

Mountains & Desert
From Saharan dunes to the peaks of the High Atlas, Morocco could have been tailor- made for travellers. Lyrical landscapes carpet this sublime slice of North Africa like the richly coloured and patterned rugs you’ll lust after in local cooperatives. The mountains – not just the famous High Atlas but also the Rif and suntanned ranges leading to Saharan oases – offer simple, breathtaking pleasures: night skies glistening in the thin air; views over a fluffy cloudbank from the Tizi n’Test pass. On lower ground, there are rugged coastlines, waterfalls and caves in forested hills, and the mighty desert.

Traditional Life
The varied terrain may inform your dreams, but it shapes the very lives of Morocco’s Berbers, Arabs and Saharawis. Despite encroaching modernity, with motorways joining mosques and kasbahs as manmade features of the landscape, Moroccan people remain closely connected to the environment. The nomadic southern ‘blue men’ brave the desert’s burning expanses in robes and turbans, with mobile phones in hand. Likewise, traditional life continues – with tweaks – in the techniques of Berber carpet makers; in date cooperatives; in medina spice trading; and in the lifestyles in ports like Essaouira and mountain hamlets.

Ancient Medinas
Often exotic, sometimes overwhelming and always unexpected, these ancient centres are bursting with Maghrebi mystique and madness: the perfect complement to the serene countryside. When you hit town and join the crowds, you follow a fine tradition of nomads and traders stretching back centuries. Unesco has bestowed World Heritage status on medinas including Fès, the world’s largest living medieval Islamic city, and the carnivalesque Djemaa el-Fna in Marrakesh. The terrorist bomb on the square in April 2011 was a tragic episode in its history, but travellers should not be discouraged from visiting this welcoming, tolerant country.

Moroccan Activities
Meeting the Moroccan people involves nothing more than sitting in a cafe and waiting for your mint tea to brew. The trick is to leave enough time to watch the world go by with the locals when there’s so much else to fit in: hiking up North Africa’s highest peak, learning to roll couscous, camel trekking, shopping in the souqs, getting lost in the medina, and sweating in the hammam. Between the activities, you can sleep in the famous riads, relax on panoramic terraces and grand squares, and mop up tajines flavoured with saffron and argan.

Trip Overview

Overview of the planned trip 
"Morocco Summer 2012"

Departure date: Ferry departure Barcelona 1 July 14h00.

Arrival: Tanger 2 July 14h00

Planned itinary for 18 days: 

El-Jadida - Safi - Essaouira - Agadir - Tiznit - Sidi Ifni - Tan Tan - Tafraout - Taroudannt - Khénifra - Fes - Chefchaouen - Tanger

Return by Ferry: 18 July 23h00
Arrival Barcelona:  20 July 2h00

We will do our best to update this blog when possible!