We headed down into this valley in southern Morocco renowned for its natural beauty and mountainous surroundings that leads through Ouarzerzate and Zagora and down towards M'hamid, a gateway to the Sahara. According to several locals the 200 km stretch between M'hamid and Foum Zguid was a fairly easily crossed desert piste that was worth taking for its awesome views of desert dunes.
We hadnt made it as far as the desert dunes when, on a mountain road n ear Zagora the jeep blew the head gasket again! Then again it did last blow it on the M25 in London so the new one lasted a good 3000 miles. Of course we quickly met some locals who arranged for a Land Rover specialist, the wizard, to pick the jeep up, tow it to Zagora and give it proper fix. So a couple of days later, with the jeep not only fixed but improved by the Wizard and with off road tyres fitted on the bikes we headed off across the piste into the desert but decided against taking a guide as we had just spent so much money on repairs that we couldnt afford one!
We had only gone a couple of kilometers in ridiculously difficult sand that pretty much had Palli and Caroline both exhausted so we decided to camp there for the night and enjoy the sand dunes before turning back around ther next morning.
The next morning, after a brilliant night under a starry sky, a full moon and real feeling of freedom in the middle of this amazing landscape, Caroline awoke with a severe stomach ache, vomiting and unable to ride. Then we ran into a local guide who told us we had strayed off the right path and that a couple of hundred meters away was the right track that was only an hours drive to where an encampment was, midway to Foum Zguid. So we put Caroline in the jeep, ignoring her pleas to get back on proper road, becouse us men knew that turning back was too costly an option to consider, as it would mean several hundred kilometers added to our journey. Left Haukur guarding her bike, armed with a phone, food water and the DV camera, and the bike keys(in case he could learn to ride it by himself), and then Palli was to return for the other bike(and Haukur) a couple of hours later in the jeep. Needless to say this plan went completely wrong, the track was extremely difficult to cross on the bike especially with heavy sand dunes intermittently crossing the otherwise reasonable rocky track making the bulky Africa Twin more than a handful to manouvre. Then we were lost, had no idea were we were, with the track splitting into several directions and temperatures rising, the bike getting completely stuck in sand, one hour quickly became three. We then decided to abandon our plan after a ""suggestion" from Caroline and find a guide to take all of us back to Haukur and get back on the main road. Which we successfully managed to do with Palli ferrying both bikes across the dunes. We stayed a night in M'hamid before taking the long way round to The Western Sahara.
So back up north for a few hundred km's and then across to Agadir, a problem with C's bike on the way for good measure which we got fixed in Agadir and 2 days later set off a fresh down south and into Western Sahara. We are half way down and after camping near the dunes last night we are hoping to head across the Mauritania border in the next day or 2.
So with sand in our eyes and everywhere else....fingers crossed.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Morocco
So much to tell since last time and writing on an english /arabic keyboard this might take some time! Here goes...We finally crossed into Morocco from Marbella last Thursday (11th). We headed into Tetouan in search of some lunch and of course, green eyed, fresh off the boat we immediately got swept away by the first moroccan 'guide' on a motorbike who showed us the only open restuaurant in town (it was Ramadan) He then took us through the Medina and the Kasbah and so on....4 hours later after tea with his brother and visits to all his local salesman friends we headed out and onto Chefchaouen.
We camped out for a couple of nights in this beautiful town in the Rif mountains and enjoyed the friendliness and hospitality of everyone we came across, especially Abraham who could not kiss us enough. Palli, Magga and Haukur delved into the world of Star Wars and bought wonderful Jalabahs. Now the force is definately with us!
After doing some filming with Osman, a Moroccan farmer we had met there 6 years ago we made our way to Volubilis, a world heritage site, with ancient roman ruins. We spent the night at a Gite, shared the most enormous dish of couscous and then toured the ruins in the morning.
Then onto the Cascades D'Ouzoud, a natural paradise with huge flowing waterfalls and beautiful walks into deep valleys.
Here we said our goodbyes to Magga, who had to return to Iceland. (Thanks for coming this far with us Magga and see you at home in the New Year)
We explored , and walked, and lazed about and ate, and then after a great storm on Wednesday night, the beautiful cascades became a chocolate brown river ( much to Pierre's delight!).....but decided to take another day there to do some filming and then got on our way to cross the High Atlas mountains yesterday.
Unbelievable views, breathtakingly so. The road seemed endlessly higher and higher, reaching over 2.5 kms high. Phew! Haukur could not bare to put the video camera away it was all so beautiful.
But the sun sets quickly here so we headed down the other side to the large town of Ourzarzate, where we are now.....the doorway to the desert.
Still considering various visa issues about crossing into Mauritania- all guide books say we can buy it at the border, various Moroccans say only in Casablanca, Casablanca office just closed down, traveller reports from March said they bought at the border, we just heard the law changed in mid september- visas only issued in Rabat (north morocco). and now someone crossed over 2 weeks ago and got it at the border, so thinking we will take our chances to cross. Still need to cross the Western Sahara first so a few more days to decide!
Well with all these exhuasting things to think about, we are all off for a good wash and a rub down at the local Hamam!!!
We camped out for a couple of nights in this beautiful town in the Rif mountains and enjoyed the friendliness and hospitality of everyone we came across, especially Abraham who could not kiss us enough. Palli, Magga and Haukur delved into the world of Star Wars and bought wonderful Jalabahs. Now the force is definately with us!
After doing some filming with Osman, a Moroccan farmer we had met there 6 years ago we made our way to Volubilis, a world heritage site, with ancient roman ruins. We spent the night at a Gite, shared the most enormous dish of couscous and then toured the ruins in the morning.
Then onto the Cascades D'Ouzoud, a natural paradise with huge flowing waterfalls and beautiful walks into deep valleys.
Here we said our goodbyes to Magga, who had to return to Iceland. (Thanks for coming this far with us Magga and see you at home in the New Year)
We explored , and walked, and lazed about and ate, and then after a great storm on Wednesday night, the beautiful cascades became a chocolate brown river ( much to Pierre's delight!).....but decided to take another day there to do some filming and then got on our way to cross the High Atlas mountains yesterday.
Unbelievable views, breathtakingly so. The road seemed endlessly higher and higher, reaching over 2.5 kms high. Phew! Haukur could not bare to put the video camera away it was all so beautiful.
But the sun sets quickly here so we headed down the other side to the large town of Ourzarzate, where we are now.....the doorway to the desert.
Still considering various visa issues about crossing into Mauritania- all guide books say we can buy it at the border, various Moroccans say only in Casablanca, Casablanca office just closed down, traveller reports from March said they bought at the border, we just heard the law changed in mid september- visas only issued in Rabat (north morocco). and now someone crossed over 2 weeks ago and got it at the border, so thinking we will take our chances to cross. Still need to cross the Western Sahara first so a few more days to decide!
Well with all these exhuasting things to think about, we are all off for a good wash and a rub down at the local Hamam!!!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Sunny Spain...still!
You remember when we said we were going to travel through west africa...well what we really meant is we are going travelling through Spain!! Yes, still here, but sooo close to Africa.
Travelling further south through Spain the battery on Palli´s bike exploded.While Palli and I waited at the roadside, Magga, Haukur and Pierre drove off to get a new battery from the nearest Honda garage 25 km´s away. However, on their return, all eager to fit the new battery in the bike and speed off, we carefully read the instructions to find that only after 2 hours of putting the acid into the battery and 10 hours of charging it would we be able to go anywhere at all. So leaving Pallís bike covered up on a slip road we left to find the nearest town to stay for the night, get the battery charged and have the jeep checked over for a few minor faults on the way.
Next morning Palli and I set off to find his bike and fit the new battery. Passing the jeep on the way out of town we saw that our Michelin Desert bike tryes and been stolen from the top of the jeep. The security wire we had wrapped around them had been cut. After a few tears we tried to get the bike started with the new battery...no such luck. The day was then spent with Benito, our friendly hotel manager who hired a van to collect the bike which weighing 250 kilos was no small feat trying to get the bike up into it. He also contacted a friend of his, a Honda motorcylcle mechanic in Jaen (nearest big town) where he drove with us, found us four new tryes for our bikes and stayed while the mechanic explained what he thought the problem might be...basically the blown battery ruined all the electrics...the alternator suddenly sent too high voltage to the battery and boom! ´Being a Friday, we would have to wait til at least Monday or Tuesday to get spare parts and fix it.´
Ok, plan B....after reporting the stolen tryes to the police...in a mime and pictionary type of way, which was hilarious, we decided to use the days to go and explore the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Found a lovely camping place in the mountains where we stayed for a couple of nights, did some filming and spent some time relaxing in Alhambra, where we took a night visit of the palace there...absolutley breathtakingly beautiful and peaceful. Then moving on to find the hippy commune, ´Benificio´ in the Alpajurras mountains, south of the Sierra Nevada, that Haukur had read about in Lesbok!
Encountering along the way a problem with the breaks on the jeep , just to keep us on our toes!
Found the commune in a very beatiful setting but kinda wishing we hadn´t....Haukurs advice for anyone visiting this place...´just don´t´!! Or at least, take your shoes off, dont eat meat, dont drink alcohol, dont wash and preferably start talking to yourself alot!
We did actually spend one night there by the camp fire with the locals and explored the area a little but eager to move on and after checking the breaks were fine we set off to collect the bike from the mechanic back in Jaen and then wizzed down to Marbella. Losing each other on the motorway after all of us missing a rather tricky turn off and then unable to find H,P & M, who had found a nice spot on the beach to camp, Palli and I gave up after six hours on the bikes and with bums aching and phone out of battery we found ourselves a hostel and re-united with the gang this morning.
We will spend the day planning the next few weeks and sort out bits and pieces and hopefully cross over into Morrocco in the morning.
Someone once said.. ´its not the destination, it´s the journey....´
Travelling further south through Spain the battery on Palli´s bike exploded.While Palli and I waited at the roadside, Magga, Haukur and Pierre drove off to get a new battery from the nearest Honda garage 25 km´s away. However, on their return, all eager to fit the new battery in the bike and speed off, we carefully read the instructions to find that only after 2 hours of putting the acid into the battery and 10 hours of charging it would we be able to go anywhere at all. So leaving Pallís bike covered up on a slip road we left to find the nearest town to stay for the night, get the battery charged and have the jeep checked over for a few minor faults on the way.
Next morning Palli and I set off to find his bike and fit the new battery. Passing the jeep on the way out of town we saw that our Michelin Desert bike tryes and been stolen from the top of the jeep. The security wire we had wrapped around them had been cut. After a few tears we tried to get the bike started with the new battery...no such luck. The day was then spent with Benito, our friendly hotel manager who hired a van to collect the bike which weighing 250 kilos was no small feat trying to get the bike up into it. He also contacted a friend of his, a Honda motorcylcle mechanic in Jaen (nearest big town) where he drove with us, found us four new tryes for our bikes and stayed while the mechanic explained what he thought the problem might be...basically the blown battery ruined all the electrics...the alternator suddenly sent too high voltage to the battery and boom! ´Being a Friday, we would have to wait til at least Monday or Tuesday to get spare parts and fix it.´
Ok, plan B....after reporting the stolen tryes to the police...in a mime and pictionary type of way, which was hilarious, we decided to use the days to go and explore the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Found a lovely camping place in the mountains where we stayed for a couple of nights, did some filming and spent some time relaxing in Alhambra, where we took a night visit of the palace there...absolutley breathtakingly beautiful and peaceful. Then moving on to find the hippy commune, ´Benificio´ in the Alpajurras mountains, south of the Sierra Nevada, that Haukur had read about in Lesbok!
Encountering along the way a problem with the breaks on the jeep , just to keep us on our toes!
Found the commune in a very beatiful setting but kinda wishing we hadn´t....Haukurs advice for anyone visiting this place...´just don´t´!! Or at least, take your shoes off, dont eat meat, dont drink alcohol, dont wash and preferably start talking to yourself alot!
We did actually spend one night there by the camp fire with the locals and explored the area a little but eager to move on and after checking the breaks were fine we set off to collect the bike from the mechanic back in Jaen and then wizzed down to Marbella. Losing each other on the motorway after all of us missing a rather tricky turn off and then unable to find H,P & M, who had found a nice spot on the beach to camp, Palli and I gave up after six hours on the bikes and with bums aching and phone out of battery we found ourselves a hostel and re-united with the gang this morning.
We will spend the day planning the next few weeks and sort out bits and pieces and hopefully cross over into Morrocco in the morning.
Someone once said.. ´its not the destination, it´s the journey....´
Monday, October 1, 2007
Sunny Spain
After a couple of very wet days and a little misery in Claviers where Pierre´s mum lives... some sightseeing in the mountains and filling up the jeep with all kinds of medical and first aid equipment... we headed south out of the mists and cold and found the sun in Sete, just past Montpellier. All pitched our tents together for the first time, cracked open the gas cooker and settled down for a night on the beach around the campfire....yes! We finally began our journey.
We then crossed over into Spain on Saturday, and stayed the night in the most picturesque, qauint town of Cadeques.
So for the next couple of days we will head towards southern spain and try to cross over to Morrocco on Wednesday. So we are all in high spirits, the sun is hot and we are on our way...
We then crossed over into Spain on Saturday, and stayed the night in the most picturesque, qauint town of Cadeques.
So for the next couple of days we will head towards southern spain and try to cross over to Morrocco on Wednesday. So we are all in high spirits, the sun is hot and we are on our way...
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