I have now been back over two weeks and it is about time I posted my report from our Moto-Morocco November 2007 novice trip. It is raining, Christmas shopping nearly done, and I have finally finished colour adjusting, cropping and editing my photos (all 360 of them). It is amazing how many shots you can take on a digital camera that can leave you wondering “why?” later …. I have run out of excuses now.
Trip Preparations
Now this is how to travel. Send your luggage and equipment on ahead. Bill - many other names here, but Bill has the least letters to type wrong – arrived about a week before the trip to collect our bikes, so we stuffed helmets, boots, jackets, trousers, gloves, wet wipes, Diareze and other such like into the back of the Landy too. Handed over the keys and V5 documents and waved them goodbye……
November 15
Arrived at Marrakech with a coupe changes of clothing and other gubbins, but mostly travelling light; I actually had to pack more than I intended in order to protect camera charger and such like from Gatwick Baggage (mis)Handling.
Marrakech has to be one of the few airports I have visited in the world where the baggage is on the carousel before passengers hit baggage reclaim. Top marks there.
For those that have not met Bill, he is one of life’s larger-than-life characters and is easily spotted in arrivals; bags into back of the Landy and off we go to the throbbing metropolis, and our base for the next few days, Hotel Menara. The hotel’s most endearing feature is its very large protected car park, and the car park’s 24x7 protection.
Mike was still recovering from his insect accident earlier in the day, beer being the largest part of his recovery program. To protect ourselves against the affects of insect bites during our stay we joined in. That night we eat around the corner from the hotel. at a restaurant chosen as much for the way the Maitre’D stopped six lanes of traffic to snare us in than the menu itself. This was the first time I tried Pastilla, a filo pastry parcel of cous-cous and chicken, dusted in cinnamon and icing sugar. Sadly, it set a standard that was not to be matched for the remainder of the holiday.
November 16
ARASpitifre (Al) was already in Marrakech when we arrived, and one person had had to return home on the way, leaving Anders and Steptoe (Neil) to arrive today to complete the group. Whilst Bill went to meet them at the airport, Mike took us out to play on some nearby pistes. At last, a chance to lay some honest mud and sand down on to the London grime covering my bike. By the time we got back, Anders and Neil had arrived; Anders had been out with Bill to play. For this first night with us all together we strolled into the Djeema-El- F'na for an evening’s entertainment of snails, haggling and eating. By night the square is a bustling throng of music, story tellers and food stalls. We ventured into the first few metres of the souk, to the north of the square, with shops selling all form of tourist trappings, slippers, watches, bags, hooded cloaks and jewellery. Browsing is free, as so many hawkers and commission hungry touts insist, getting out may cost more though ….Food prices at the hundreds of food sellers are not negotiable, but which one to eat at certainly is. No shopkeepers could match the veracity of the food stall touts.
Trip Preparations
Now this is how to travel. Send your luggage and equipment on ahead. Bill - many other names here, but Bill has the least letters to type wrong – arrived about a week before the trip to collect our bikes, so we stuffed helmets, boots, jackets, trousers, gloves, wet wipes, Diareze and other such like into the back of the Landy too. Handed over the keys and V5 documents and waved them goodbye……
November 15
Arrived at Marrakech with a coupe changes of clothing and other gubbins, but mostly travelling light; I actually had to pack more than I intended in order to protect camera charger and such like from Gatwick Baggage (mis)Handling.
Marrakech has to be one of the few airports I have visited in the world where the baggage is on the carousel before passengers hit baggage reclaim. Top marks there.
For those that have not met Bill, he is one of life’s larger-than-life characters and is easily spotted in arrivals; bags into back of the Landy and off we go to the throbbing metropolis, and our base for the next few days, Hotel Menara. The hotel’s most endearing feature is its very large protected car park, and the car park’s 24x7 protection.
Mike was still recovering from his insect accident earlier in the day, beer being the largest part of his recovery program. To protect ourselves against the affects of insect bites during our stay we joined in. That night we eat around the corner from the hotel. at a restaurant chosen as much for the way the Maitre’D stopped six lanes of traffic to snare us in than the menu itself. This was the first time I tried Pastilla, a filo pastry parcel of cous-cous and chicken, dusted in cinnamon and icing sugar. Sadly, it set a standard that was not to be matched for the remainder of the holiday.
November 16
ARASpitifre (Al) was already in Marrakech when we arrived, and one person had had to return home on the way, leaving Anders and Steptoe (Neil) to arrive today to complete the group. Whilst Bill went to meet them at the airport, Mike took us out to play on some nearby pistes. At last, a chance to lay some honest mud and sand down on to the London grime covering my bike. By the time we got back, Anders and Neil had arrived; Anders had been out with Bill to play. For this first night with us all together we strolled into the Djeema-El- F'na for an evening’s entertainment of snails, haggling and eating. By night the square is a bustling throng of music, story tellers and food stalls. We ventured into the first few metres of the souk, to the north of the square, with shops selling all form of tourist trappings, slippers, watches, bags, hooded cloaks and jewellery. Browsing is free, as so many hawkers and commission hungry touts insist, getting out may cost more though ….Food prices at the hundreds of food sellers are not negotiable, but which one to eat at certainly is. No shopkeepers could match the veracity of the food stall touts.