Morocco 2013

[makems]

We are waiting for a couple of parts. A throttle body assembly and a sensor. The problem started on the way to Essaouria and got worse on the road to Agadir. The engine went into reduced power mode and the engine management light came on indicating an issue with either the fuel supply or the exhaust.
We went to a repair shop in Agadir recommended by a couple of old hands who have been coming here for years. They called up a visiting mechanic who had the Merc diagnostic system and there were at time 3 or 4 guys crawling over and under the van. Eventually they diagnosed the problem and removed the throttle body which has a box of electronics on the side.
They took the thing apart to see if it could be repaired and you could see where water and road muck had got past the seal and into the electronics.
I rang the Merc workshop in the UK where I had the van serviced to make sure we weren't being fleeced. I spoke to a mechanic who confirmed this was a problem he had seen a few times on Sprinters. Apparently this throttle body sits underneath at the front ans susceptible to water ingress. We had come through some truly atrocious rain and spray a day or so before the problem started.
It was after 7 when they had finished so the parts shop was shut and we stopped overnight in the workshop yard. Up next morning to draw money from the bank to pay for the part, get the parts back on the van and drive back to Tagazhout.
Next morning we wanted to move to get Suggy's spot which had a better view and just as we were moving into position the engine cut out and wouldn't restart. A push from our fellow Funsters got us into position and here will stay until the parts arrive and are fitted.
The delay is not in obtaining the parts but getting them cleared through Customs.
Who knows we might be lucky and they arrive in a day or two.

 

[Snowbird]

Sorry I cant help with that one. I have a "man" in Agadir who is very good but unfortunately as you have found out, drive by wire has not reached Morocco as yet. Hope you get sorted soon but you are at least in a good spot there.

 

[tonka]

Well.. All I can say is that the telly back in UK must be really boring, otherwise why would this thread have reached 20,000 views and counting.!!!


20,000. :thumb:


Thanks everyone... Jim is this a record ?? or do we have to do more antics..

 

[Carol]

Ooooo much more, keep it comeing

 

[tonka]

Chris and his Harem.

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[tonka]

Ali and Fatima..

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The only sue having a chill..
.

? Somewhere up a hill... lol
.

 

[tonka]

So, you get to the top of this bloody great big hill !! Stop to take in the views, ,miles and miles from anywhere..

OUT HE POP's. Mr Berber.... Leaves with a hood full of my chocolates and some old clothes off Chris.....

.

 

[veevee]

Have you all decided which route you'll take to Marrakesh yet, over the Atlas or round them?

 

[crizatuk]

Bike

Tonka where's my bloody bike i lent you the other day. :Sad:

 

[tonka]

Have you all decided which route you'll take to Marrakesh yet, over the Atlas or round them?

er... No, we dont decide anything till we wake up...
6 vans, 10 people anything can and does happen !!oh:

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[tonka]

Tonka where's my bloody bike i lent you the other day. :Sad:

If you drove a bit steadier then it would not drop off the back !!!!


Hey !! how are you getting on the net ???
Bloody piggy backing my wifi again.... Thats more Cider you owe me..

 

[MrMotorhome]

Funsters Rally in Tafraoute

1.) Mustafa Tonka and his wife Princess Jasmin relaxing in their van.

2.) Milk Sheik, Fatima and Mustafa Tonka

 

[Malcolm Bolt]

Am a little worried about you Malcolm....Your beginning to think like a Moroccan

I have no idea what you mean my friend. Do you have anything to sell me? Phone or clothes. Jeans sir do you have any jeans for me, I will give you a very good price. I will buy anything sir. That is a very nice jacket my friend. Would you like to sell that to me friend. I am a good man, fair price. Where do you go now friend, you don't need a bank my friend I will give you the very best price for all the things you have that you do not need.

I got a really funny feeling just then.

 

[Malcolm Bolt]

Just wanted to let the Beach Bums know that I will need to spend another night at Atlantica. Had new roof light fitted over the shower today but it is a bit bigger than the last one and as a result the roof box won't fit back where it came from. I will need to make alterations to the box to make it fit.:Sad:

Hicham has done a good job with the the lining for the cab curtains but these have to be fitted to check the length. That will involve me balancing on the dash board while my arms stretch into the far end of the universe trying to fit curtains to hooks and hooks to rail. I have tried it before and it hurts.:Sad:

Wheel covers are a good fit as is the front skirt which hangs down from the screen cover fixed with 'velcro'. Unfortunately it seems that Abdula has chosen standard size awning piping for the van window covers and I think the channels above the windows are a bit smaller. I couldn't get them on this evening in the dark so unless daylight brings its own solution he will have to alter them.:Sad:

I am not sad really. I am in Morocco and I love it.

 

[MrMotorhome]

Value of a bottle of Spanish Brandy

There is this english guy (on site) trying to buy my bottle of brandy (1lt) any advice as to what it's worth in Morocco?

Maybe in beers or maybe cider?

Advice please.

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[tonka]

CIDER !!!!

No way thats got to be the cream on this trip, anyone can get cheap Lidl lager.. But Strongbow is a premium...:thumb:

Bloody tourists with cheap Spanish brandy !!!!

 

[MrMotorhome]

CIDER !!!!

No way thats got to be the cream on this trip, anyone can get cheap Lidl lager.. But Strongbow is a premium...:thumb:

Bloody tourists with cheap Spanish brandy !!!!

That's not what Fatima though I told her everything has it's price.

 

[tonka]

Some Morocco funsters seem to be getting a little "tense".

I hear tales of certain items becoming in short supply like Bacon, lager, cider and Tonic water..


Now encamped at Ouarzazate, 6 vans. Municipal campsite. 65dh inc electric.
Campsite is fine but only sue said Sanitry block. 3 out 10 . Plans ( which can always change ) are 3 nights here before a run up to Marrakech.

 

[makems]

Phoned workshop today for update on parts. "Maybe Monday my friend, maybe Monday. Insh'Allah"
So that's us here for at least another week.
The only problem with that is that the septic tank is almost overflowing and needs to be emptied.
I asked the guardian how it could be done and from his pidgin English and acting gestures I gather it will be done by a couple of blokes with buckets!
I don't fancy THEIR job.
It will cost 400dh which divided by the 100 vans here is peanuts each. Except the tight-arsed Frogs don't like paying for anything.
We shall see......

 

[bryandh]

It will cost 400dh which divided by the 100 vans here is peanuts each. Except the tight-arsed Frogs don't like paying for anything.
We shall see......

Take your point, but if they really were tight arsed.......................... then the tank might not need emptying !!!

"The tail enders" will be joining you tomorrow,,,,, but maybe from a safe distance !

Regards, Bryan

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[SUGGY]

Berber House in Tafraute . we were taken round this dwelling by the Berber who's family had lived there for over 500 years , we were made very welcome , even inviting us to stay for mint tea . The house had lots of passages and rooms and was on 4 levels , with his n hers roof terraces , rooms for beasts that allowed the heat from them to rise into the main rooms ,Grain stores , :thumb:

Mr Motor Home and Suggy leaving Aglou Plage

We did a walk through the mountain passes and saw the famous Red and Blue rocks and Napoleon's Hat and Almond valley .

 

[SUGGY]

On the road from Tafraute to Talouine , Moroccan ladies with their baskets ,

Toilet with a view , at the Rock shop , oh:

Rosie with a Fossil at the Rock shop ,

Kasbah on the road .

Stork's on the top of the Mosque ,

 

[Carol]

Some Morocco funsters seem to be getting a little "tense".

I hear tales of certain items becoming in short supply like Bacon, lager, cider and Tonic water..


Now encamped at Ouarzazate, 6 vans. Municipal campsite. 65dh inc electric.
Campsite is fine but only sue said Sanitry block. 3 out 10 . Plans ( which can always change ) are 3 nights here before a run up to Marrakech.

This was one of the funny things we seen we stayed on that camp site suddenly heard loud screaming and a girl running naked out of the shower, there was a large lizard in the shower she just stood until her boyfriend calmed her down.

Not far from there are The Atlas Film Studios worth a visit.

 

[bryandh]

Goodbye to Atlantica Park

Last night for the "Tail Enders" at Atlantica Park and after a shaky start we (Anna & me) have come to like this crazy hive of local industry. For our part we bought and installed an urgently needed habitation water pump from the little accessory shop outside the camp. Ordered and had measured, made up and fitted, external screens all within 24 hours. Witnessed the astonishing skills of the local artist Rachid Nabil who painted some murals on rear and side panels of our van. We ordered some further blinds for the habitation windows, today, for side and rear windows from the extraordinary Abdullah who would not take a deposit even when told we were leaving tomorrow but would come back but said simply "I trust you to return".... amazing trust and hospitality evident everywhere, not just here but throughout Morocco.

We will certainly stop at Atlantica Park again and have no hesitation recommending this place to any who follow behind us.

Tomorrow on to Tazaghout beach to join our fellow funsters there, and from there into Agadir a much anticipated destination for us. More later.



Regards, Bryan (& Anna)

 

[Malcolm Bolt]

saw the famous Red and Blue rocks and Napoleon's Hat and Almond valley .

Well I go to the foot of our stairs, I didn't know Napoleon lived in these parts, will look him up as we pass by. Did you manage to give him his hat back?

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[Malcolm Bolt]

Job done

The newly fitted roof-light above the shower looks good. Unfortunately it is an itsy bit bigger than the last one, so there was not enough room for the roof box. Solution, alter roof box. Stanley knife and hacksaw were pressed into use and roof box now sits a bit further back against the rear roof rail and overhanging but not touching the roof-light. Sorted. :thumb::thumb:

Not so easy with the new external window sun shades. The awning style channel into which the top of the shades slide was too narrow and it took quite a while using screw drivers, ends of pliers, small claw hammer, allen keys, and several other bits from the tool box to open up the gap. (The special little tool for use in just such a situation - that one that looks like a couple of bullets on a bar, was conspicuous by its absence.) Now fitted, they do the job and look the business.:thumb::thumb:

Last year, in Italy, we bought a throw to cover the bench seat. It has always been too big and a b*gg*r to fold to fit over the the base and back. Late today we took it and the seat and the backrest to Hicham who said he could make fitted covers and the job would be done by 6 o'clock.
We should have realised there may be a problem when one of his assistants flung off the throw, moved the seat and draped the throw back over it. We had taken great pains to place it so that the patchwork pattern was parallel to the front and back of the seat and central. At twenty to six the work started. The Patron went to the Mosque and the assistant continued unsupervised. On the 'finished' item the pattern was neither parallel nor central and we were gutted.
When Hicham returned he was none to pleased with the young lad either. Within half an hour he had ripped all the original stitching apart, rearranged the pieces, re-stitched it all and the now properly finished cover is exactly as we had envisaged it. Yet another job done. :thumb::thumb:

All set to join the beach bums tomorrow but we will park a bit further away from the bog. (Could not find the smiley
with the peg on the nose.)

 

[voyagerstan]

bucket and chuck favorite at tagazoute same as marocs will do for 400 dirhams . camp site dump to be avoided at all costs .oh:oh:oh:

 

[mentaliss]

Morroco

As the time nears for this "meet up". I thought maybe a good idea to start a new thread as the adventure begins. A big thanks to Dave (snowbird) who originaly started the idea and no doubt expected 1 or 2 vans to join him, oh:

We still have a potential 12 - 14 vans who will meet on Tuesday 15th January at Algeciras. Some are already in Spain and moving closer to the port town, others like myself are still in UK and making a mad dash, leaving within the next few days.

I know many Funsters will be following the thread and checking on our progress, so lets do our best to provide information, pictures, highlights and hopefully no tales of woe...

MOROCCO. 2013. - Here we go. :thumb:

Hi guys, just a point of interest (as I need new European breakdown cover) who your insured with to cover travel within Europe and Morroco?

 

[Pat4Neil]

Insurance Comfort cover morocco, however even though you are covered with them for breakdown, you have to arrange it yourself, keep the bills and claim back, well thats what they told me a few years ago.

Safeguard dont cover morocco.

ADAC breakdown might, but negative reports on only a £200 cover, however repatriation is covered.

dont know of any normal stand a lone breakdown cover, but the others might answer you.
Pat

 

[tonka]

As Pat has stated..
I was with safeguard and found their insurance and breakdown cover to be good. Over the years have had to make a claim on both.. However they offer no breakdown cover for Morocco in any form.
Luckily for me my insurance was due just as we left UK, so moved to Comfort who offer a sort it yourself and claim back system...

ADAC seem to be the next favourite but I too have heard of a €200 limit on recovery...

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