Morocco 2013 (2 Viewers)

[makems]

Dave - how did you BBQ chops in the freezer?

 

[Snowbird]

Dave - how did you BBQ chops in the freezer?

Dead easy when you have had enough beer. I cant tell the BBQ from the fridge
Have even been know to P in the sink and wash my hands in the pan before now.

 

[makems]

When we left the Sahara we headed North to Ourzazate where we stopped at the Municipal site.
Never again! If it hadn’t been such a long drive we would have left and found somewhere else.
We were crammed in like sardines and still charged 110Dh for the pleasure of being 3 feet from a French van on one side and a mud wall 3 feet from the other side.
Photo 1 is one of the roadways through the site!
If you don't need to stay in the centre of Ourzazarte there is a much better site a few miles North at Taborhate (No 115 in the book with nice, clean facilities including a swimming pool.
We drove to Ait Benhaddou where there is a very impressive Kasbah (Photo 3)
We stopped at a site just a short walk to the Kasbah where they filmed a number of scenes for Gladiator including the one where Russell Crowe is fighting his first contests. There are photos all over the Kasbah of the set. (see photo 2)
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]-->You reach the Kasbah across a bridge after which you immediately have to run the gauntlet of a narrow street full of shops. (Photo 4).
Every single one of the shop owners will want you to view his wares which inevitably are identical in each shop! You can’t fob them off with “Later” as they will say “Promise?”
And when you return and have to run the gauntlet again they will remember and say “You promised you would look”.
And a promise made is a promise you have to keep, so you briefly look around each shop repeating the same conversation each time:
“Tajine?”
“We already have a tajine”
“Berber jewellery?”
“I am allergic”
“Berber rug?”
“We have no room in our motorhome”
“A teapot?”
“We already have one”
“Argan oil?”
“Got that too”
“%$&*&*^£!” (or whatever is Arabic for “Oh bugger”)
“Bye Bye”
It’s all good natured, but time consuming
[FONT=&quot]It’s a long slog up to the top of the Kasbah through the narrow allies.
But worth it (see picture 5)
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[makems]

Photo 1 - Looking to the High Atlas Mountains from the top of Ait Benhaddou.
Photo 2 - The locals don’t use the bridge – they use a short cut straight across the river:
Photo 3 - At the top is an old fella playing the one string Moroccan guitar. Rocking All Over The World!
Photo 4 - We needed a cup of coffee and Muhammed had a café right near the top with fantastic views from his roof terrace.
Photo 5 - He also had a carpet shop he was keen to show off and Gwen was interested in how the Berber rugs were made so he demonstrated.
The large rugs can take two people 2 to 3 years to make!
No wonder they aren’t cheap.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]-->

 

[makems]

We drove to Tinehir and stayed at a campsite near the entrance to the Todra Gorge. It was a nice site and we were parked on a terrace overlooking a beautiful, clear mountain stream.
I’d just taken photo 1 of Gwen when I heard a hell of a clatter coming from the stream.
I didn’t have time to change the settings on the camera but just kept clicking as a couple of fellas came galloping on horses at full speed up the river bed. They were really going at a speed. Then a cool dude came walking slowly by soon after. https://vimeo.com/63047891
The next day we set off to see the Gorge itself which is very narrow and the cliffs are over 1000m high in places! (photo 2)
There’s that motorhome again - https://vimeo.com/63049503
The gorge is also popular with rock climbers for obvious reasons. I don’t think I fancy doing this myself:https://vimeo.com/63048881
On the drive we spotted a lot of Ground Squirrels including this little chap in Photo 3 who had found some orange peel for his lunch.
Next day we had a rest and bumped into some people we had met a couple of times previously. Al and Dylan were a young couple from New Zealand who have been touring Europe for more than a year in an old camper van they bought in the UK. They had met English couple Charlie and Yvonne in Morocco and had been touring with them for a couple of months. We first bumped into them in our first week at Essaouria and then again a few weeks later at Taghazoute. (Photo 4)
After Todra it was back to Agdz because Gwen had run oiut of some wool she had bought there a couple of weeks earlier and hadn't bought enough!
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]> <style> v\ {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\ {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\ {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]-->[FONT=&quot]Scenery in the High Atlas Mountains can be stunning (photo 5)
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[FONT=&quot]
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[Snowbird]

When we left the Sahara we headed North to Ourzazate where we stopped at the Municipal site.
Never again! If it hadn’t been such a long drive we would have left and found somewhere else.
We were crammed in like sardines and still charged 110Dh for the pleasure of being 3 feet from a French van on one side and a mud wall 3 feet from the other side.
Photo 1 is one of the roadways through the site!
If you don't need to stay in the centre of Ourzazarte there is a much better site a few miles North at Taborhate (No 115 in the book with nice, clean facilities including a swimming pool.
We drove to Ait Benhaddou where there is a very impressive Kasbah (Photo 3)
We stopped at a site just a short walk to the Kasbah where they filmed a number of scenes for Gladiator including the one where Russell Crowe is fighting his first contests. There are photos all over the Kasbah of the set. (see photo 2)
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]-->You reach the Kasbah across a bridge after which you immediately have to run the gauntlet of a narrow street full of shops. (Photo 4).
Every single one of the shop owners will want you to view his wares which inevitably are identical in each shop! You can’t fob them off with “Later” as they will say “Promise?”
And when you return and have to run the gauntlet again they will remember and say “You promised you would look”.
And a promise made is a promise you have to keep, so you briefly look around each shop repeating the same conversation each time:
“Tajine?”
“We already have a tajine”
“Berber jewellery?”
“I am allergic”
“Berber rug?”
“We have no room in our motorhome”
“A teapot?”
“We already have one”
“Argan oil?”
“Got that too”
“%$&*&*^£!” (or whatever is Arabic for “Oh bugger”)
“Bye Bye”
It’s all good natured, but time consuming
[FONT=&quot]It’s a long slog up to the top of the Kasbah through the narrow allies.
But worth it (see picture 5)
[/FONT]
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1027"/> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapelayout v:ext="edit"> <o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1"/> </o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->

Avoid Qurzazate at all costs. There is nothing there only if you drive through and camp in the hotel just out of town. I could never understand why people go there, its a dust bowl with New York prices. Ait Benhaddoheu is another story, but I never stayed overnight there, preferring to stay at the campsite before the turn off.

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[Carol]

Qurzazate, I agree on that one Dave it is one place we would not want to go back to, and we had a really poor but expensive meal there, one to give a miss.

 

[ponyboy]

Mark, glad you liked APOD site and if you check back in APOD Archives you'll find that your pics are in the same league. Anyway back to camping vans and as you say you guys have a lot of research to do - we did a fair amount before heading over to Europe, mainly on buying the van. I've attached a our blog address which you might find helpful. We've been in France now for two months and just LOVE it all the travel the places the road ahead to wherever. Staying in Europe till Feb 2014 when we need to go back to Oz for a few months but planning to come back here again after that.
Link Removed

 

[mentaliss]

Morocco 2014

I would just like to ask the 'Veterans' of Morocco trips is it true that the radiator and the AC exchange rad' should be protected against road debris etc etc

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[tonka]

I would just like to ask the 'Veterans' of Morocco trips is it true that the radiator and the AC exchange rad' should be protected against road debris etc etc

On our particular trip as far as I know no one did anything or had any issues and it is not sometimg that was raised by anyone who gave us information prior to the trip.. I suspect if you try and block to stop the sand you also block the airflow so unless you are doing some serious 4x4 deep sand stuff no reason why you should....
The toll motorways are better than ours, main roads are a bit bumpy in places..

 

[Malcolm Bolt]

avoiding action

There was certainly plenty of loose gravel on several roads we used but we did not have any problems last year. (There again we don't have any A/C either.). Just drive a bit slower and don't get too close to the truck in front. You could also consider something with a higher ride. About ten feet off the ground should do it.

 

[vwalan]

always keep a good distance from the vehicle in front . when cars pass coming the other way the locals press theit hand against the screen this helps stop the shock should a stone fly up.
i think regards a/c its really if you should get caught in a sand storm . but then its almost if not suitable to be driving anywhere . find a good off road place and stay there . dont use the air.con . it does get hot . sand blows in from every little crack you never knew you had .
having been caught in them for three days at times . you can build sand castles in your camper. only had it about 5 times in all the years i have been going . but it can happen .
the worse was a few years ago with locusts . they were in great flocks . a mate tried to drive north in his landcruiser through a swarm . they did block his radiator and cause problems . again stop.
these should give an idea .this was only on the edge of a swarm . those bits on the ground are them .

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[marjohn]

hello there i hope to go to morocco for 2 to 3months how do you get on

​

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:

i would like to know how would you get on with refillable gas bottles any suggestion also i would like to go with my wife for 2to 3months in jan 2014 many thanks still learning the pc

 

[tonka]

​

i would like to know how would you get on with refillable gas bottles any suggestion also i would like to go with my wife for 2to 3months in jan 2014 many thanks still learning the pc

Forget refillable, fill up in Spain and when you run out just buy and use local bottles..
Jan 2014 keep watching the forum, several of us are going back and you can maybe tag along with one of us.. Read all the above posts and it will give you a good insite...:thumb:

 

[mentaliss]

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:

Count us in as one of your 12-14 vans, Pauline & Mentaliss so what's the procedure..meet up at Alecirias on the 15th Jan?

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[Peter & Elaine]

Count us in as one of your 12-14 vans, Pauline & Mentaliss so what's the procedure..meet up at Alecirias on the 15th Jan?

Hi guys I think you will find this is last years run started jan 2013
Next year's run is not sorted as yet but I started a interest post
Morocco 2014 where a lot of funnsters have shown interest
I will not be organising it my self as our travel plans cant be confirmed till december

 

[tonka]

Count us in as one of your 12-14 vans, Pauline & Mentaliss so what's the procedure..meet up at Alecirias on the 15th Jan?

oh:oh:oh:

Come on guys keep up !!! Been there done that..

2014 is just around the corner...:thumb:

Like others, we need to get nearer the end of the year before we can finally say what we are doing. However fingers crossed we should leave UK first week in January (always like to see grandkids off and back to school) then a drive down to start another tour early Jan 2014..

 

[hilldweller]

2014 is just around the corner...:thumb:.

Ain't that the truth !!

Like the pound, these 21C years just don't last.

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[marjohn]

hoping to go to morocco jan2014

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:

hello there me and my wife would like to go to morocco jan 2014 for the first time we have 1 refillable gas bottle also 1 calor gas would that cause us any problems also any help would be apprecaited still learning margaret john many thanks proble meet up at one of your rallys

 

[SUGGY]

Depending on your gas system.
If you have a pig tail from your regulator to your calor bottle then all you need is a pig tail with the left hand female coupling , you can get these from a mariner gas or most caravan shop,

This will let you conect to a spanish bottle via a spanish on off non presure regulator about£10 ( you cannot have 2 regulators in line ).

You can then conect direct to a moroccan bottle as they are a male left hand thread .

A 13kg moroccan bottle costs around £10 including the bottle and the fill, exchange bottles are about £4,

A 907 in morocco is about £5 in uk £35 you can buy the adapters to fit the 907 to your van for about £2.
You can get a burner to fit a 907 is about £3 and great for cooking outdoors forget the cadac , i took mine and never even used it and havent since .

 

[marjohn]

morocco2014 jan

We had the same problem and emailed the Moroccan Embassy London, they replied immediately explaining if you have a UK passport you need at least 3 months on your passport. :thumb: I think its six months if you need a Visa.

hello me and my wife would like to go to morocco for 2to3 months finish up in bendorm it will be our first time so can anybody help us to get the ball rolling also we have gasflow refillable and 1 calor gas will that cause us any problems many thanks marjohnjan 2014our intentions

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[marjohn]

like to go to morocco jan 2014

oh:oh:oh:

Come on guys keep up !!! Been there done that..

2014 is just around the corner...:thumb:

Like others, we need to get nearer the end of the year before we can finally say what we are doing. However fingers crossed we should leave UK first week in January (always like to see grandkids off and back to school) then a drive down to start another tour early Jan 2014..

me and my wife would like to join you any ideas how to get started marjohn thanks

 

[makems]

me and my wife would like to join you any ideas how to get started marjohn thanks

If you have read through this thread you will probably find out just about everything you need to know about travelling to Morocco. I know it's a long thread but virtually every question is answered in there somewhere.

If you have specific questions then by all means fire away.

I think Suggy has answer your questions about gas bottles except that we found that a Moroccan bottle will fit on the end of a Gaslow hose without any other adapters. So we took one of our Gaslow bottles out (the one that was LEAKING! ) and replaced it in situ with a Moroccan bottle.

We also bought very cheaply a Camping Gaz 907 equivalent bottle with a cooking ring on top as we cooked outside a lot of the time. A tajine on top of one of those makes a great "one pot" meal.

 

[MrMotorhome]

hello me and my wife would like to go to morocco for 2to3 months finish up in bendorm it will be our first time so can anybody help us to get the ball rolling also we have gasflow refillable and 1 calor gas will that cause us any problems many thanks marjohnjan 2014our intentions

Hello Marjohn, as already mentioned the are a few members planning a trip to Morocco in January. Watch the forum nearer the time.

You can refill gas bottles in Morocco mainly Butane. There are also a couple of places you can have propane filled. Never used them, follow Suggy's comments - he is very experienced with gas....

You might find it useful to follow this link HERE to give you lots of information regarding Morocco. For more detail as suggested read the theBroken Link Removedthread.

When I have time I will update the google map with the gas locations I know of.

Hope the above helps you. :thumb:

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[marjohn]

is mrocco this year 2013

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:

hello there when you say morocco jan 15 do you mean 2014 or was it for jan 2013 just gonemarjohn

 

[marjohn]

i have completed the trip

We are looking forward to joining you all in Algericas on the 15th. :thumb:

Carol and Andrew

hellothere have you completed the trip and was it good because i ws wondering jan 15 it must of been the beging of the year
marjohn 2-10-2013

 

[makems]

I don't know about other Funsters but we intend to cross from Algeciras to Morocco on 15 jan 2014. Of course plans might change but that's one of the attractions of motor homing - the ability to change plans as circumstances change.

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[tonka]

The 15th Jan works for me, as of now...
Might get a week in Benidorm on route down :thumb:

Plus a visit into Bella Vista to chat about the March meet...
That's 3 months of 2014 gone already !!!!

 

[Theonlysue]

Morocco

perhaps a new Morocco 2014 thread????????

 

[tonka]

perhaps a new Morocco 2014 thread????????

Calm down..... !!! not yet. to early....

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