Overland 2013/14 to Morocco

[XCovlov70]

Different way to me of doing things. When I mentioned pressurized water I meant hooked up to a campsite supply system. I have limited experience with newer campers here. The newest we have had was a rental hard side trailer with fold out/down beds in 2006 for a trip to Missouri. The tap water system when not hooked to campground water would activate the electric pump when you turned the tap on and the system lost pressure. So the system always keeps a bit of pressure.
Seems to me that your system as you are finding out is looking to break down. That said I am not sure how long the pressure switch in the pump is good for. 5$ fix is much better than a 90$ one though.

While very few campsites have the facility to hook up to a direct water feed, and if they do have it's called a 'Super Pitch' and could cost around 25/30% MORE!

On the previous 'Tin Tent' (Same model & manufacturer) the cables to the microswitch lasted about the same time, but I guess that is the sort of longevity and poor reliability we seem to experience over here along with the 'Rip Off Price' for replacements!

You just need to apply a bit of logical step analysis to a work around that will last a hell of a lot longer at minimal cost, especially as you are unable to get a 'proper replacement' as there are no shops within a 1000 Miles!

While I don't see why I should contribute some of my pension to a CEO/MD who sits in an Ivory Tower and charges extortionate prices for items with a bad service life.

[XCovlov70]

Stage 6 “South through Spain to Caceres”

“Buenos Dias”

After a short rest and resolving a few ‘problems’ with the ‘Tin Tent’ we are off again on our way to Caceres which is around 340 miles further South, while yesterday we finally got word from our friends in the Camper that they have managed to set off from Boulogne (France).

The reason for their extra delay was that the Repair Garage damaged the bodywork of their camper, did not contact them to let them know but sent it off to a body repair shop to be fixed. Our friends meanwhile checked out of their hotel expecting to go over to the garage to collect, and when they arrived the camper was missing!
A short search found it next door having repairs carried out to the bodywork.

After having a new clutch fitted the garage contacted them to advise them that they also needed a new starter motor, as the one fitted was ‘faulty’ however it seems very likely that instead of towing the camper into the workshop, the garage used the starter motor to ‘crank’ the camper in as the camper recorded a very heavy current drain on the battery at the time it was moved into the workshop.

Meanwhile, back on the road and as we left Navarrete we see this line of cloud sitting on top of the hills on the other side of the valley…



Not long down the ‘Autopista’ (Toll Free Motorway) we had a surprise and thought for a minute we had by some very fast move arrived in Morocco when we saw the load on the roof of this vehicle, while the inside was just as fully ‘stuffed’ and all you could see was the driver!!



Making our way through either patches of low cloud or fog we got to this point where the cloud/fog cleared away to give us this view of more mountains bathed in clouds….









While the water level in the lake we passed last year seems to be higher….



After a run of 346 Miles we pulled into the campsite entrance and as I opened the door of ‘Flamenco Red’ to go and check in, a wonderful smell of Spaghetti Bolognese hit me as it came out from the Slow Cooker!
Dinner was being prepared/cooked as we came from Navarrete to Caceres by ‘Flamenco Red’ using the slow cooker and the 12V High Power Outlet in the back!

Buenos Noches (Spanish ‘Good night’)

[Forkster]

Always a great read!

[ssicarman]

Forkster

Care you don't spill popcorn in the car.

[XCovlov70]

Forkster

Care you don't spill popcorn in the car.

Hey, if he makes a mess in the 'Third Seat' then he can get his 'asx' over here and clean it up! Flamenco Red would not be a 'Happy Bunny'

However 'Thanks for the compliment' Forkster.
Appreciate it.

[XCovlov70]

Stage 7 “South through Spain to Algeciras & Morocco”

“Buenos Dias”

Finally got back on Internet in Morocco so can now get the update loaded!

While I found out yesterday that when we are hooked up to a Main Electric Supply there is no charge going into the Leisure Battery from the Charger that is part of the electronics in the ‘Tin Tent’.

While having no circuit diagram or visibility of expected voltages from the different outlet points I think it’s a fair bet that when the reading at the majority of places is a big fat ‘ZERO’ it’s a safe assumption to say the Charger is buggered!
So it looks like we will be reliant on Solar Power only, as ‘Tin Tent’ Dealers in this neck of the woods are rather scarce!

Meanwhile…..
After 3 nights at Caceres Camping, and having now been joined by our friends, it was time to get back on the road to Algeciras, and the Ferry across to Tanger Med & Morocco…..

So with a nice sunrise we set off…..





Passing the Vinyards….



New Power Line Pylons in the process of being built…..



Young Olive Trees in a rich reddish brown coloured soil…



Then the inevitable Spanish ‘Solar Power Farms’





With a quick detour for a few litres more of Diesel so that we can do the run to Algeciras in more or less one hit….





Then back on the ‘Autovia’ (Non Toll Road)…



Passing around the outskirts of Seville….



The pick up the ‘Autovia’ towards Cadiz, while still going around Seville….















As we then pass by the Spanish Guitar Statue….



The get off the ‘Autovia’ as we don’t fancy picking up the Toll Fee as we go around Cadiz so go onto the ‘normal’ road….



Finally back on another ‘Autovia’ quite close to Algeciras as we cross over a range of mountains that have a lot of high winds hence the Wind Turbines that never seem to stop turning, while it feels like you are either driving against a wall of wind or getting buffeted from side to side……





Closer towards Algeciras



We then can say ‘Adios’ to Torro the Bull…..



Next morning after getting the Ferry Tickets and a night spent with a number of other ‘Tourists’ bound for Morocco it was up with the larks and off at 08:00hrs, down to the Port to get the 10:00hrs Morocco Ferry….



Checked in, cleared Police and Immigration Control and now on the dockside seeing the ferry coming astern into the berth…..









Oops, sorry one of the ramps requires repairing before loading commences....



While the local Refuse Truck drives onto the boat to collect all the waste from the crossing just completed…..



While I turn to my right I see this splendid view of the Sun & Clouds over the Ferry Port…



Finally get on board and while waiting to set off, I get out on the rear deck and see a container ship alongside being offloaded…..





It took longer to write the words than it did for the crane to come and pick up this next container…..



The container section of the port has expanded quite a bit from last year….



Making our way out to sea we pass this small ferry which is being turned around with the aid of Tugs at the front and rear…..



While Gibraltar appears behind this vessel…..



In the background of the next picture are two container ships one of which seems to have double the capacity of the other, while an old ferry lies tied up to the quayside…..



With a clearer view of Gibraltar, we clear the quayside and make our way albeit 30 minutes late over to Morocco, where the ramps go down and we are second off and making our way to the Border & Police Control points….



While we saw more ‘Touts’ this time than last year, who would ask for your ‘papers’ scribble something illegible in the corner pronouncing all was in order and then ask for money, we also seemed to arrive at the same time as a couple of other ferries which made for a slow entry process as totally overloaded cars had parts of their loads inspected more closely to the annoyance of the drivers…



Then after visiting one of the local currency exchange banks inside the port compound, we were on our way and heading out of the port for a much needed Diesel fill up at a local garage…..



Then making our way to the Toll Road we started to catch up a few of the overloaded cars whose clutches were giving off a wonderful aroma associated with ‘burning’ which we also smelt while waiting in line for Border clearance…





While in the next picture, the BMW signals to overtake, while the driver of the other vehicle now wishing to be overtaken floors the accelerator, producing a Diesel ‘Black Smoke Screen’ from out of his exhaust and goes off down the hill and up the other side like a bat out of hell, with a side wind that is rocking the car quite a bit!



Continuing along a section of the Toll Road that we did not use last time we see fields completely covered in Polytunnels, of small, medium & large size, while on the campsite after we arrived we are offered Moroccan grown Strawberries and Raspberries in late December…..



Our first impression from last year’s trip is that Morocco is changing at a very fast pace, as we also saw a number of new developments being built…..

tisbah `ala khair (Arabic ‘Good night’)

[XCovlov70]

Stage 7A “A day back in Moulay Bousselham”

“Salam Alaikum” (Good morning!)

After a nice peaceful night at the campsite we were woken at 05:45 this morning by the ‘Call to Prayer’ from what sounded like 3 Mosques in the town, so at around 06:30 as the Sun was rising I stepped outside to this view….



Then turning the other way there was quite a bit of noise and commotion from the Fishermen getting ready to set off on the incoming tide…..



While shortly after a number of them set off in ‘Line Astern’ along the channel to the open sea and a day’s fishing….



While more along the channel were getting ready…..



As the sky over the campsite continued to get lighter.…





Then it was back inside for some breakfast before we set off into town to get some bread and a Maroc Telecom Dongle to allow me to upload the updates…







As we made our way back to the campsite and looked over towards the lagoon we could see some of the Fishermen who set off early as they returned and started to sell their catch to all the locals and restaurants who came down to the boatyard…..



Finally passing some of the new houses just outside the campsite as we made our way in for some lunch and a nice ‘Berber Whiskey’ (Mint Tea) in the afternoon….



tisbah `ala khair (Arabic ‘Good night’)

[XCovlov70]

Hi XCovlov ! How are you ? I think well and everything is ok if you are on the road again !

Bon Giorno Giorgio!
My humble apologies for missing your 'Reply'!

'Flamenco Red' is still providing excellent service and reliability thanks to those Great Folks in 'Torslanda' Sweden who built the car!

So we can still enjoy the driving and visiting such interesting places!

Enjoy!

[XCovlov70]

Stage 8 “Moulay Bousselham to Kenitra”

“Salam Alaikam”

Again this morning we were met with a nice sunrise before we set off on the next stage…..



Then it was off to the Toll Road for the short run to Kenitra passing the Cactus Plants as we travelled along….



With a nice quiet Toll Road in front of us, but it was only 08:30….





The ‘Sea Bed’? No it was the Clouds…



Not long and we are checked in and parked up ready for a bit of lunch as we called into the Marjane Supermarket on the way here for some shopping….



After which we set off into Kenitra centre passing this VW Passat that looks like it is being completely re-built….



Nice colour on a flowering bush….



The some of the sights in Kenitra…..





One of the main roads through the city looking up the road….



Then looking down the road…..



While in this small square was a nice fountain that has been missing it’s water for some considerable time as we saw by the amount of rubbish inside including a couple of old tyres!



While back in the Motor Repair section of town we pass a couple of Drive Shaft & Suspension Strut Repair Shops…..



Back on the road tomorrow for the next stage….

tisbah `ala khair (Arabic ‘Good night’)

[XCovlov70]

Stage 9 “Kenitra to El Jadida”

“Salam Alaikam”

While the sunrise before we set off on the next stage was not that spectacular this morning I spotted this vehicle and ‘On Top Bedroom’ that arrived late last night…..



Then it was off to the Toll Road for the run to El Jadida , while thankfully following the correct section of road to get around Casablanca and not try to go through it!….



Passing by some of the outskirts of Rabat….



As we came into a Shell Garage and Service Area where it appeared there was a ‘Fell off the back of a lorry’ sale going on (This is an English expression for very cheap goods!)



The outskirts of Casablanca.…



Small Mosque on opposite side of Toll Road….



As Casablanca is a very large city, then the houses keep expanding, and this was a very new development….



Then now long after we came to a ‘stop/start’ with cars trying to squeeze through all over the place! (Sadly for some drivers they have no patience!)



While we thought this broken down Truck was the ‘problem’ sadly it was not to be the case…..



As we crawled along we then saw lots of people up on the pedestrian bridge across the Toll Road….



While in front of that bridge they were lining both sides of the road, as well as the next footbridge.….





Then we came to and saw part of the aftermath of the ‘accident’….



From the condition of the rear tractor unit wheels of the truck in front of the crushed car, it appears that they ran over the car…..



While a bit further down the road we see this small factory chimney pumping out a very thick ‘Pink Smoke’?



New Tyres anyone?



Not long after we are off the Toll Road and entering the outskirts of El Jadida….



Coming into the campsite we find a lot more units here than last year, but we are two weeks later than last time, but having checked out the facilities which we thought were not good last year, they have had nothing done to them to improve and have actually got far worse, so one night will be the maximum for this stop, even though we are 'self sustaining' but another visit will not to be repeated if we come back again, we will stay somewhere else….



Quick lunch and it was off into town…..



Passing this rather interestingly named restaurant…..



On the beach were quite a few local Football Matches going on…..



Making our way over to the entrance to the Port we were allowed in this time to have a look around, by a very helpful Police Officer on the gate….

As we came around the quayside buildings we see this fishing net being reloaded into the fishing boat, which is quite labour intensive as the crew lay out the net to allow it to pay out correctly when at sea…..



You may just be able to see part of the 6 or 7 deckhands making sure the net is laid out correctly on the deck….



While on this vessel it has all been stowed away….



Inner harbour with lots of little fishing boats in…..



Sorting some of the catch from the smaller fishing boats….



A couple of the ‘Middle’ sized fishing boats….



The ‘Ice Making Machine’ for freshly caught fish brought onto the dockside….



Interesting to see that on the Larger fishing boats there is a metal ‘skin’ fitted to the last upper section of the wooden hull, presumably to help it last longer….



A ‘Dhow’ in the shipyard being re-built…..



Looking across to the old Portuguese Walled City….





So we walked around and went inside…..













Then just inside a museum we found this little plan of the Portuguese City….



While also inside was the Portuguese ‘Cistern’ or fresh water system…..



Entrance Hall, where the ceiling consists of small bricks with mortar inbetween, and begs the question….’How did they get them to stay up and together with fresh mortar between the bricks as they are all alocoves?’



While underneath in the Cistern, the roof is constructed in exactly that same manner…..







Then in the middle is the very large well…..







While it’s back on the road tomorrow for the next stage….

tisbah `ala khair (Arabic ‘Good night’)