Overland to and then a tour around Morocco. Winter 2016-2017

[XCovlov70]

Hope that the rain does not continue. Other than the rain the trip looks nice so far. The wave pictures are good ones. It does look like they are strongly storm driven.

The bad news for us is that the rain is continuing, which makes the trip not as good as we had hoped, but considering that we are a week earlier than last year and the weather then which was quite wet, I think this is a 'pattern' for this time of year.

Glad you like the wave picture, there is another one to follow as you are correct in that they are 'storm driven' and the Sea has not quite settled down yet!

[XCovlov70]

Overland to Morocco.
Winter 2016-2017

Stage 3A – First day in Mohammedia.

While the next ‘greeting’ this morning as I opened the door of the ‘TinTent’ in Mohammedia was another ‘Paddling Pool’!



The rest of the campsite in parts was in even worse ‘condition’!



Shortly after we hear this ‘knocking/banging’ and opening the door I see this…...



As the ‘sinkhole’ lets the ‘Paddling Pool’ disappear, but the hole stays there till I put the stones back in place!……..



After breakfast we decide as the rain has stopped to head into the town of Mohammedia for a look around, initially heading for the Port which we then found we could not get to as it was behind the wall on the left of the next picture as we saw the beach to our right…..



As the Sea looks to be quite ‘calm’ here…..



The rather expensive ‘Ship Restaurant’, down by the Port…..



As we then come back to the nice gardens to stroll through as we make our way to the town centre and the Medina…..



With this church on the right hand side ……



Now inside the Medina and the Mosque is just ahead…..



Not everyone is ‘Open for business’ thanks to the weather…..



As we found a replacement ‘Kettle’ which met the required ‘Spec’ we headed back to the campsite and for a walk along the beach going the opposite way to yesterday, but keeping a careful eye on the next belt of rain that was approaching!!!....



Looking back we could see how the campsite was being ‘squeezed’ between the two blocks of Holiday Apartments who we understand are trying to put the campsite out of business, by initially making it difficult to access the campsite……



While on this part of the coast the Sea is still in ‘Storm’ mode…..





As we then felt the next LARGE raindrops descend from the sky above it was time to head back rather quickly to the campsite and take cover in the ‘TinTent’!!.....



While it looks like more of the same weather tomorrow.....

[XCovlov70]

Overland to Morocco.
Winter 2016-2017

Stage 3B – Third day in Mohammedia.

As our second day in Mohammedia was a total washout our third day was a complete change in the weather with bright blue sky while being very windy which was good as it meant we could get the clothes washing done and out of the way!…..

After getting that out of the way along with a trip to the Marjane and local produce market we then took a nice ride on the bikes along the sea front.
As we have traveled along we got the impression that in a very short time it will be the same here with enough property to cover the next 10 years of people looking to buy apartments to live as well as ‘holiday homes’……













From the sides of the new properties either side, this old Blue & White coloured recreation area is literally falling apart!…..



The new building work is so intense….




The ‘Portakabin Sales Office’ for a block of flats under construction….



While on the other side of the road inside the small blue and white building is the Mains Electricity Distribution Sub Station (You can hear it ‘humming’ as you walk across the doors!)…..



The next ‘plot’ for development, which currently is being used as a dump for everyone else’s construction waste material!.....



A nice little bay a bit further along the coast…..





Even the ‘graffiti’ artists are getting to work!.....



As we see some of the more ‘permanent’ but I have to say ‘Wild’ residents on a traffic island in amongst the properties…..



With the horticulture on the wall of one of the older properties that is also in the process of falling apart…..



For me this block of flats stood out more purely because of its design and colour, as the others just looked like concrete boxes piled on top of each other, but this one had some character to it…..





Time to move on tomorrow so it’s back on the road……

[XCovlov70]

Overland to Morocco.
Winter 2016-2017

Stage 4 – Mohammedia to El Jadida and then on again.

We decided to head out of Mohammedia on our 4th day and set off for El Jadida.

As we had stayed there before we knew what the campsite was like as no maintenance seems to be carried out from one year to the next and when facilities breakdown they do not seem to register for repair, so we decided on one night as we had our own facilities to keep us going if all else failed.

While the rain did not let up that noise was joined by the barking dogs which were outside the campsite and made sleep a virtual impossibility!…..

So at 08:30 the following morning we were back on the road heading to a place called Ounara and Essouaria.
Little did we know what was in front of us on the N1 (Route National)!

An ominous sky and a lot of rainwater around from yesterday and last night….



As the rain then backed off there was still a lot or rainwater on the ground….



But life went on over here…..













It looked like this place had had another downpour just before we arrived and started to make our way through……







A new water tower under construction on the left as the old one on the right does not have enough capacity for the ‘growing’ town.....





At this point we found the rain water starting to come off the surrounding land and across the road…





Then a couple of miles further along the road we came to a ‘bigger problem’ with all the traffic stopped …..



As we pulled off the road and everyone else stayed on the rainwater was coming off the fields, onto the road and then off the road into the gulley in front of us, while further along the road it seemed to be around 3 inches deep…..





Meanwhile it didn’t stop traffic coming the other way……



So with that this little car takes off after having a few ‘words’ with the Gendarme who was supposed to be in control of what was going on……



Then a couple of minutes later we see this truck rolling towards us…..



With that as the truck passes by 3 cars in front set off and we followed keeping an eye on the right hand edge of the road and trying not to set up to much of a ‘bow wave’ while keeping the engine revs up!…..



Now we can see the road!......



Now you don’t and this section was deeper than the previous bit……







As we got through that lot, after another mile we came again to a ‘dead stop’ to be advised by the Gendarme on duty that a bridge on the N1 road ahead had been washed away by the rain so the road was impassable and we would have to turn around and head to Safi and use the coast road as an alternative!



So having then turned around we headed back the way we came for several miles and then turned left onto the road to Safi and as time was marching on we decided to head for the campsite in Safi as both the ‘Tin Tent’ and ‘Flamenco Red’ were covered in the residue from the rainwater while it had also been a very long day to have covered the short distance that we had traveled…..



As we pulled onto the campsite my good lady got out to check the position and then came to tell me: “The rear of the ‘TinTent’ is missing”!

Somewhere after turning onto the Safi road and negotiating a couple of sections of the road were the floodwater on it meant going around, the rear plastic panel including the registration plate and lights for it had been torn off the ‘TinTent’!!!



While ‘Flamenco Red’ looked like it had just come out of a mud bath!.....



So tomorrow we are off to see if we can get a number plate ‘copy’ made, along with an illumination light and with the help of that wonderful ‘invention’ called DuckTape and a few screws get ourselves sorted out and back up and running once more!...

This has to have been the wettest trip we have had to Morocco for us, but even after what we went through today, considering there is a large ventilation hole underneath the gas fire it still works when I tried it tonight, and there was no water inside the ‘TinTent’……

[XCovlov70]

Overland to Morocco.
Winter 2016-2017

Stage 4A – Safi and the ‘Temporary Repair’

Well it got a little better today but sadly it didn’t last…….

With the help of a young Moroccan man who offered his help we went into Safi to purchase a ‘copy’ number plate for the ‘TinTent’ which was made by spraying the ‘Yellow’ background onto a Moroccan car number plate and then putting the letters on after the paint had dried!!!

It looks better than the original UK plate but thanks to this thing about Internet Security, then you are only going to see the’ XCVolvo.com’ website link as the number plate is in the back window of the ‘TinTent’ underneath the ‘XCVolvo.com’ plastic cover…….
Sorry, but Privacy is so important with this ‘unsecure thing’ called the Internet!



After getting the number plate in place & blanking off the ‘voids’ on either side of where the centre section of what is called the ‘Hobby Bumper’ fits, which to be honest would impact if a Chicken jumped up and pecked it as you went past, as it is for ‘Cosmetic purposes’ only, we felt ready to get back on the road South………except!

In conversation with the occupants of a ‘Camper’ after our experience of the road being ‘closed’ on the Route National ‘N1’ due to a bridge being washed away, it turns out as they set off to ‘Go South’ via the Coast Road today that on advice from the Gendarme the ‘Coast Road’ is unadvisable due to a large amount of Road Works being in place, so they took that advice and returned!

So it seems like we are a bit ‘stuck’ here for a few days as the Military and ‘Bailey Bridges’ are not something you will find in Morocco even though this type of weather has been knocking on the door and happening for a few years now…..

Let’s hope the Sunshine continues tomorrow…….

[XCovlov70]

Overland to Morocco.
Winter 2016-2017

Stage 5 – Safi finally to Essouaria!

I spoke with the campsite manager in Safi this morning after he went to Essouaria yesterday and managed to return!!

So without further ado we wound up the legs on the ‘TinTent’ and set off to Essouaria via the Route National N1, the one that gave us the ‘problems’ a few days ago, when a bridge was washed away!.....

But first we have to get through the centre of Safi........





As we then travel along the road that we came in on as we make our way back to the N1…..



Passing the trees that have received a significant ‘Haircut’……



Finally to the junction of the N1 and into the first town…..



As we roll along the N1 all looks OK as we come to the section where the bridge was washed out and a deviation was now in place just before the town of Zghiat…..























As we came into Zghiat we spot this…..



With the typical Moroccan ‘Straw Truck’ coming towards us…..



Then we came to another ‘deviation’ but not as difficult as the last one……







As we then start to travel across some nice countryside…..











We came to the next town…….









Then not long after we come into the town of Ounara…..





A few miles further on we are at the top of the downhill run into Essouaria with the Camels hoping to lure a nice ‘Tourist’ for a picture, in the little parking area that gives a nice view over the town….



While down on the beach are a few more…….Camels! Tourists are not that prolific once again……



The island of Mogadour just off the coast…..



The city at the far end of the beach on which a lot of refurbishment has taken places since the storm of 2 years ago, and it looks very nice…..















This fishing boat was using the crew to remove and lay out it’s fishing net on te dockside, and the net was huge……..







Horseback Police Patrol on the Beach……



The Car Park, at the back of the beach, where you can spend the night for the fee of 30MAD!....BUT you need your own facilities as there is nothing there!....



The Lighthouse a bit further down the road that is still in operation……



As it gets darker and we say……



Good night from Essouaria!……

P.s. With NO Internet on the Carpark any update was about as possible as a return flight to Venus tomorrow, but it was nice for me having a 'Night off'!

[XCovlov70]

Overland to Morocco.
Winter 2016-2017

Stage 6 – Essouaria to Taghazout

After not a lot of sleep from 02:00hrs this morning thanks to once again the noise of the local ‘Dog Pack’ the Sunrise had a touch of redness in it that was nicely placed around the bush outside the ‘TinTent’ while the Guardien who is supposed to be looking after the place was also nowhere to be seen……



So after a quick breakfast we set off past the lighthouse which was also ‘quiet’ in the daylight as the lamp had been turned off and started to make our way South again…….



Coming to a small town quite soon that looked like it was getting set up to have a Donkey Derby!…..



While it was in fact ‘Market Day’ and the locals were in the process of getting set up to conduct their business ……



Push on to the next town that seemed to be a bit ‘quieter’ as there were not many people around on the main road through the centre…..



As we then start the hill climbing on decent road and nicer scenery as we travel along…..







Seems like the Goats are getting ready to do a bit of Tree Climbing in search of food……









Interesting? A Taxi with what seemed to be a puncture and no one around, while the vehicle was clearly unlocked & wide open!











As the road winds its way to the coast…..







As we come into the Town of Tigert, with a stop to get a couple of ‘Hobs’ which are the Moroccan small round loaves of bread shaped like a Discus and very tasty, especially when they have just been baked and you cut them open and spread some butter on the inside!
WOW, I am starting to drool as I think about and write this!!!



This is also the area where they grow small Bananas which are around 3 to 4 inches long and very nice, full of flavour and straight off the plant to the shop which is a very short distance away…..







Then a little bit further on and we turn left onto the 1km of ‘piste’ that has never been improved in the 5 years we have been coming to Morocco, so you have to go very slowly so you don’t shake yourself and your outfit apart as you go along it to get to the campsite……



After checking in and getting a pitch, we get set up and just have a nice relaxing day as the temperature climbs to a very warm 23C.
A bit later on I tried to use the Wi-Fi on the campsite and found it wasn’t working, then going over to the office there was another man in there and the proprietor was not a ‘Happy Bunny’ having been asked by a few of the people if the ‘fault’ could be fixed, as I thought she was having a right ‘tantrum’ at one point!
I left it and went back around 1 hour later to find it was still ‘broken’ and having pointed out that I could not even log onto the access point Madam finally looks and finds the cable is not plugged in!

While I then found that the Wi-Fi external ariel is very limited in its coverage of the campsite and anyone to the side or rear of reception is unable to get the signal.

So I went over to using my Maroc Telecom Dongle which is providing a much better service than the Wi-Fi here.

Time for a bit more ‘relaxation’ as we get a nice Sunset…..







Followed by a very small segment of the Moon in the middle of the sky….



Good night……

Forecast for the next 3 days is……..RAIN!

[XCovlov70]

Overland to Morocco.
Winter 2016-2017

Stage 6A – An afternoon around the campsite near Taghazout

After a morning of a number of rain showers we managed to get out and have a short walk this afternoon with some nice views in the process ……

The downhill entrance to the campsite……









Not very far from the campsite is this nice little secluded beach which is accessible from the road running alongside…..







Not quite as good a Sunset this evening……





While the owner had a few more ‘tantrums’ over the ‘Wi-Fi’ today we have decided to pull out earlier, so tomorrow we will head for a place that we have not been to before which hopefully will be considerably better……

Good night……

[ssicarman]

Looks like you have caught some nicer weather. Hopefully the forecast is wrong and the sun stays.

[XCovlov70]

Looks like you have caught some nicer weather. Hopefully the forecast is wrong and the sun stays.

While the wind that is coming up from the South is quite warm, our fingers are crossed that it keeps the rain away!