Gone for good

Just out of Fes there is an old Roman ruin called Volubulis. This is one of the largest Roman cities remaining and is undergoing a remarkable transformation. The renovation of the site is being done in such a way so as not to hid ethe new works but rather to create a clear distinction between the new and the old. It look fantastic. Although it is a way off track, this is a must see if you are in the area.

Then we were on our way to Casablanca

When Humphrey Bogart was here in the classic film Casablanca, everything was black and white and filled with Middle Eastern African scenes of life. Nothing has changed, except of course for a really, really big Mosque. Casablanca is

We didn't stay long at Casablanca though, having smelt the sea air and felt the sea breeze we headed South along the coast in search of the perfect wave and some summer tans.

We expected a coastal drive following the path of wayward surfers and windsurfers cutting their way down an under developed surfcoast towards Western Africa. Well it was windy and there was some surf. but it was also well and truly discovered. It got better the further South we went though.

We left Merzouga heading North through Midelt and the flat lands of central Morocco for two days until we got to Fez, the ancient capital city.

The drive was amazing and reminded Meaghan and I of home quite a lot.
We stayed a night in Midelt, at a tourist centre with a pool and beer - very very expensive beer. But it was worth it.

Then on to Fez, a city built around a huge maze of souks.

Fez was amazing and lived up to our expectations. The city is old and navigation through the souks is a real challenge but well worth the hours spent trying to find your way back to your hotel. There are many tours available to help you navigate through the important sights - most of which are inside the walled Medina. You can do it yourself though, with some good shoes and a but of courage...

Rockin the Casbah

After Ait Ben Hadou we continued through the heat and sand into the Erg Chebbi desert. This patch of sand 160 km long and 40 km wide escaped the Sahara proper and is making it's way West to the coast. It is hot and very very sandy.

We even had a sandstorm.

We stayed at a Riad and camped in tents (Brave but silly in the heat). The next morning we got up early and sat on a dune in the Saharan sand and caught one of the most amazing sites we have ever seen on camera sunrise and a camel caravan in the Sahara.

This is one of the best highlights of all our travels.

We caught up with Louwrens and Marianne after a couple of nights in the Riad in Marrakech. It was great to see them again after so long. They were equally impressed with the sights and sounds of the city. We decided to rent a car for the next part of the journey, there are hundreds of tour companies offering well packed trips to the areas that we wanted to go, but as we had a month, we wanted the flexibility of a car. In the end, contrary to what all the guide books say about renting cars in Morocco - it proved to be the cheapest and by far the most convenient way to see the country.

After a quick familiarisation session navigating our way out of the city, we were soon on the road headed South to a great spot called Ait Ben Hadou the site made famous by Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator and other big budget films. On the way we crossed the High Atlas mountains - and they were... really high.

We stayed a night in both the Dades Valley and the Todra Gorge, both within easy reach if you have a car and well worth the visit.

Camping proved to be really cheap in Morocco and we felt safe in most of the places we stayed.

We camped up on the roof. It was great, we watched the sunset over the desert and really started feeling that we were in the heart of the country and at the beginning of a true adventure.

We caught an overnight train from Tangier to Marrakech, this had us arriving just out of town early in the morning. We found a coffee and decided to walk into the town centre.

Djma El Fnaa is the main square in Marrakech and it may yet prove to be impossible for me to properly describe it here.

If you can imagine a large open square filled with the hustle and bustle of market sellers, smoke rising from BBQ stalls, swirling around the crowd as cars and motorbikes part the throng like Moses and the sea. It really feels old world and so full of senses that it it feels like a punch in the face. Only, in the nose, ears, eyes and skin as well. It is overpowering and it really does give the immediate impression that it will consume you without a thought.

Now that all probably sounds a little trite and wanna be poetic, but let me tell you straight – we had never seen anything like it and it excited us and scared the shit out of us at the same time. It was incredible.

We stayed at a Riad, just off the square and settled into getting to know the area immediately surrounding the main square and getting ready to meet Louwrens and Marianne.