TravellingJenks

Friday 20thJanuary, Saturday, Sunday On the Friday morning we were picked up from the hotel and taken to Old Sharm, the original fishing port, for a trip on a “submarine”: actually a high tech glass bottomed boat. Old Sharm which is about 10 miles from our hotel is set on a very nice, well sheltered and almost circular sandy bay. The glass bottomed boat was very good in that passengers had seats below deck and below sea level where we could sit and watch the passing marine life and corals. The trip lasted for about an hour and the captain navigated very skilfully taking the boat seemingly within inches of the coral outcrops. Unfortunately the photos taken through the glass windows didn’t come out too well. Afterwards we decided to stay and explore a bit ... read more

Monday 14th March: what does one do in Marrakech when it's overcast and cool with occasional showers? The answer is: not very much. This was our last full day in Marrakech and although it started bright the clouds soon came in and with them a chill wind. After breakfast we tooled up and walked the mile to the Saadian Tombs which was the only major tourist site that we missed the first time round here. Fortunately our feet were not giving us too much trouble and we managed the mile and a bit walk without difficulty.The tombs are located in an almost hidden spot behind a mosque and were only discovered as the result of an aerial survey; having previously been half ruined and forgotten. There was quite a long queue to enter the main tomb ... read more

Beginning with a brief recap of the previous night. We were marooned in the hotel. Not by civil disturbance, war, pestilence or anything dramatic but by rain. Just as we were leaving the hotel to head into the medina for dinner it started raining. We hung around for 15 minutes waiting for a taxi but, in common with the rest of the world, when it rains the taxis disappear. As the rain was showing no sign of letting up and maybe getting heavier we decided that room service was the prudent option. Tuesday 8th March: fortunately a bright sunny day so we were up early to go on the eco-walk through an argan forest that we'd booked on Sunday. At 9am we were collected from the front entrance of the hotel by a local named Othman ... read more

Friday 4th March: a lateish start as we planned to stay in the Old City and “do” most of the sights that we hadn't already explored. So after a leisurely breakfast we headed off into the souks with the intention of getting to the Marrakech Museum which, according to our map of the Old City, should be within half a mile of our hotel. However without a direct route there was plenty of scope and opportunity for getting lost. Nevertheless we managed it with the help of three stall holders who pointed to the correct alleyway to take.....and without soliciting payment or favour: quite unusual behaviour. The Museum is located in the former palace of the Sultan's Grand Vizier, which had been neglected and allowed to become semi-ruined before a local patron of the arts purchased ... read more

If you were to ask a patriotic Welsh couple what they would do on St David's Day (patron saint of Wales), how many would answer that they would flee the country??? Well that's what we did and our excuse was that we wanted (as in we REALLY wanted) to get some SUN; having been deprived of the same for so long we've forgotten what it's looks like. And so it was that on 1st March Jane and I boarded the Marrakech Express: otherwise known as Ryan Air flight FR8218 from Bristol. And I was wearing my daffodil lapel badge. The flight went really well. It wasn't full so the seating was reasonably comfortable and best of all the flight took only three hours. As we left Bristol at 13.30 we arrived at Marrakech's sparkling new airport ... read more