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Published: October 3rd 2010
Tangier
Tangier - gateway to AfricaWe got up at 5:45 so we could meet in the courtyard for a coffee and tea before heading out. The Riad manager called two taxis’s for 6:40 so we could be at the bus station on time for our 7 AM hell bus ride back to Rabat. We all decided this time to let the bus ‘check’ our backpacks to have more foot room. When we arrived at the bus station we took out our expensive things and lined up to check our bags in the bus station office. Ina was first in line and I could see there was some kind of problem. The CTM guy kept shaking his head ‘no’ at her and her bag. Finally he pointed to the date and explained in broken English/French. Our bus tickets were issued for Saturday and not Sunday. Oh no! Of course he explained that the bus was full and there were no more buses leaving Chefchauen on Sunday. We were stuck!!
4 very intelligent women and none of us double-checked the date. When we bought the ticket on Thursday afternoon the ticket agent made a point of repeating it all back and he said Sunday…we all heard it.
Tangier train platform
Yeah...the train station This would have never happened at home…at home we are very aware of the date but here with the CCS - it all happens so fast and the date means nothing. It is quite embarrassing really but it makes a great adventure!
Our options were very limited at this point…book a ticket back for the next day and stay another night or we try to make our way back via Tangier. We decided to try to head to Tangier so we could arrive back on time for work on Monday. How do you get to Tangier you ask? Well, since there are no buses your really only option is a Grand Taxi. Petit taxis (small blue taxis) stay only in city limits and take 3 passengers max. A Grand Taxi can go anywhere and you arrange the fare in advance - they are all very old Mercedes sedans and can seat 4. We started walking up a 45 degree incline up the hill towards the direction of Plaza Mohammed where you can negotiate for a Grand Taxi. We walked until we were all out of breath and then decided to take a Petit Taxi to the Grand Taxi’s. That
was an experience - no English/no French - he took Ina and to the wrong place and we were so afraid we wouldn’t catch up with Heidi and Lori. Luckily the god’s/goddesses were smiling and we did catch up.
We hired a Grand Taxi to drive us the 2 hours to Tangier for 750 DH. The roads are crazy windy, hilly, bumpy and I was shocked that I rode in the back/middle and did not get sick. Can you believe it Woody? We finally arrived in Tangier and went to the train station. We walked in and walked straight up to the counter and saw only 1 train to Rabat for 9:41 AM. It was 9:37 AM. We asked for 4 1st Class Tickets and he glanced at clock and then mercifully said yes. We paid another $140 DH for the train tickets and as we walked through the door it was 1 min and 30 seconds from departure time. 1 min and 30 seconds!!!! Talk about close! If we had missed that train we would have to stay overnight in Tangier as there was no way I would ride a 2nd class bus to Rabat. That would have
been 10x worse than the CTM experience!
We got into the compartment and relaxed pretty comfortably for the next 4.5 hours. I didn’t sleep a wink…I was beyond ecstatic not to be on the bus!!
We made it back to Rabat in the late afternoon and were actually the first group back. The camel trek group had a great trip…the Fez group had a intense but good trip…the one who went to Marrakesh did not have a great tip unfortunately. As I write this it is 11:30 PM and the only group not yet back is the 4 who went to Spain.
Our placement is early tomorrow so I’ll wrap this up and get ready to start a new week.
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Woody
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Hey babe, what an experience that was. Im so proud of you that you guys kept it together. I am glad you your tickets were no good and you did not have to take the bus from hell. I would have to say your day was worse than mine. I cant wait to talk to you tomorrow. Love Woody