DickDiamond

Morocco Rundown Food: Not that good for vegetarian food. I got sick of vegetable cuss-cuss, had a few pizzas, quite a few omelets, a few vedge stews and a few fish dishes. Speaking good French would help when ordering. Could always get croissant for breakfast & milk coffee. You must get used to Restaurants and Cafes only selling mint tea, despite the signs (can take food to a cafe to eat there). Food places often had a large pictorial menu above, but all in Arabic or French. Bigger cities like Marrakech had normal restaurants. Transport: Trains from Tangier to Casablanca were better than British trains – High Speed Double Deckers taking 2.5hrs for the 210 mile journey (stopping at Rabat on the way). The train from Casablanca to Marrakech was older & slower, but had individual ... read more

Day 24. 12thFeb (Wednesday) Now I’m sitting in a cafe at Malaga Aerporto with my flight home delayed due to storm damage at Leeds/Bradford airport – it’s a problem being the highest airport in UK…. So I’m trying to recall what happened yesterday (Wednesday 12th Feb). We got up quite late – 9ish. Michael went out to get a new gas bottle, he needed his car for this, which he parks near his tennis club, about a 5min walk away. However, at some point he was pulled over by the local police and fined €100 for entry to a street. Luckily they didn’t ask for his documents as his new driving licence is still in the UK, so that could have caused problems. When he got back Michael cooked me a tomato & bread omelet with ... read more

Day 22. 10thFeb (Monday) First my apologies for late posting. Just gone to bar and got wi-fi via Mikes phone so will try to upload photo's etc.... Today we got a bus to a beach in the East of Malaga. Nice little bays built into the coastline by our friend Franco to entice the British workers out here (poor old Blackpool & Redcar!). A good washing area to rinse the salt off at each bay. John got stripped off and was in there - warm near the shore but chilly further out. I sat with Cath & Mike watching him cavorting about until I became too hot and went to a nearby Cafe for a drink in the shade. After a while & a half lager, they all came to me but John & Cath went ... read more

Day 20. 8thFeb (Saturday) Return to Malaga Up at 8, quick wash then walk down to the docks. Saw that the next FDS sailing was at 11, but the Moroccan ship was sailing at 10 so booked on that one (400Dhs or €40) I paid in Dirhams as needed to use them up, then asked to change another 400Dhs to Euro’s but he only gave me €35!! I didn’t argue too much. Trip Advisor had mentioned a yellow form to be filled in by ticket people, but I was told that they no longer do them. I went to the terminal building and joined the crowd there waiting to go up an escalator to the customs area. After 30mins they let us through – a Moroccan guy in front of me tried pushing his large luggage ... read more

Day 18. 6thFeb (Thursday) Up at 7:45, left hotel at 8:15. Got to the small CTM bus office, which was just opening, and met an elderly German couple also going to Agadir. We all weighed our hold bags in for 5Dh each bag & put them in the coach side-boot then sat inside to warm up. It’s quite cool up in Tafraoute in the mornings, it takes quite a while for the sun to clear the surrounding mountains. I had my jumper & coat on… The coach was 10mins past the 9:00 start time, when Maryanne climbed aboard and we set off. I got the feeling that we had waited for her…. She was going to Tiznit, which is a big town on the plain below the mountains, and then heading for the nearby coast. Great ... read more