Chi's Travel Log - Taliouine, Morocco 16-03-2009

Portraits of some people I met on tour

adventure@chi11.co.uk

Week16

0090316 Mon. - Agadir Atlantic Campsite - m&a 7:30 Fred's Birthday today, got an early start and feeling fresh and breezy I got started having a clean round all carpets out swept and washed the floors, cleaned all the windows and checked the fridge ventilation, it seems to be struggling in this heat. Had a sandwich for lunch then got the web pages ready for uploading and the pics ready for emailing. Called at the internet, paid the for the campsite ready to go tomorrow and got a special screen cover made and fitted, works great. 4pm started on the G&ts with Ian then continued at Fred's get together, he made some lovely sangria, nibbles and corned beef ash for dinner, escaped the party at 10:30pm to ensure I would get up for an early start.

090317 Tue - Agadir Atlantic Campsite - a 7:00 had a quick drink and got rolling about 7:30 a nice drive through Taroudant and Aloulouz to the campsite at Taliouine had a coffee stop and arrived about noon, a lovely site very peaceful in the mountains. Had lunch then got the bike out and went exploring and taking a few pics found a quiet mountain pass and rode up there it was wonderful with great views. All in all a steady day great place to chill out but moving on tomorrow, put the bike away made dinner and just sat out admiring the view ate my dinner with a few glasses, an early night about 8pm.

090318 Wed - Tatiouine camping Aubuerne - m&a 7am had a coffee and watched the sun rise then departed for Ouarzazate stopped for a coffee and to take a few pics when a police biker pulled up and informed me there was a motor rally in progress coming my way, he suggested I settle down here and watch, however only seeing two cars in half an hour and quite a bit of local traffic, I decided to press on. Well then the fun started the road was single track and going through the mountain passes the scenery was fab. but I had to be extra cautious on some of the bends I ending up pulling into the rough frequently just getting out of the way in time. Eventually I reached a time check where the cars were all rowed up and being timed off. After that it quietened down but still got the occasional loon flying the other way. The last 40km was clear and then widened for the last 20km. Arrived at the site at 11:30 after an exciting and interesting drive. Had lunch then got the bike out for a run round and a bit of sight seeing. About 3pm sat in the sun with a book and chilled the rest of the afternoon away. After dinner got everything ready for another early start and retired about 8pm.

090319 Thu - Ouarzazate camp site - m&a and on the road for 7am the route was quiet and the scenery was stunning kept stopping to take pics after about 50km it turned to single track road passed a cement wagon upside down in the ditch on a bend lights were still on driver was ok but wagon wrote off I'd say. when I got to Zagora there was that many camp sites I didn't know which to choose so I kept going to Mohamed, found one on the edge of the desert where I was the only one their. After settling in and having lunch I had tea with hasan then invited him and a friend to join me in a few shots of agwagenti they didn't want to stop till the bottle was empty and both threw up, so I left them to it and caught up with my notes, I think they are both sleeping it off. Got the bike out and had an exploratory tour round, also back tracked to the oasis about 10km back it is really lush and beautiful, took a few pics then rode back to camp to make dinner. Had dinner with a couple of glasses of wine then retired about 9pm.

090320 Fri - Mhamid Desert camp site - m&a 6:30 watched the sun rise it was really peaceful and still, after breakfast got organised then moved on to the Oasis campsite it is really nice their. Settled in then went for a walk to have a look around, then got the bike out and had a run round before lunch. Chilled out and had a nap before I rode to town and bought some bread for dinner. They have quite a few camel trips from here so I may indulge another day. Made dinner and had an early night after a spot of reading.

090321 Sat - Mohamid Oasis camp site - m&a 8 had a relaxing day assessing my future plans and ideas very peaceful here, had a run to town and used the internet, a bit Mickey mouse and really slow but a nice run out. Later on caught up on the computer, dinner then a tranquil evening before retiring 9.

090322 Sun - Mohamid Oasis camp site - m&a 7 watched the sunrise had breakfast then went for a walk in the desert, after lunch sat out and read for a while then had a run out on the bike to the nearest village, stopped and had a coffee and chatted to a couple of Moroccans then returned back to the site. Bumped into Vincent & Rebecca who had been on a 3 day camel trek in the desert, they were ready for a shower and cool drink. We arranged to meet up later and had a few drinks and dinner together, then indulged in watching the stars from the sand dunes later that night, turned out to be a good one and a great laugh, retired about 11pm.

adventure@chi11.co.uk