In search of sand...

Monday, and while most of Britain lazed about enjoying their bank holiday, the seven of us had a 260 mile ride ahead along a lot of bendy roads. It certainly turned out to be one of the best days of all of the trips to date... The Pacific Coast Highway, Death Valley, the roads to Andorra and Val d'Isere come to mind, and Fés to Erfoud is right up there with them. Climbing gently twisting roads through verdant countryside, past a lot more people in odd hats on donkeys we found the air thinning a bit at 7000 ft. The descent to the lower plains saw the temperature increase towards 40C but still the roads weren't melting which we found odd as those back home are like treacle if the thermometer reaches 25C. At lunchtime, like

an oasis in the desert, we found beer, that elixir of life without which Reidy turns into a right miserable sod. A great day had just got better and after a few swifties we carried on up and down mountain roads overtaking the same knackered transit van half a dozen times due to fag breaks and photo opportunities. Our arrival at our home for the next two nights saw the usual problems when the hotel is called something different to what we think it's called.

                                                                

Evening dinner found us being taxied 10km out of town and down deserted desert dirt tracks to what seemed certain oblivion. In a scene reminiscent of the Barcelona car park we were deposited outside a ruin of a building. What followed left us dumbfounded as well as slightly relieved as we dined al fresco in the traditional desert style, a fabulous experience for all. The south of

Morocco is as vastly different a place as most of us have ever seen... a Muslim country where Arabic is the colloquial language yet everyone speaks French, where the Dirham is the currency yet they take Euros for everything and where you really could be forgiven for thinking that we were in any middle eastern country including the ones we'd all probably rather not visit. But the people we have come across are all friendly, welcoming and interested in what we're doing and where we're from. Tip of the day... don't be put off by different appearances.

While in Tangier, I was flogged a monkey which I have taught to use a new camera which he's not great at using but here are the first results, just click on the links...
RLB1
RLB2
RLB3
RLB4
...they're not very good but the monkey is learning fast so hopefully they'll improve as we go on...

It appears that motorcycling has got a bit easier... But, horror, what is that in the water!? Albert in the background will need a bigger net to fish that out