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FAVOURITE PHOTO

OUR TRIP TO THE SAHARA DESERT WITH HABIB, BORN AND BRED
BERBER NOMAD WAS PHONOMINAL! I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MINUTE
TO SHARE MY APPRECIATION FOR ALL THAT HE DID FOR US

HABIB IS A BERBER NOMAD WHO GREW UP IN M'HAMID ON THE
EDGE OF THE SAHARA DESERT. HE USES HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THIS
PART OF MOROCCO TO SHARE WITH TOURISTS LIKE US.

OUR TRIP WAS LIKE A GIFT FROM A LOCAL AND NOT JUST PAYING
TO BE SHOWN AROUND. IT WAS SPECIAL.

IF YOU HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING MY STORY YOU WILL ALREADY
KNOW THAT HABIB WAS THE MOST AMAZING HOST.
NOT ONLY DID HE KNOW ALL THE SHORT ROUTES, BUT HE ALSO
MADE OUR TRIP EXTRA SPECIAL - LIKE MEETING A BERBER NOMAD FAMILY
AND SHARING MINT TEA IN THEIR CAVE.
LIKE SHARING A MOROCCAN FEAST ON THE FLOOR OF HIS
FAMILY'S LIVING ROOM IN M'HAMID ON THE EDGE OF THE SAHARA.
LIKE TAKING US TO HIS CAMPS IN THE SAHARA AND MAKING A BED
SO THAT WE COULD SLEEP UNDER THE STARS.
AND MUCH MORE......

IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT MY SAHARA DESERT
TRIP PAGES.... AND YOU ARE THINKING OF DOING SOMETHING
SIMILAR.... THEN PLEASE DO HAVE A LOOK.

SO HABIB.... IF YOU READ THIS.... I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A BIG
THANK YOU TO YOU, HAITE YOUR ADMINISTRATOR, YOUR
EXTENDED FAMILY AND YOUR DEAR WIFE WHO WAS A
PLEASURE TO MEET xx

~~oOo~~

TODAY..... WE WERE HEADED OUT TO OUR FIRST VIEW OF THE
NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN.

OUR DESTINATION ESSAOUIRA IS A CHARMING FISHING VILLAGE
RIGHT ON THE COAST.

HABIB, EVER SURPRISING WAS DRESSED TODAY IN WESTERN
JEANS AND TOP. I SUPPOSE THAT HERE HE DOESN'T HAVE TO
ADVERTISE THAT HE IS A BERBER NOMAD.

WE HEADED OUT OF MARRAKECH THROUGH BUSY SUBURBS,
AND NEW SUBURBS.

ON THE WAY WE STOPPED MOMENTARILY TO TAKE A FEW
PHOTOS OF GOATS IN TREES.

YES THE LOCALS HAVE MANY INGENIOUS IDEAS ON HOW TO
SCROUNGE OUR TOURIST DOLLARS.

I HAD ACTUALLY SEEN THIS BEFORE IN MY RESEARCH SO I
KNEW IT WAS A TOUIST SCAM. THE LOCALS PLACE THEIR
GOATS STRATEGICALLY IN TREES AND THEN CHARGE TOURISTS
LIKE US THAT STOP FOR A UNIQUE PICTURE.

HABIB.... EVER THE SMART.... 'I'M ON TO YOU ..... SCAMMER.'
PULLED UP...... WOUND DOWN THE WINDOWS.....
WE SHOT OFF A FEW QUICK PHOTOS.... AND WE WERE ON OUR
WAY )

I GUESS YOU HAVE TO BE SELECTIVE IN TO WHOM YOU GIVE
YOUR TOURIST DOLLARS TO.
HERE.... OVERLOOKING ESSAOUIRA... WE STOPPED BRIEFLY
TO HAVE OUR PHOTO TAKEN WITH A CAMEL. NOT THAT WE
HADN'T BEFORE.... BUT THIS LOOKED LIKE A GOOD CHANCE
TO HAVE A GOOD PHOTO.

AND SURE ENOUGH.... WE MANAGED TO HAVE THIS NICE GUY
TAKE OUR PHOTOS THAT LOOK PRETTY GOOD

AND CHEERS TO YOU TOO MATE.... SORRY, DIDN'T GRAB YOUR
NAME.

ESSAOUIRA

THANKS TO ANGELA (angiebabe on virtualtourist) FOR THE TIP
WE REALLY ENJOYED OUR DAY OUT TO ESSAOUIRA... ARRANGED
AT THE LAST MINUTE.

THIS QUAINT LITTLE FISHING VILLAGE IS WELL KNOWN FOR THE
FISH MARKETS IN THE HARBOUR, A WELL PRESERVED FORTRESS
ON THE ROCKS, NICE VILLAGE MARKETS AND PLENTY OF CAFES
AND RESTAURANTS TO ENJOY A LONG ALL AFTERNOON LUNCH.

FISH MARKETS

SELF EXPLANATORY. WE ENJOYED A SLOW STROLL AROUND THE
BUZZ OF ACTIVITY HERE. BIG TRAWLERS WERE COMING AND
GOING LIKE US AUSSIES CALL PITT STREET SYDNEY

FRESH FISH BEING PREPARED FOR SALE AND PLENTY OF
BATERING HAPPENING. PLUS SOUNDS WHICH REMINDED ME OF
A HOUSE AUCTION. ALL HAPPENING AT THE HARBOUR
FISH MARKETS IN ESSAOUIRA

MORE MARKETS

I ENJOYED A WANDER THROUGH THE MARKETS HERE. THERE
WERE NO HARASSING HAGGLERS LIKE IN MARRAKECH. WE WERE
ABLE TO BROUSE WITHOUT ANYONE HASTLING US.

I BOUGHT QUITE A FEW GARMENTS. A COUPLE OF BATIK ALL IN
ONE JUMP SUITS WHICH I STILL WEAR WHEN I WANT TO BE
COMFORTABLE ALSO A COUPLE OF WHAT WE CALL 'POO CATCHER
PANTS' LOL. YOU KNOW.... THE ONES WHERE THE CRUTCH IS WAY
DOWN LOW. HEY.... STOP LAUGHING. I LOVE THEM

OH AND I SAW A COUPLE OF CD'S THAT I RECOGNISED....

TINARIWEN

I BOUGHT A COUPLE OF CD'S AND HUBBY AND I ENJOY LISTENING
TO THEM ON OUR ROAD TRIPS BECAUSE THEY HOLD SPECIAL
MEMORIES OF SPEEDING THROUGH THE SAHARA DESERT TO
AMAZING LOCAL MUSIC

IMAGINE....... FANGING THROUGH THE DESERT.... HABIB HAD THE
MUSIC TURNED UP .... AND WAS PLAYING THE TUNE ON HIS STEERING WHEEL...

I WAS IN THE BACK SEAT.... PLAYING THE MUSIC ON MY KNEE LOL

ALL WHILST SPEEDING TOWARDS THE GREAT DUNES OF CHEGAGA!
THIS MUSIC ADDS TO THE VIVID MEMORIES OF OUR WONDERFUL TRIP
TO THE SAHARA

CLER ACHEL

MATADJEM YINMIXAN

TIME FOR LUNCH.

RESTAURANT RAMSESS

BEING IN A FISHING VILLAGE, WE WERE ITCHING FOR SOME FRESH
SEAFOOD. AHHHH..... RESTAURANT RAMSESS.

FOOD WAS GOOD AND TASTY..... HOWEVER I AM AFRAID THAT FRESH
PRAWNS ARE FAR BETTER.

WE REALLY ARE SPOILT IN AUSTRALIA FOR OUR FRESH SEAFOOD.

THE SCALA KASBAH

BUILT IN 1765 BY A FRENCH ARCHITECT AS PROTECTION FROM THE SEA.
THE FORTRESS WALLS HAVE CANONS WHICH ARE A MIXTURE OF
PORTUGESE, SPANISH AND DUTCH.

I THOUGHT THAT THIS KASBAH WAS VERY WELL PRESERVED.
I PARTICULARLY LIKED THE STONE WORK. IT MADE FOR SOME NICE PHOTOS.

WE WATCHED SOME TEENAGE BOYS FISHING OFF THE ROCKS FOR A WHILE.
I THINK THE CONDITIONS WERE A BIT TOO WINDY TO CATCH ANYTHING.
EVEN THE SEAGULLS LOOKED A BIT PUT OUT BY ALL THAT WIND.

HUBBY SPENT A BIT OF TIME TRYING TO GET THAT GREAT OCEAN
WAVE ACTION

AND LOOKING BACK AND UP I SPOTTED WHAT LOOKED LIKE A
GREAT PLACE TO STAY. IMAGINE THE VIEW THEY WOULD HAVE!!!

WE HAD A BIT OF TIME BEFORE HABIB PICKED US UP.
WE VENTURED ACROSS THE ROAD TO A CAFE WITH BEACH
VIEWS AND HAD A COUPLE OF BEERS WHILST WATCHING THE
LOCALS PLAY FOOTY ON THE BEACH, AND SOME BOATING.

ON THE WAY BACK TO MARRAKECH WE STOPPED BRIEFLY TO
TAKE SOME PICTURES OF AN AMAZING SUNSET!!
BEFORE REACHING MARRAKECH AFTER DARK.

WE HAD BOOKED THE IBIS HOTEL WHICH IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR
TO THE TRAIN STATION AS WE WERE PLANNING TO HEAD BY TRAIN
TO OUR LAST DESTINATION IN MOROCCO.

HABIB OFFERED INSTEAD TO TAKE US. WOW! COOL!
EXCEPT ON THE WAY BACK A LAST MINUTE FAMILY SITUATION
CAME UP AND HABIB COULD NOT TAKE US.
SO HE ARRANGED TO HAND OVER TO ONE OF HIS STAFF TO
DRIVE US.

SO WE UNFORTUNATELY HAD TO SAY OUR GOODBYES
BUT I SAY IT IS NEVER GOODBYE. THERE IS ALWAYS NEXT TIME

THE IBIS WAS CLEAN AND COMFORTABLE.
IF YOU PLAN A TRAIN TRIP HERE AND WANT TO BE NEAR
THE TRAIN STATION, THEN I WOULD RECOMMEND THE IBIS.
IF YOU ARE A TRAIN BUFF.... THEN ALL THE BETTER

SPECIAL MEMORY...
COLLAGE OF HABIB.

NEXT STOP AND LAST IN MOROCCO - CASABLANCA.
JUST ONE DAY OF RELAXATION BEFORE FLYING TO SPAIN FOR
THE LAST 2 WEEKS OF OUR BIG 6 WEEK TRIP.

FAVOURITE PHOTO

LAST DAY IN MOROCCO

WE HAD ENJOYED THE EXOTIC SIGHTS, SMELLS, SOUNDS AND
TASTES OF MARRAKECH.

WE HAD A THOROUGHLY AMAZING ADVENTURE TO THE SAHARA
DESERT WHERE WE SLEPT OUT UNDER THE STARS AND RODE
CAMELS OUT OF THE DESERT.

WE HAD A FUN DAY TRIP TO A QUAINT FISHING VILLAGE ON THE
ATLANTIC COAST.

AND NOW TO CHILL FOR A DAY BEFORE TRAVELLING ON TO SPAIN.

NO SIGHT SEEING FOR US TODAY. WE WERE GOING TO ENJOY THE
LUXURY OF OUR HOTEL, DIP OUR TOES IN THE ATLANTIC AND GO
FOR A SHORT STROLL ALONG THE COASTAL PROMINADE AND FIND
A PLACE FOR A NICE LUNCH.

HOTEL CLUB VAL D'ANFA

I WOULND'T LOOK ANY FURTHER. HOTEL CLUB VAL D'ANFA HAD
EVERYTHING WE WERE LOOKING FOR... COMFORTABLE BED, GOOD
BREAKFAST, FRIENDLY STAFF, NICE POOL AND A VIEW OVER THE
OCEAN FROM OUR LITTLE ROOM VERANDAH.

PS..... THE BED WAS VERY COMFORTABLE!!

NO RUSHING TODAY. JUST A STROLL ALONG THE BEACHSIDE
PROMINADE AND ENJOYING A BIT OF PEOPLE WATCHING.

WE HAD A BIT OF A CHUCKLE AT THE LOCALS PARKING ABILITY...

FOOD AT A QUAINT SIDE STREET RESTAURANT WAS NICE

AND A DIP OF THE FEET IN THE OCEAN. WHICH WAS QUITE MUDDY HAHA.

VIEW LOOKING BACK TO OUR HOTEL FROM THE BEACH.
AND AN INTERESTING LOOKING LITTLE BEACH HUT OF SOME SORT.

LASTLY... A SHOT OF MY VT THONGS OVERLOOKING THE ATLANTIC OCEAN

GOODBYE MOROCCO!

AND ON TO OUR NEXT DESTINATION IN SPAIN WHERE WE HAD
ANOTHER FIRST.....
THIS BIG TRIP WAS FULL OF FIRST EXPERIENCES FOR US.

STAY TUNED FOR ANOTHER AUSSIROSE ADVENTURE IN SPAIN...
INCLUDING..... DRIVING THROUGH THE SPANISH HILLS IN A CONVERTIBLE !!!