Blog 7 - Thu 10 Sep 09. Casablanca, MOROOCCO Well - we have finally got our Mauritanian visas, after a bit of a run around.First we headed to Casablanca, where there was supposed to be a Mauritanian Consulate that issued visas.You are supposed to be able to get them at the border, but I have read recently of a few people being refused them at the border - entailing a 3000km round trip back to Casablanca to get one… not really worth the risk.Anyway, it turn...

Blog 6 - Ait-Bennadahou 6 Sep 09, MOROCCO Writing this blog sitting in our tent with a blazing storm outside!It was scorching hot when we set off this morning on our way North to Marrakech.We diverted to see Ait… and, as it was so hot, decided to stop off at a guest house recommended by Lonely Planet that had a swimming pool.After putting up the tent & doing a bit of admin, that mainly consisted of trying to get the sand out of everything (a reminder fro...

Blog 5 - Thu 3 Sep. Agdz, MOROCCO Well, unbelievably we have only been in Morocco for just over a week, but it seems like a lifetime ago that we were on the ferry from Spain.We have seen such a variety of scenery and people… it seems to change every 100km or even less. From high mountains to never-ending fields of hashish to everlasting barren plains to fertile riverbeds brimming with cultivated plots of land.Now we are entering the Draa Valley, which will t...

Just arrived in Boumalne-du-Dades after a fabulous few days in the High Atlas Mountains. We have driven 100's of km on rough tracks right into the heart of the mountains - and have been rewarded by sights of nomadic Berber families, herding their goats, sheep, donkeys & camels through the mountains. At first glance everything seems dry and arid. However there is plenty of water up there - underground springs bubble to the surface frequently, creating amazin...

Blog 3 - Fri 28 Aug 09. Tizi-Abekhnanes, MOROCCO Sitting writing this blog at 1800m in an olive grove, as the sun sets over the Middle Atlas Mountains.We thought we were in the middle of nowhere, but every now & again a couple of locals go past on their donkeys, waving hello, heading home in time for their evening feasts - it's Ramadan. The last couple of days we have seen amazing variety of scenery and lifestyles.We set of from the North East coast, driv...