9 FEB – I left my campsite halfway between Casablanca and Rabat and headed north east. Before I left I said goodbye to some fellow Brit’s: Jen, who is travelling around Morocco in her self-built campervan (and who I also met in Marrakesh) and another couple who are travelling south in their Toyota 4×4 Camping rig. The days I spent at Mohammedia were well spent as I was able to visit Rabat and Fes, as well as catch up on some laundry and some general idleness…
I was on the road again, first heading to Rabat where I had to buy a new air mattress and cushion. Either it’s had a puncture or it’s run out of sleep… I had to re-inflate it the night before so it’s definitely time for a new one. I started the trip with an expensive mattress which only lasted a few nights before having to buy this cheap mattress – which has had four months of constant use – but I’ve certainly had my money’s worth. I also needed a new pillow as the one I had was…not very nice. I found a Decathlon (there’s lots of them in Morocco) but they didn’t have the same mattress so I had to buy a more expensive one, one of those self-inflating sleeping mats.
Heading north east I ended up at Moulay Idris, which is a small town in the hills a little north to the city of Meknes. Today’s ride was around 150 miles and it was pleasantly warm, around 26 degrees, and whereas I’d had to close all the vents on my suit a few days ago I had to stop in the afternoon to open them all up again.
I am staying at a small hotel called the Kasbah Senhali, which I found on Booking.com. About lunchtime I was wondering where to stay the night, and looking on my weather-app I saw that there was a lot of rain coming in so I decided to stay in a hotel – because my tent is now leaking water…
Looking on Booking.com I found the kasbah Senhali and the cost included meals, so I booked myself in for three nights. It took me a while to find the hotel and knowing I was near, I got off the bike and asked around. I was directed through an arch and down a small alleyway. Once I found the hotel I got back to the bike, got the bike up a large curb and onto the pavement (getting stuck between a lamp-post and the wall – and ended up with two men pushing me through) and then through the arch, down the alley way and along the narrow alley to the hotel. I parked my bike just around the corner from the hotel and it was perfectly safe.
Moulay Idris is a really nice town, with small winding streets built on the side of two adjoining hills. It’s also got a great market, with its warren-like alley winding beneath the road and nearby buildings. I’m here for a few days as I want to visit the Roman ruins at Volubilis, and then in a few days time I will probably be leaving Morocco soon and heading over to Spain – and then Portugal.
My first stop will be Gibraltar. And yes – it’s for TEA..! I did manage to buy some Tetley’s tea in a supermarket in Rabat but I’m still missing my Yorkshire tea, so Morrisons in Gibraltar here I come. I’ve had a superb time in Morocco for the past five weeks, and it’s a stunningly beautiful country, but the journey continues….
