Morocco 2023

Er Rachidia to Merzouga – 6 May 2023 (131kms)

Errachidia – Merzouga (Boot Camp)

Left Errachidia at 9.30 and we are now in the serious desert. Our five bikes snake across the gibber expanse.

As we approach some low laid bare red rock hills we find we are riding above luxuriant palm valleys. There are small villages (& a mosque) amongst the trees. We ride through the village waving at the enthuisiastic kids and the men who congregate in small groups looking blank. The women unpack the donkeys and other tasks.

We are back in the desert and pull over for a coffee. A well appointed cafe. A Dinosaur skeleton stands at the front entrance. Obviously someone has found some fossils in the area and EVERYONE seeks to capitalise. In the next town there are Fossil tours, carpet shops (also selling fossils) and paintings of fossils. There is an apparent lack of credibility.

During this break, Hana & David proposed a commercial transaction whereby they leverage the Foxes Goodwill & IP. Our first Sponsor is on board! Our investment case centred on the number of views our website has achieved (Daniel at Breadworks perhaps), approx 1200 so far. The definition of ‘commercial’ still to be determined.

We are now back in the wide desert. 36 degrees and fortunate that we are moving quick to keep us cool. In front our first sighting of sand dunes. We pull into a Riad where we spend the afternoon eating and swimming.

The food is typically a Moroccan salad to start followed by a meat tagine. Would kill for an Egg & Bacon Roll from “Breadworks”.

At 6pm we are picked up for the dune buggy ride. We each have one. We drive straight into the dunes and its on! Up, down, sharp turns and steep drops. It is full on and focus is essential. The dunes seem to go on forever and there is plenty of video footage to demonstrate our efforts.

At 7 we are transported to our Bedouin style camp in the desert. Watching the sunset in the desert before arriving at our camp. Definitely an Oasis in the desert. However, we understand we are less than 7kms from the Algerian border. The tensions between the states are at trigger point and plans for the evacuation have been communicated.

Dinner is served on the outside terrace. Your blogger has hit the wall (tired) and gone to his tent.

Editors note following Singo’s exit….. some excellent campfire drumming and joke telling in three languages….nothing lost in translation. Russ had to add his pool table joke just to keep the hemispheres in balance, Boxy was relieved that Russ came to the rescue as he had nothing that could be translated.

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