# Been and done it



## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

Well I have just booked with Desert Detours for April 8th, I have so many question for those of you who have done it.
:? 
Like were do you get Goat bladders from ? (you hang them on the motorhome full of water ) and how many shovels do you need, what gas bottle connection do you need. it goes on and on  

Loddy


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

Have you, wonderful !! we did it and it was -------------- enjoy


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## TinaGlenn (Jul 7, 2006)

Loddy you will have a great time, we went in April 2008 and it was so fantastic we are booked to go back this year on 1st May.

We took plenty of gas with us so don't know about connectors, we didn't manage to use up 1 x 13kg bottle in 2 months of being away. 

Drinking water is very easy to buy everywhere. 

Take a warm jumper and thick socks for the Cedar forest camp out as when we were up there it went down to -5 degrees and we woke to a very thick frost. You might even need to use your van heating 8O 

Don't expect to be able to buy low calorie or diet drinks anywhere, you will only find the full sugar types. We found long life full fat milk everywhere, but no skimmed or semi skimmed, so if you use milk on cereal or in tea and coffee you might want to stock up in Spain. Don't expect to be able to buy fresh milk anywhere, even if you do find it in one of the big supermarkets in the cities it doesn't stay fresh for even a day  

We took a lot of Euros with us but found that the best exchange rate for Dhirams was from Sterling. When you go to change your money don't forget your passport or they won't change your cash. If you have a safe in your van it is worth changing a good amount of money, ATM machines are few and far between and if you do find them there is no guarantee they will actually be working. You can use credit cards in the larger shops and at petrol stations if you want to, but if you are bartering in the markets or shopping at a local food market you need cash. Glenn wasn't happy about using our cards for fuel so we used cash throughout. Much faster and easier.

Take some freezer bags with you, some of the markets Ray takes you to have fantastic meat stalls, they will cut the meat to what ever and however you want it. It is always worth buy some when you can as sometimes markets are a few days apart. Don't expect the fruit and vegetables to look as big shiny, perfect and clean as they do here, think organic veg all shapes sizes and colours :wink: The oranges though are a totally different matter, amazing, but they don't keep for long so buy as you need.

When filling your tank there are 3 grades of Diesel, go for the middle or high grade, the lowest is like agricultural stuff and might mess up your engine.

Take lots of memory cards for your camera or your laptop to download often, so many photo ops along the way, and Ray stops a lot to let people take pics at some stunning places.

A map of Morocco is very handy to get before you go, trying to buy one over there might mean having to wait until yoyu get to one of the big cities. Amazon do the Michelin map which is one of the best. 

Pens and pencils for the begging kids along the way are better than sweets or money as you will never get rid of them otherwise. 

A sense of humour is essential, you will be staying in some very basic campsites with some very very basic facilities. Expect to be charged by locals for taking their pictures, especially in the towns and cities, it is how many of the more picturesque characters make a living. One of the people from our group last time got chased by a snake charmer, complete with snake for taking his picture and not paying :lol: 

If you get the chance to go to a hammam GO FOR IT!!!!! The Moroccan bath houses are amazing. A very relaxing way to spend a couple of hours. Ray will always be able to point you in the direction of the nearest one.

Internet connection is difficult, no WiFi and the internet cafes had arabic keyboards :? 

Unless you take enough clothes to go without needing to wash them, expect to do some handwashing, we only stopped at a couple of sites with a machine, and if everyone queues for them you might find you are still washing clothes at midnight. 

Take an alarm clock so that on the days when you have early starts you are up and ready.

It is an amazing place where you can be filling your fuel tank in the desert wearing a t shirt and shorts while looking out at snow capped mountains in the distance. 
Where you can sleep in the mountains in freezing temps one night and the next day be in 30 degrees surrounded by sand and camels. 
Where you can drive through villages with old men riding donkeys carrying huge loads, where old ladies walk along bent over double with what looks like haystacks on their backs. 
It's like stepping back in time to almost medievel times, until you see the satelite dishes on the tops of mud houses.

It's not your run of the mill holiday that's for sure :lol: 

Tina


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

Thanks for that sounds amazing

Loddy


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## mike800966 (May 1, 2005)

*Morocco and Gas*

The country is amazing, just keep an open mind!

Re Gas the most generally available is the Camping Gaz 907 type so make an arrangement in your gas locker to accept that cylinder. Ray sourced a local fitting in a market for us , but if you look at Gaslows website they do the fitting for it and you can have it ready before you go. The 907 type cyl ( they are locally filled I think, but works ok) cost about a £1 each last year. When you get one look carefully at the condition of the thread in the top, if damaged be prepared to try and swop it with the shop owner, if he will let you!

An alternative is the French bottles.

Mike


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## ceejayt (Nov 25, 2005)

We went with Ray in January 2009 - it just got better every day - you will have an amazing time. Take full gas bottles and you will last for sure but you can get a local gas bottle and Ray will source an adaptor for it if you need one, We had one big and one small GasLo with us and it was pretty cold at nights so we used plenty but it lasted.

Have a great time and tell Ray that Chris and Annie say Hi!

Chris


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## oldtart (Mar 18, 2006)

Hi Loddy
I would certainly agree with Tiny, Mike and Chris's advice to you. We did the tour with Ray in September, stayed on and came back in mid-November. We are going again with detours on the MHF Moroccan Wedding tour in May/ June, our 4th. time with them.

As regards the gas, the first time we were there, we bought an adaptor and bought the Moroccan gas which was very successful. WE used it again on the second visit. The camper we have now, a Mirage 5000 has an LPG tank and space for two bottles. We only used the tank. There are electricity hook-up,s at the camp sites where we stayed. 

Judging by our experience you will have a great time with Detours. As Ray says, expect the unexpected and things are changing rapidly in Morocco. It,s great shopping in the markets. You buy chickens for chicken shops. You tell the shopkeeper what weight you want, they are runnignabout in the back of the shop and he then does it all for you (behind the scenes)!!! I know the first time this happened, I didn;t know whether one should put a warm chicken in the fridge!!

Bread is delivered to the little shops twice daily. Always flat bread and often you can also get the baguettes.

If you do decide to stay on, I am very happy to tell you about the places we have visited. You can contact me by pm if you wish.

Val


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

Hi Val
Ray has invited us to the wedding if we stay on for a few weeks so yes we shall be looking for somewhere to stay on the coast

Loddy


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## TinaGlenn (Jul 7, 2006)

We will be staying at Malaga Monty Parc for a few days before and after our trip so we might bump into you guys. 

Tina


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## oldtart (Mar 18, 2006)

Hi

I suggest you get All the Aires in Morocco from Vicarious books if you haven't already got it. It is very good especially for coastal sites. 

I forgot to say that we bought the Rough Guide to Morocco map from Amazon and it was excellent, more up to date than the Michelin or World map with the added bonus that it is waterproof and tear proof!!! Hubbie couldn't believe that after two months it was still intact and I didn't have it in bits. 

Val


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## oldtart (Mar 18, 2006)

We'll be there from the 27th May Tina.


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

Break open the vino and slap flesh on the BBQ

Loddy


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## oldtart (Mar 18, 2006)

We'll certainly be doing that. But remember to stock up with your vino before you go!!! The flesh is no problem. Fish is also great on the coast. At Oulidia the fisherman comes on his moped with the fresh fish AND his grill to cook it for you.


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