# Morocco Desert Detours Feb 2011



## AndrewandShirley

Any other members booked on this tour.

If so PM us for a pre meet?

We are staying at Salou and La Manga before hand.

Leaving England on 23rd Jan Eurotunnel.


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## Annsman

Looks like you're on your own then! :wink:


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## tonka

AndrewandShirley said:


> We are staying at Salou and La Manga before hand.
> 
> .


Out of interest where in Salou,, I understood the 3 sites there were closed till Easter, except maybe the one at Pineda ???


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## ceejayt

AndrewandShirley said:


> Any other members booked on this tour.
> 
> If so PM us for a pre meet?
> 
> We are staying at Salou and La Manga before hand.
> 
> Leaving England on 23rd Jan Eurotunnel.


Nope but going in September with DD. Have been before, it was brilliant.

C


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## smurfinguk

Hi AndrewandShirley
Hope you have a great trip. Looking forward to hearing about it. I bet its a bit drier where you are going.
Resa and Eric


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## loddy

I think Asprn is going, he is languishing near Malaga at the moment

Loddy


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## peedee

His van is there but don't think he is do to fly out until end Jan! I've been looking at his Blog :wink: 

peeedee


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## loddy

Hi Peedee
He flew out Saturday and he's at malaga Monte Park

Loddy


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## Detourer

I hope he is there......with a few others. I am on my way there in a mo.

..


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## peedee

loddy said:


> Hi Peedee
> He flew out Saturday and he's at malaga Monte Park
> 
> Loddy


Ooppps yes just rechecked the blog, you are right, he should be there.

peedee


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## loddy

Age !!!


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## peedee

Eye sight!

peedee


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## asprn

Well, tomorrow is the big Offski. Several vans arrived at Monte Parc yesterday & today (and disturbed the peace  ) and I've spoken to a few couples, none of which have admitted to being MHF members.

We drive to San Roque near Algeciras tomorrow, group up during the evening, and cross on Tuesday morning to Africa.

Had a (mostly) great 3 weeks here near Malaga - good friends joined us a week ago & are coming on the trip - so after filling trolllies at Euro Market in Fuengirola with suitable solid & liquid "fuel", we're packed up & ready to go. Ray & Debbie are in good form (had a great meal out last night with them in Alhaurin El Grande) and Ray now knows what he's up against for the next 3 weeks. 

I do wish he'd just say what he means though. 

Our blog is at www.rv-and.us if you'd like to visit, or indeed sign up for auto-notification when updates are put on. You're welcome to comment as well.

Dougie.


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## Hezbez

Enjoy Morocco eveyone who is going on the trip.

Dougie - I've been enjoying your blog.
Is the Trabi going to Morocco too?


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## asprn

Hezbez said:


> Dougie - I've been enjoying your blog. Is the Trabi going to Morocco too?


Thanks - I saw you'd signed up.  No, the Trabi has another rest in storage unti we pick it up on the way back. We're staying on in Maroc with friends for a few weeks after the tour, and hope to meet up with Gordon & Jenny Smith (thesmithies on MHF, although they sold their RV & are no longer members - they bought a static and live on Atlantica Parc at Agadir for half the year).

Dougie.


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## Sgt411

Hi Dougie, Ray and Deb. Have a great trip. Sorry Lynda and I had to pull out but looking forward to our re-scheduled trip for next year. Did my friends Bryan, Debbie and Fluff (their dog) make it in the end? I had a tex from Debie yesterday from Monte Parc saying that Bryan was not too well? 

Keith


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## Detourer

Hi Keith........

I have PM'd you............


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## oldtart

Hi to all of you going on the Feb DD.

Wish we were with you. Have a great time. I'm sure you will.

We hope to go again soon!

Love to Debbie and Ray, Hamid, Yusef, Steve and family


Val


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## asprn

oldtart said:


> Hi to all of you going on the Feb DD.
> Wish we were with you. Have a great time. I'm sure you will.
> We hope to go again soon!
> Love to Debbie and Ray, Hamid, Yusef, Steve and family


We've just settled in to our first site, at Martil. Yusef was here to greet us, and he's a great guy. Amazing experience getting into Maroc atr the border!! Just crazy, but all went well apart from some idiot running into the back on my RV. He surprisingly came off worse, although he's scraped the corner. I did the correct thing & shouted dog's abuse at him and the Cop who was standing by haplessly. 

Dougie.


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## locovan

asprn said:


> oldtart said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hi to all of you going on the Feb DD.
> Wish we were with you. Have a great time. I'm sure you will.
> We hope to go again soon!
> Love to Debbie and Ray, Hamid, Yusef, Steve and family
> 
> 
> 
> We've just settled in to our first site, at Martil. Yusef was here to greet us, and he's a great guy. Amazing experience getting into Maroc atr the border!! Just crazy, but all went well apart from some idiot running into the back on my RV. He surprisingly came off worse, although he's scraped the corner. I did the correct thing & shouted dog's abuse at him and the Cop who was standing by haplessly.
> 
> Dougie.
Click to expand...

 :lol: :lol: :lol: How quickly you have forgotten your coppers ways tolerance at all times.

When you have been on a rally like this you must end up the best of pals because you have been through a real experience together. Keep up the commentary its great


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## asprn

Arrived in Chefchauoen yesterday for a couple of days. Amazing scenery on the drive from Martil in the mountains. Weather is glorious and we're all getting along well. Got some engine issues with the RV which I was convinced yesterday was a head gasket (so was suicidal during the drive up) but Steve brought his computer diagnoser & after plugging into the EMS, found a couple of faults, one of which potentially could be serious. However, two local autoelec/mechanics have arrived and will check all relevant solenoid/starter/battery contacts after they've finished on another van which also has problems.

General feeling so far is that the tour is what you make of it, and - as Ray has said about 3,000 times - it's not a Benidorm package holiday.

One comment overheard by Mrs Asprn this morning when coming out the shower block with the washing (this site is fine, but it's MOROCCAN so not C&CC!!):- "You'd think at the very least, they'd have a spin dryer.." :lol: There's no electricity at that end, far less a bleedin' spin dryer. :lol:

Please think positive thoughts towards the van. A copmplete breakdown here with this vehicle is simply not acceptable, and if the faulty sensor fails, the engine will not start, period. Just 'cos I'm paranoid doesn't mean ......

Dougie.


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## loddy

For a small fee I'll bring one over :wink: 

Loddy


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## peedee

I'd hate to think you could not compete the tour Dougie, I'd miss these post and your blog. Best of luck with fixing your problems.

Regards to Ray and Steve.

peedee


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## loddy

Don't forget Benny

Loddy


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## peedee

Alan,
Dougie has a long way to go yet to get to Meski to see Benny and I doubt he remembers any of the party! What a character tho!

Hamid was the local guide but it appears he is not on this tour, perhaps now he is married he is no longer a free spirit?

peedee


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## Detourer

Hi peedee and loddy

Both vehicles sorted and will be back on the road tomorrow as we head south towards Meknes........

Hammid is on the tour as well as new'ish lad Youseff....and of course Steve and myself...............Benny forgets nobody!!!!!

From a bright and sunny Morocco

Ray


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## peedee

Good loking forward to reading more reports and seeing some pics.

peedee


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## asprn

Detourer said:


> Both vehicles sorted and will be back on the road tomorrow as we head south towards Meknes........


On the road indeed - thanks to my guidance and mechanial expertise which I imparted to Steve and the two local mechanics.  After Steve reset the fault codes (which recur daily whilst driving), the issue has not repeated itself. However, in the interests of not incurring the wrath of the Bad Luck god, I will not mention this fact. (sshhhh.....)

Now installed in the site at Fes after driving into and around Meknes & then Fes like locals (in other words, Might is Right  ). Relaxed today for the first time, so can now concentrate on _really_ getting on Ray's nerves.

:lol:

Dougie.


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## Detourer

How lucky we are in having your expert mechanical knowledge with us Dougie........Not too mention the tour mechanic Steve and several 1000's euro worth of diagnostic kit!!!

Still, from where I am sitting.......on the other side of the campsite........you do indeed look relaxed [glass of red is that?].......

Ray


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## asprn

Detourer said:


> How lucky we are in having your expert mechanical knowledge with us Dougie


Indeed.



Detourer said:


> Not too mention the tour mechanic Steve and several 1000's euro worth of diagnostic kit!!!


Pah. In MY day.....



Detourer said:


> Still, from where I am sitting.......on the other side of the campsite........you do indeed look relaxed [glass of red is that?]


Nope, best Malt. Anyway, why are you looking in my window??

Dougie.


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## 504329lt

For those of you currently in Morocco.

How much is (cheap) diesel at the moment?

Thanks


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## asprn

504329lt said:


> For those of you currently in Morocco. How much is (cheap) diesel at the moment?


Morning from a rather wet Fes (first no-sun day for 3 weeks so can't complain really).

Petrol (which I use) is around 92p per litre, and someone told me yeterday they paid about 85p for diesel.

Dougie.


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## sallytrafic

Morning Dougie I'm hellish jealous no matter what the weather.


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## asprn

sallytrafic said:


> Morning Dougie I'm hellish jealous no matter what the weather.


Morning Frank. In that case, you need to book on a trip & get your a** down here. Or follow the blog. 

Dougie.


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## wakk44

Yup,jealous so am I  

Please keep up the updates Dougie,they are very interesting to us in a wet and cold UK. :wink:


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## peedee

504329lt said:


> How much is (cheap) diesel at the moment?
> 
> Thanks


Last year it was 59p a litre.

peedee


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## asprn

peedee said:


> Last year it was 59p a litre


I'll use that for a bargaining point then when I fill up. :lol:



wak44 said:


> Please keep up the updates Dougie,they are very interesting to us in a wet and cold UK


I can't promise to update here regularly as I'm doing so on the blog in some detail. However, at the end of the trip, I'm sure I'll find something to say to summarise the trip (Ray xx :lol.

Dougie.


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## locovan

Dougie lovely to hear from you it sounds just wonderful and I love the blog have a great day xx


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## Sonesta

Dougie,

Ooh I am sooooooo jealous and I so wish we were back in Morocco or as I prefer to call it "The land of the smiling faces!" 

We did the trip independently a year after buying our first ever motorhome and although we were still complete motorhome virgins, we had the adventure of a lifetime and met some amazing people and visited and wildcamped in some awesome locations. 

Ray (Detourer) was a great help to us at the time and when he read on the forum that we were due to commence our trip around the same date as he was taking a group over to Morocco, he very kindly invited us to join his group when the group met up at Algerciras. We spent the night before with the group in a car park and we enjoyed a lovely meal with Ray and everyone that same night. We remained with the group during the ferry crossing and Ray offered to help us fill in all the documentions at the border too. Once we got through the border it was beginning to get dark and the group drove on a short distance to their first stop over. Once again, Ray invited us to join them all and as it was the last night of Ramadam, there was a huge feast arranged in the restaurant at the Auberge where the group were stopping for their first night. We had a fabulous evening and we can never thank Ray or the rest of the group for their kind and welcome hospitality and when we left them all the next morning to embark on our own adventure, I felt quite sad that we were saying farewell to such a lovely group of people, especially Ray and his Moroccan assistant. We left armed with a wealth of information and advice from Ray, plus a list of must have places to visit and embarked on what was to turn out to be the most wonderful and magical adventure of our lives and little did we know then, what exhilarion lay ahead of us!  

We spent 6 glorious weeks in Morocco altogether and had the most amazing time and it was definitely the most exciting motorhome trip we have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. France, Spain, Italy, Sicily and Portugal have all been fabulous experiences but Morocco has got to be for us, the most enchanting and the most thrilling adventure ever and once we got out into the "real" Morocco it was like stepping back into biblical times!! :thumbright:

Since our Moroccan trip; 2 little dogs have joined our family - so sadly, having 2 little dogs rules out any chance of a return visit but if we could take them with us, then we would not hesitate to return to "The land of the smiling faces!" 

Enjoy your trip Dougie and if you enjoy it half as much as we did then you are in for the trip of your life! Please remember me to Ray (that's if he can still remember who I am after 5 years?) and tell him I have never forgotten the kindness he showed to us.  

Have fun and I too am loving your blog!

Sue xxx


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