Category: Africa

Aziz is too small to join the games of soccer played all down the beach in El Jadida, but he’s not going to be left out. He takes his younger brother to kick a ball on the dry sand above the games. The 4 year old is delighted at being included with Aziz and rushes… Continue reading Profile – Aziz

Mohammed was the most likeable of the Moroccans I met. He gave his name as something different, but less memorable than the name Hucein called him. Mohammed cooked our food for us at the auberge in Zagora and lead the camel safari. He was also the most humble of the family, if family he was.… Continue reading Profile – Mohammed

Hassan owns the Auberge Chez Hassan 4km north of Zagora and appears to own the family safari business as well. He’s a natural salesman and quickly talked us into paying 50% too much for our camel trek and too much for our meals at the hotel. He has a large personality and a turban to… Continue reading Profile – Hassan

Hucein joined our bus at Agdz and sat down next to Pieter, who I’d met earlier that day on another bus from Marakesh to Ouarzazarte. He was very friendly and quick to invite us to stay at his family’s auberge, where we could camp for only 30 dirhum (A$6) per night. Hucein is not a… Continue reading Profile – Hucein

Whereas the Japanese will avoid saying no by saying ‘maybe,’ the Moroccans seem to avoid it by saying ‘yes’ and finding a way to make it true. This particularly applies to anything that will get you to do something you otherwise wouldn’t do or go somewhere you otherwise wouldn’t go. Examples: “So you’ll take us… Continue reading Yes means No

The locals in El Jadida (the New) are much more relaxed than in the east. This is meant to be a holiday destination for Moroccans rather than tourists, which is why I chose to come here, and the locals are content to let me come to them rather than harrassing me as I walk past… Continue reading Peace at last

I get more practise at speaking French here than I ever did in France. Morocco was once a French colony and much of the population still speaks French. They also give my Spanish a workout and even my Japanese. Some speak German and just about every other language you care to try. Usually only a… Continue reading Linguists

Every city, town and village in Morocco has at least one mosque and as long as there’s one person still living there, it’s the best maintained building in town. Unlike the domed structures I was expecting, Moroccan mosques comprise a rectangular courtyard (presumably with the walls aligned with the cardinal directions) and a tall square… Continue reading Mosques

Camels aren’t treated particularly well by the nomads. They have rope pushed through their nostrils to lead them and to force them to sit down or stand up. Our camels were hobbled to stop them going far when we were resting and had their legs tied up bent to stop them standing when we were… Continue reading Camels don’t like people

Here are a few tips for camping Berber style in the Sahara. camp on the hard surfaces between the dunes sprinkle dry sand on the ground for insulation and padding dig below the wet sand if you have to, to find the dry stuff try putting the poles in upside down (spike first) to stabalise… Continue reading Berber Camping