Monday 19 January 2015

Woken early – it has been raining pretty heavily all night and the forecast is much of the same for the next few days. So even though there are signs that the sun is breaking through we have decided to forget Marrakech for now and head further south where we’re told it is warm and dry and expected to stay that way for some time. We can always come back this way.

So service the vans, because we’re going to be off-grid for a while, and first stop the Marjane supermarket to top up the supplies. Then refuel (for less than 60p a litre!) and out through the suburbs of Marrakech and back onto the motorway. It’s around a four hour drive so we took it steadily, eventually climbing into the Atlas Mountains and taking a lunch break almost at the top of the pass at 4200ft. It was a bit chilly!

Then as we descended we could see the clouds breaking ahead through the mountains.

Clouds clearing....

....to a clear blue sky.

The landscape too became more arid and we finally gave our newbies a view of Morocco proper. Descending into the plains surrounding Agadir the temperature rose rapidly and the sky cleared. Skirting the city we headed north along the coast to the small fishing village of Taghazoute, where a large tract of coastal land, dotted with argon trees, has been taken over for guardian parking – and there must be over 250 motorhomes dotted about.

We knew there were at least two other Funsters here already and eventually found their vans, although they had gone out. Unfortunately there was no suitable parking close by so we had another wander round and finally found an ideal spot overlooking the beach that would get sunshine all day and was large enough for the four vans in our party. Much to the annoyance of a German lady who said we were blocking her view – which we weren't but tough anyway. There are no rules and you park where you can fit in.

So as the sun set majestically in the west, we raised a glass! We’re here at last!