On The Road Again

Nigel is still in the Hospital and still in the dark as to what is happening. Seems that the insurance company and the medics are coming to a consensus as to what happens next but probably it will mean a trip to Marrakech and further checks there and possibly a flight home in the short term. Like the saying goes "He who turns and runs away lives to fight another day" and the trip can start again when he is mended. There is a big complication with the bike. If you bring a vehicle into Morocco you have to bring it out, have it stolen or officially get it stored by the customs men or...you dont leave...it is as simple as that. Peter told us a story of a rider who crashed and broke some bones, left the hospital in plaster and went straight to the airport but was denied departure for a week as his bike papers were not in order. I am a little sad to leave Bikershome today, it is a sort of oasis of friendliness. Peter and Zineb are the sort of people you want to have near in a crisis. Nigel and I were extremely lucky to have decided to stop early a few days ago. We could easily have woken up in this tiny village Foum Zguid where I am now...and the story would have been very much more difficult. (PIC)

About 20 miles down the road, I passed this. It is a real double-take moment when you see it....American diner, complete with rusting American cars on the lot. It was built for a movie (The Hills Have Eyes?....or some other shlock scary movie) and is just sitting there decaying away on the roadside. Of course it has its resident guy asking for money when you take a camera out....

The road is just one amazing sight after another with deep valleys and jagged mountains. Already the faces of people around have changed quite a bit. People here are a lot more African looking rather that Berber/Arab and the villages are far less touristy and a more 'agricultural'. There is no industry down here other than agriculture as far as I can see. Continued on to a village called Foum Zguid which is about 40km from the Algerian border. Stopped in the only hotel in town and as far as I can see I am the only guest. Still got a very friendly welcome and am paying the princely sum of 200DH (£16) half board.