Random photo posts.

[Cossie]

more laneways

 

[Cossie]

Again old technology does not do these scenes justice.

 

[Cossie]

A few shots of the Bou Inania Madrasa. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bou_Inania_Madrasa

 

[Cossie]

Some more street scenes.

 

[Cossie]

Outside Fez, one of the royal palaces.



and one looking out over the town.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Hippie trail to Europe - Nepal Early 1973

 

[Cossie]

After Fez we headed down to Todgha Gorge, through some spectatular scenery, some of these shots may be out of order, but you'll still get the general idea!
Very productive land where there is water. The truck had a seat on top of the cab which made for some great views, even if it was a tad cold.

 

[Cossie]

Todgha Gorge, the arrival isn't quite a stunning as Petra, but it's still quite special. The water just bubbles up out of a natural spring, it is also quite a spot for rock climbing.

 

[Cossie]

We stayed the night in a great camp site in Ouarzazate, only down side was being spat at by some young girls because we wouldn't give then a cadeau. The camp ground has a large swimming 'pool' from a hot spring, good for getting rid of travel grime.

 

[Cossie]

Then towards to coast, but first we had a mountain to climb. We stayed in a refuge on the way up, looking for it on google, I think it's changed a bit in the last 27 years!

Not unlike trekking in Nepal.

.

 

[Cossie]

The mountain is called Jbel Toubkal and is quite a popular trekking destination. On the way up, it reminded me so much of Nepal.

 

[Cossie]

The refuge, very comfortable.



Then on the way up.



At the summit and looking down. There are hiking trails all through this area, for those inclined to do so.
It wasn't that arduos and we were all very fit by then anyway.

 

[Cossie]

I can't find any photos of Marrakesh, none from the boss either. Not somewhere I would go back to in a hurry, the square is huge, but you get harassed constantly.

Essaouira on the coast, a major fishing port for sardines, eat them fresh and cooked straight off the boats. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essaouira

Also where I allowed myself be robbed back in 1979, stupid, stupid boy!

 

[Cossie]

A couple more, then up the coast to Casablanca, as said elsewhere, don't go looking for Rick's Cafe, it doesn't exist, never has!





Veges for Europe, lot's of them.

 

[Cossie]

Last lot from Morocco, we went to the old Roman town of Volubilis near Meknes. Those romans really got around didn't they!

 

[Cossie]

Some mosaics at Volubis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volubilis

 

[Cossie]

Last few, plenty of storks about,




The town shown through the arch in the previous post was closed to foreigners overnight, Moulay Idriss Zerhoune, but I believe now you can stay there, although the mosque is still off limits to non muslims.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moulay_Idriss_Zerhoun



Across the strait to Gibraltar, hmmm proper breakfast is what the English passengers were saying.



There aren't too many places in the world where you have a road crossing a runway.



Thus endith the journey, well not quite, we had a few days in Spain, most flew to the UK and the driver and his girl friend/camp coordinator (now wife) took the truck back to the UK. The offsider stayed in Spain to meet up with another group and to take them to Morocco.

I went up to Paris for a few days as my sister and family were living there at the time, then across to London and did a 3 month computing contract (which paid some of the bills!) and then went home via Vancouver, where I stayed with the now 'swmbo'. Erika came to Australia the following year and we are trying to spent much time travelling as we possibly can.

All in all a great experience, I wouldn't do something that long again, There are still many countries in Africa I want to visit, especially in the south, but my obsession with visiting rounds of the world rally championship are making this hard.

Favourites, chimps and gorillas, game parks, Mali and Ghana. You could easily spend a lot of time in Morocco, we spent over 2 weeks there and barely scratched the surface. If you are with a local guide, you will not get harassed as much, which would make it much more pleasant.

Least favourites, as I said earlier, not really having any say in where we went, but hey it was a 'tour' and I do understand the reasons for that. Some I found strange, one girl on the trip had spent several years in Nigeria when she was a child, her father was working there. Can't remember the name of the town, but we went within about 30kms of the place and the driver wouldn't go there.

As to be found in any group travelling for a length of time, there were some personnal differences, we were lucking that this trip had about half the usual number, so everyone had their own tent if they wanted it. For the single passengers, sharing a tent for 5 months with a stranger isn't my idea of fun.

Did I say I didn't like getting bogged? Obviously, sometimes it couldn't be avoided, roads in Zaire for example, but I can think of at least 4 occassions where it could have been easily avoided.

Any questions? if so ask away!

 

[docjames]

Just fantastic photos and experiences (as i've previously commented).

Now awaiting the TR on the WRC rounds!

Which ones have you been to and whcih ones are "on the list"?

 

[Cossie]

Just fantastic photos and experiences (as i've previously commented).

Now awaiting the TR on the WRC rounds!

Which ones have you been to and whcih ones are "on the list"?

This year, I've booked Portugal, I did want to go to Sardinia again as it's my favourite rally and it's only 3 weeks after Portugal, but Erika didn't. I'm hoping to go to Germany in August where she can catch up with rellos as well and Australia. Now Finland is just 3 weeks before Germany, so that is a possibility as well.

A lot depends on good price tickets for flights, I go to all rallies os with a Swedish/Austrian company that we first went with in 2005, they have become good friends and really look after us.

Sardinia last year.



Lorenzo Bertelli, heir to the prada companies.

 

[docjames]

Maybe time for a(nother) spinoff thread, but how does (Coffs harbour) Rally Aus compare to the o/s rallies?

Any tips if planning to travel to a rally event?