police world Edition 1 2013

Article

Morocco

Miles and Miles of Magical Memories in

Dianne Heydon thought that big motorcycling pants was all she had in common with Bridget Jones, then she was convinced to keep a diary of her Moroccan motorcycle adventure.

Fez fly to mark a successful trip

D ianne joined 33 IPA members for a motorcycle trip of a lifetime to Morocco organised by Dave Taylor, Chair of the Motorcycle Group. Dave’s plan was to keep route choices and convoys small. Members could vary the route to suit their ability or taste. The riders had to travel overland to Salamanca for the official start of the tour as a ferry dispute meant a slight change of plan. This meant that riders faced a 400 mile average on the first three days to cross France and Spain. On completion, Diane’s complaints of feeling a little saddle sore were silenced when she met Lenny and Catherine, who had ridden 1900 miles from Scotland! Dianne left Spain with mixed emotions as the day marked retirement from her 30 year police career. The party split into smaller groups for the two day ride via Seville to Algeciras Port where it reunited for their ferry to Morocco. Dianne’s first experience of Moroccan roads was a twisty coastal road to Fnideq. She settled into riding through a red and mountainous landscape, with blue skies, sunshine and well surfaced roads. Occasionally she saw herds of ‘kamikaze goats’ which, un-phased by the noisy bikes, wandered across their path. This pleasant first impression changed once the group reached Fnideq. In common with traffic in many Moroccan towns it was bedlam. Dianne soon learned that Morocco has few rules of the road. She endured a cacophony of horns and hooters, while three wheelers and scooters careered and zig zagged between their small convoy. Dianne said, “It was a case of if you think a vehicle is heading towards you then it probably is” . It was a similar culture shock at Moroccan filling stations. Attendants attempted to direct vehicles to pumps with fuel while more vehicles jostled for position to be served by attendants - with seemingly little progress at times. A need to adjust to a different way of life and way of doing things was what was needed as is often the case when experiencing different cultures for the first time. Heading towards Fez, the group split again. Some took quieter roads through the Moroccan countryside. Dianne’s group opted for the better surfaced main roads. Along the way, Dianne learned not to be put off by the scruffy appearance of roadside cafes. Without exception they were frequented by the locals and good food and drinks were on offer. Fez brought a welcome day off the bikes. Dianne’s group

negotiated the services of two aging Mercedes taxis and travelled to the old town and market of Medina. Although Medina Market is car free, there were donkeys, barrows, and pedal bikes all displaying the same road sense as the local drivers - which certainly added to the experience. The evening meal in Fez proved very interesting and emphasised the cultural differences for some of the IPA members who had chosen a pizza establishment as their place to eat. It soon became apparent that the pizza house doubled as a brothel complete with Arabic karaoke. Back on the bikes the daily average now settled to a more civilised 150 miles as the group rode towards Marrakech. Leaving Fez, the Group rode south on delightful twisty roads climbing into the mountains. There was less traffic and the red landscape was spectacular. All along the route locals stopped and waved at the passing bikes. Dianne had chosen Dave’s ‘red’ route to Marrakesh, through desert scenery with sand, cacti and camels as far as the eye could see. The alternative ‘yellow’ route took riders to the edge of the Atlas Mountains twisting upwards to the famous Ouzoud Falls. More adventurous riders opted for Dave’s challenging ‘white’ route, heading further into the mountains. At Marrakesh, Dianne headed for Jemaa el-Fnaa. This famous square is a UNESCO World Heritage site. A visit to Marrakech is incomplete without experiencing the square and its menagerie of snake charmers, acrobats, magicians, monkey trainers, herb sellers, story tellers, dentists, entertainers and pickpockets. After this break in Marrakech, Dianne’s party rode deeper into the Atlas Mountains and across the Tizi-n-Test pass. This mountain route was twisty with steep climbs and descents. Beyond the pass the road deteriorated with fallen rocks and potholes. Fast travelling drivers came around blind corners on the wrong side of the road forcing the bikes towards the broken edges of the road. The driving conditions at times meant an all too close appreciation of the rugged landscape for the riders. At the next stop at Agadir, their most southerly point, things got even more bizarre. Approaching town, Dianne was so surprised to see goats in the trees she almost ran over the tortoises taking an evening stroll! It was now time for Dianne’s return north which also brought a change of scenery. The group exchanged views of mountains for the Atlantic

Tanning pits in Fez - fascinating but very smelly

In the Moroccan mountains

coastline, with endless scenes of waves breaking on beaches. Approaching the urban sprawl of Casablanca they travelled on their first Moroccan toll road. At 52 Dirham (£8.90) for two bikes they considered it money well spent to avoid a complex and difficult route into the city. Dianne explained that she was a little disappointed with Casablanca. She had expected scenes from the Humphrey Bogart movie - instead she found a modern and vibrant city. The last day in Morocco was the first time the whole group had ridden in convoy. After posing for team photographs in Fez hats they rode to the port. Back in Europe, they rode home through Portugal and Spain. The ferry strike had now been resolved and their ferry across the Bay of Biscay left on time for a smooth crossing. Dianne summed up her trip by saying, “I had an exciting adventure, riding 4200 miles across four countries. After covering all those miles I was very glad of my big pants! Morocco is not for the faint hearted - it’s truly an experience - one made all the better when travelling with such a great group of IPA friends.” Neil Hallam

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Police World Vol 58 No.1 2013