Journey to Essaouira

We have left Aourir – again – and again. We have now made it up the coast to Essouira. Here are some highlights from the last couple of days.

Finishing off work on the truck. Andrew painting. Alesh working on his fish trap. Don’t you just love seeing those manly men working hard. Ahhhh. Did I ever tell you a bout my friend who saw her good friend walk in the room in a boiler suit ( working man suit being modeled by Andrew in the photo – Alesh well, he opted for the more minimal approach – the classic Huck Finn look).

Here is another creation by Alesh. He calls it “Jewelry for a day”. Yes, it is a small hoop screwed into the top of a real carrot. A very, very small carrot that was growing off the side of a much larger carrot. I think his love of raw food might be going to his head.

I put rainbow wool dreds into Alana’s blue hair. I know, I know, Alana really does need more colour don’t you think. She is very happy. She has long hair. Karim calls her rainbow rasta.

We went to the Aourir market for the last time. I love the Aourir market. The big one in Agadir scared me. This one is just a normal market for normal moroccans that I love. No loud yelling or pushy people. I love the spice merchants especially. Did you know that you can ask for spices for goat tagine and they will grab little bits from here and there with their little shovel and put it in a little newspaper cone for the perfect meal. Cool huh!

We left Alesh at the mechanics with his motorhome in order to hitchhike into paradise valley and learn woodwork from a man there. Karim came with us for a bit longer. He has been in Alesh’s motorhome for the last 3 weeks driving alongside us. Now he is in our truck. He is teaching TJ the Arabic alphabet here. We really like having Karim around – he has his kitten with him, makes great tea and is a very easy-going and giving person.

We met a German family in a red fire engine. They are at about the end of their one year trip. They have been down to about half a dozen countries in Africa. They have had no problems. Didnt have a carnet de passage and the only visa they needed in advance was for Mauritania, which they got in Rabat. They started traveling when their youngest son was only 4 months old.

So here we are wild camping in Essaouira across from the police station with the other motorhomes. For the first time in a long time we have no other vehicles driving along with us. A nice man with a big smile just tried to sell me windshield wipers as I sit in the front of the truck typing this post. TJ is a bit grumpy. She is crying because she wants to be a cat so she can go into small places. I think she is a bit overtired.