onsdag 19. oktober 2011

Pictures and some information finalay :)

There has gone sometime since this site has been updated, put that’s due to many facts. (Some do know)
There was much work put into the trips planning and allot of work when we was on the trip loading up the blog via satellite. There was not much to post driving home true Europe so updates stopped since there was not much more pictures of interest to take or show traveling home.

All in all we can say a trip to Morocco is a very nice experience, but it’s a long drive to get there from Norway, and one should take good time true Europe and rest well before crossing from Spain.
We had no problems whatever with the car, but one should be well serviced and check up on new oils and wheel bearings and filters before leaving for 10.000km drive. also bring spare parts like filters and oils, bring spare parts of the smaller kind, if big things brake you will need a workshop anyway, so it’s good to bring tools and things to fix the problem just to hold you up until you can get there..

Morocco is a nice country, with friendly people and you feel safe traveling there, but you should always stay aware anyway on a trip like this, tourist is always an easy target like in any other country. But traveling off road and not in the city you should not worry too much. But when camping for the night in your tent or car lock up everything, my shoes got stolen when left outside at night! there are many poor families and you se allot of kids running around in the mountains and standing ready for cars passing true, hoping to get some gifts, so bring some old clothes and pencils and righting paper, they love that. We gave way allot of Toyota Inc peens :)

the roads in morocco is okay, but the off road roads are small and narrow, a big wide arctic truck can have some problem passing when most of the overland off-road tracks are made from land rover defenders and such. So keep in mind traveling with a big wide car like an Arctic you will get some scratches and some places having to drive around an other way. Also there are many sharp rocks on the off-road tracks, so keep high pressure on your tires, 28-30 psi. Only in sand you should deflate.

There was not too much sand driving on this trip, we came to close to the Algerian border, and much military police around, (no pic) but the days with dune driving the arctic truck did show great and fantastic driving. The car did never get stuck. We did deflate tire pressure to around 18psi, and to low pressures can make the tires to warm and the rims can eat up the bead of the tire.

At night it got cold in October, around 2 Celsius. An on high midday, around 35c. Driving a car with AC is extreme comfortable and you don’t haft to drink so much water and get so quick sleepy? So have full check up on your ac before you leave if you have one. Also when traveling remotely off-road, you will haft to bring much water and food, so bring an Angel or ARB freezer. a 50 liter should be good, and have a solar panel hooked up to a smaller back up battery that gets charged from your dynamo when driving, and when you stop for the day the solar panel can take over and the freezer can run all day:-) having cold water and fresh food will help you to have a nicer trip, and not just food from tin boxes. Morocco has much nice meats and it’s all very cheap. But if you are traveling true Europe stock up on box food in Germany or Spain, also beer, since they hardly sell that in Morocco. But do hide way the beer on the border in to morocco, or they will take it, also cover up you CB radio if you have one. but once inside the country it’s okay... :-) just have your green card and passport ready and it all should go smooth. And remember to exchange money right after entering the country, small markets do not take credited card, so change in some Euros, that will give you the best currency!

If driving true towns for visit, you should always camp inside a tourist camp park, so you car is safe, the people there will watch your car when you’re out to buy food or just have a look around. It’s very cheap to camp and you will not get bungled all the time from the locals wanting to sell you something. Also some places have outside showers so you can cool down and wash up after being sweaty for weeks!

There is not much snakes or scorpions to se in the desert at noon, but at night they come out, so sleep in a roof tent I would say, also it’s nice to get higher up from the ground just to get the light breeze some times at day. I would not recommend traveling to Morocco in high summer, it’s about 45c and much tourists. We did meet up with other off-road travelers all around in morocco and hade camps and dinners together, all out for the same adventure. you will find allot of English and French people there, but all very nice, and everyone helps out if you have any problems, so don’t just drive by all the time, stop and have a talk to other overlanders when you have time :-) also they have good tips on routes to take from where you are.

Here are some random pictures from our trip hope they will motivate others from Norway to travel to Morocco.. I know I will try to make a new rip. And I might take others with me that would like to follow along next time :-)