The route to Tangier Med Port

The sun did not last and soon we were in the rain and cold wind as we approached the Rif Mountains.   It was just horrible.    At breakfast the route was discussed and it was clear there would probably be rain.   So, annoyingly,  after about 1 hour on the road half the group pulled over to put on waterproofs.    Don’t know why they did not do this in the hotel as we expected it to rain.   But no, we pull over, they unpack their gear, get their waterproofs, put them on, which is far easier to do in the dry without the wind blowing a gale, and off they go.   Except myself and a few others just blasted on, as this was just another annoying think on top of others.   

Every evening the organisers tell us to check out tyres as there is all sorts of rubbish on the roads.  I do this dutifully, as well as a general bike check and a check on the chain tension.   So, yes, even more annoyingly when we pull over for fuel one chap has a very flat tyre.   We check it for nails and see none.   John of Wildcat recommends putting a new inner tube in it, especially as we are at a service station with a cafe, but no, the chap is happy to pump it up and carry on.   Supprisingly we all make it to the port.  The chap with the tyre with a slow leak did keep stopping at service stations to pump it up.   Think I would have fixed the leak rather than relying on luck to not brake down in the middle of nowhere.  

It was so nice as we crossed over to the North side of the mountains, blue skies and a tiny bit of warmth from the sun.  

After an unscheduled fuel stop on the motorway we make it to the port. 

Lots of the confusion at the port, as you would expect in Morocco.   

First of all, even though we had tickets, you need to queue up to get them validated.   As soon as you park up men come running over asking for your tickets and passport.  These are not officials, they are trying it on.    They pretend it’s all a rush and you quickly need to give them you documents so they can rush you through.    Apparently what happens is they do this for you but charge you money for doing it.   We just joined the queue and got the tickets stamped and on we road to passport control.   This was nice and quick. Amusingly I did not even have to remove my crash helmet, nor did I have to remove my sunglasses.   It could have been anyone...........

Next was customs.   On arrival customs gives you an import ticket for your bike, you show them this ticket when you leave Morocco and they stamp and sign it.  The ticket contains info about you and your bike, so they check who you are, In my case shouting out “Iron” I assumed that was me.  Then they check the number plate.  All good for me, however for Nick they had it in there computer system that his bike was a car!

Then we go on our way to the dock to board.   I follow the signs for the Algeciras ferry and I enter a parking area.   I am told that I am in the wrong bay and I should go to the next one.  I ride on, I am at the front of our group now and follow the sign to the Algeciras ferry.  Yes, you guessed it.  Not this one!   There are signs for the Algeciras ferry everywhere.   But we made it and I am on the ferry now as I type waiting to pick up a Spanish mobile carrier.  

My ferry back to Portsmouth is on Tuesday morning, arriving in the UK Wednesday.    So I will have a bit of a sleep in tomorrow before taking a nice ride back up through Spain.   I am just hoping there is nice weather in Spain now.