Morocco 2015. Round trip.

[Robert OB 33/48]

Some pictures in random order

The start of the "piste" of death. It looked ok.

One of the minor problems, the car didnt start.

At last at the " Auberge" a moroccan hotel. food was great, hospitality superb. But the place was going down. Still, the people made it look like a upper class hotel.
Many thanks to mama Malika.

If I have real acces to the internet, I will put up some raw film footage I possible.
This land is awesome.

 

[Overland-Indiana]

Look's like an awesome trip!

 

[Robert OB 33/48]

Ok, things are looking a bit better. to0morrow the gearbox will come of and then we will see what the problem is. My friend Emma from the UK who is my database for the Vanagon knows the problem and the solution. If it is that problem, we will see if they can get that tiny part.

Wish us luck.

 

[Michael]

Ok, things are looking a bit better. to0morrow the gearbox will come of and then we will see what the problem is. My friend Emma from the UK who is my database for the Vanagon knows the problem and the solution. If it is that problem, we will see if they can get that tiny part.

Wish us luck.

We are wishing you luck Robert! I hope you are able to get the parts you need to continue the journey!

M

 

[Overland-Indiana]

Good luck! I hope you get it going again and can finish your trip. It is a bummer when a breakdown ruins a trip.

 

[Robert OB 33/48]

Ok, today the gearbox has been removed. and the clutch is defenitly gone, completely gone. so, with soem luck they can find the parts, and with more luck we can be on our way on friday, if luck leaves us a bit, its monday. if moderate, its saturday. Well, we will see. At least we have some hope to be able to drive around Morocco again. But we will take better roads, hahahaha.

 

[Overland-Indiana]

Hope everything works out for you!

 

[Robert OB 33/48]

Update: Car is running. But needs adjustment. Other problem, the starter engine, brand new, is dead, why? I dont know. We will see tomorrow.
Tomorrow we will change the drive shafts as they have broken rubbers. heheheh. And I guess I will change the starter engine as well.
Dont like it. Dont understand it. We will see tomorrow.

If we manage to drive well tomorrow, we will go to a campsite nearby, if there, and get some rest. Friday we are going to the Torda canyon if all is fine.

once again, fingers crossed.

 

[deeker]

I hope that you are able to get up and running again. It would be great if they are simple issues (with easy-to-source parts) and you get them sorted out so you can travel around more. That looks like some great country to drive around! I want to enjoy the trip through your words and pictures.

 

[Michael]

Hope everything works out for you!

We're rooting you on Robert!

M

 

[Michael]

Some pictures in random order

The start of the "piste" of death. It looked ok.

One of the minor problems, the car didnt start.

At last at the " Auberge" a moroccan hotel. food was great, hospitality superb. But the place was going down. Still, the people made it look like a upper class hotel.
Many thanks to mama Malika.

If I have real acces to the internet, I will put up some raw film footage I possible.
This land is awesome.

Hey Robert, is that a Global Expedition Vehicle towing you out? People want to know!

M

 

[Robert OB 33/48]

Hello folks, we are in Ouzoud. The campsite is great. Run by a Dutch Couple.
We take a recovery day, doing little after repairs and adjustments and walk to the waterfalls.
And tonight we discuss what we gonna do next. This is heaven instead of being "locked" in a hotelroom second floor next to a chicken butcher.
Tonight I will write a longer story.

We are back on track. YES!!!!!!

Greetings from Robert

 

[Robert OB 33/48]

Hello folks,

Well as we have an extra day of rest Iam able to write some words here.
We are still in Ouzoud. Ouzoud is famous in Morocco due the Waterfalls they have.
So will talk about that later on.
We arrived thursday evening just before dark at the campsite which is run by a dutch couple. It was a pleasure to talk fluently dutch again, actually to talk fluently at all to other people. And we didnt even need to use our hands and feet.
After a good meal, we had a good talk and we set up camp for the night.
At last, a place to walk, move around and be in the open again was just heaven.
Being locked up for 3.5 days in an Hotel wasnt fun.
The car did well, but needed some little adjustments. That I did after a good night sleep.
First i changed the starter engine once more, as the new one just burnded down. We will go to the dealer with that when we are back.
Then i worked on the stationary throttle and that should be ok as well.
The brakes i had to check as well after being towed for soo long.
At the end of the day all was ok, except for the winch. I was towed on that for over ninety kilometer.
So today i worked on that and with ease it was fine in a minute.
Thus, the car is ready for the last 9 days in Morocco.

First of all I have to thank the garage and the boys there about the fact that even with all the problems with communications they manage to fix my car. they refurbished the clutch disk and did just a good job.
It took them a while to understand that I new more about the car, and that listening to me is better because that i taking care of less hours. But in the end they were happy and we had huge respect for eachother.

The bunch of young mechanins at Beni Mellal.

We drove up into the mountains to this campsite and it was a good check for the repairs. Still need to adjust to the new way the gears are to find, but its ok.

Yesterday we went to the Waterfalls and had a nice walk and view. The only downside was that Skai didnt like the monkeys. Ohw and the monkeys didnt like Skai. A bit of a stressful situation.
We didnt walked down to the waterfalls, that was a bit too much for me. Very steep and way too much stairs/steps.
On the way back we bought our first real souvenirs and yes, too expensive, but still happy with it.

In the evening, at last we did some bbqing and had just a great time.
Now, just relaxing and doing some lazy things like writing on the internet.
Tomorrow the journey continues to Tinghir, back to Imilchil and Erg Chebbi.
Then slowly back up north to Chefchouen. There we will buy the last souvenirs and will go home. But that is still a long way. With lot of adventure. But I hope no damage anymore.

To be continued......

 

[Overland-Indiana]

Glad to see your back up and going!

 

[deeker]

Great news to hear everything is running as it is supposed to. Just more memories to take home with you, all those mechanical issues.

Nice to see the pictures from the waterfalls. Very nice. Thanks for sharing your trip with us.

 

[Steve]

Good news, Robert! It sounds like you had an enthusiastic crew working on your vehicle, which is always a big help. Stay safe!

 

[Robert OB 33/48]

We are at Erg Chebbi, as said yesterday. Today we went with a car and guide into the desert. It was great. We had so much fun and a good drive. I could drive myself, so even as it wasnt my own car, we drove in the desert and some little dunes.
Thanks to Muhammed and Mubarak of the Haven la Change.
A little picture of yesterday eving.

Our desert camp by night.

 

[Robert OB 33/48]

Ok. we are back in Fez, at Diamant Verde. Yesterday we left Erg Chebbi and Merzouga with pain in our heart and headed back up north.
As we had a great day driving the desert, not my own car, but we rented a car with guide. And that was a very good decision. A great tour, totally relaxed, good guidance how to drive the desert and good food on the way.
In the evening we had a nice dinner and a nice talk with some english people.
In the morning we left and headed to Errachidia to camping Jurrasique. This was a bit of a dissapointment, as the campsite wasnt good and the food expensive for moroccan standards.
And the swimming pool was empty. too bad.
They were nice, that is true.
In the evening we had a talk with Charlotte, a French Girl who lives like a gypsy. She lives in a Renault Van and travels as long as she has money. And that already since she finished school.
Very interesting, but also very disturbring. She lives in th here and now, and doesnt think about tomorrow. And that is fine, but in the future that can cause a huge problem.

This morning we left and headed to Fez. Even on the Highway it is a great drive.
Now sitting here and I hope the internet is good enough to put up some pictures.
Tomorrow we go back to Chefchouen and do some souvenir shopping.
Then its time to go slowly back home.

 

[Overland-Indiana]

Looks like you guys have had a nice trip (Other than the break downs!).

I look forward to more pictures.

Drive safe!

 

[Robert OB 33/48]

Hello you all,

We are home again, and got home with

1. no second gear anymore.
2. no starter engine function, so we had to push the car every time.
3. a little oil leak, no biggie.
4. one daytime led light down. no biggie
5. bearings in the front and rear need to be replaced in the following months
and most important .......
A great experience and a wonderful time.
We found wonderful sceneries, lovely people, but also found out that not all people are ready for overlanding, not all people are helpful, and found the limits of our Van.
We had our clutch gone and repaired and had to recover our trust in the car. We lost it again and now we have to decide what to do with it.
But, we will go back and make the journey once more, with all that we couldnt see this time and more.

Soon we will write here the complete story and put up all the pictures. Ohw, and some little films.

Greetings from Robert