18th day, May 3rd 2023

ouama – Aït-Ben-Haddou

Yesterday’s guesthouse won’t leave me with good memories. The only positive was the complete peace and quiet. I left Dar Oudar in Touama around 8 a.m. via the N9, which has recently been resurfaced. Apart from when it passes through villages, where it feels more like a country lane, the N9 is superb: wide, well signposted, with double lanes going uphill for overtaking the countless trucks. If only Moroccan drivers didn’t cut corners... You really have to keep strictly to the right. Also, a motorcyclist has no rights on the road, something I’d already noticed with the roundabout tactics.

Not only is the road in great condition, but the scenery is impressive. I climbed into the High Atlas Mountains up to 2,222 metres altitude. Unfortunately, the mist stayed with me all day, obscuring the views. On the descent, I turned left onto a small road, the P1506. It seemed I was the only one using it. It led me to the Kasbah of Telouet. Apart from a few lost tourists, I had the Kasbah all to myself. No sooner had I switched off the engine than a Berber, I was in Berber territory, came over offering his services as a guide.

The Kasbah has been abandoned for more than 50 years, after the death of the last Pasha El Glaoui. Yet there are still magnificent painted cedar ceilings and beautiful ceramics. A fascinating visit that ended in my guide’s little shop, where he tried, unsuccessfully, to sell me rugs and other bits and bobs!

As an interesting aside, the last Pasha’s son married Cécile Aubry, the famous author of Belle et Sébastien, whose stories I grew up with.

I continued on the P1506. The landscape was arid but beautiful. Here and there, small villages cling to the valley sides. A striking contrast: the valley floor is very green, while the rest is dry and desolate.

I arrived at the “Atlas View” (https://maps.app.goo.gl/kBXDWQUCbUAi7VFF6), campsite, as arid as the surrounding landscape! The persistent mist prevented me from seeing the High Atlas range. There was nothing around, no shops, no restaurants, no cafés. To my surprise, Sami, the owner, came across the site, showed me a shelter with tables and chairs, and invited me to settle there. In the shade, with a lovely view of a Kasbah across the Oued. While I was getting set up, tea was served and a large bottle of water brought to me. Sami announced there would be couscous for dinner, a welcome change after all the tajines I have eaten.

Another beautiful day in Morocco comes to an end. I hadn’t mentioned it before, but riding my Africa Twin here is pure joy. Apart from the brake issue, it’s running like clockwork!

I’ll be staying here two nights, and since I don’t have internet access, I won’t be able to upload photos until I find a network again.

Today, I covered 121 km in 2 hours and 44 minutes.