We navigated to the port without issue and even found our way to the terminal building, ian took control and went of with both passports in hand, it was about a 5 minute walk. After second visit to terminal with correct information we thought we were on a Balearics boat to Tangier Med in 1hr!!!
But this was Spain!! Boat delayed by 2hrs!
Great crossing , busy straight of water and easy to obtain passport number on boat (just go to information ,grab a card,fill it in and queue for immigration which luckily we were at front of !
Disembarked easy .........and then the fun bargain!!!
Arrived at customs as advised to get out bikes temporary imported, as parked as instructed, then total carnage!!!!
Approached by officer (you know what we really mean) Justin managed to get his vehicle imported without to much delay, after following an officer round for a bit and confirming I had no guns. Ian told the officer he had not been to morocco before BIG MISTAKE.
He was told by the officer to use his legs and walk to a building 10 minutes away gare maritime (police) this involved leaving the bike walking past customs clutching all his paperwork and tank bag. What ian arrived in the very posh building, he had no idea where to go or who to see, eventually he spotted a police sign upstairs and proceeded to the area, it was a secured area with no body around, he then goes back down and asked a cleaner who directed him back up the stairs so ian hangs for a bit!! Eventually a waiter carrying 4 coffees and doughnuts arrives and unlocks the security door so ian follows in to a corridor and trapped, no one to be found. Eventually another cleaner appears and says police? And ian says yes getting very frustrated the cleaner (male) knocks hard on a glass door and opens it at and instructs ian to walk in!!
At this point Justin was enjoying a couple of cigarettes with the locals in the restricted customs area.
Meanwhile back in the glass corridor ian has been told by 10 police officers to leave immediately, to which ian being ian said no!!! I have been told to come here, a young officer grabbed Ian's passport and pushed him out the door after 3 minutes ish, the officer opens the glass door and tells ian to go, not where to go or how to ho just to go. And then.............
Meanwhile Justin is enjoying a few more cigarettes with some different locals in the secure customs area.
.........ian attempts to depart the police office glass corridor, whoever you need a coDe and hand recognition (and ian is not mocking) he now has 2 choices,
1. To walk back to the room full of officers and tap on the door
Or
2. To try and force exit!!
Option one was never in consideration, but option 2 was attempted, unsuccessfully so ian stood there, like a tourist, until another cleaner appeared who entered the code completed the hand recognition and opened the door at which point ian could be seen running like the road runner all the way back to the friendly ( not) officer whoever....
He was thwarted i his tracks by a customs officer in charge of people leaving morocco, ian had'nt even entered yet!! He was asked some questions in French and produce his tank bag which was duly searched and when he relished ian was English and still trying to enter morocco he sent him on his way
25 minutes later ian arrived back to a tanned Justin smoking and spitting like a local, he then followed the officer round the secured area for a further 10 minutes like a lost sheet before he was released in to morocco, but only once he had confirmed he had no fire arms which was a good thing as he may of shot the officer dead.
We the proceeded without fuss to money exchange and insurance, and after ian showing his pass port for the 67 time we were released.
We had planned to take a short trip to the coast and find a nice little riad to settle in for the night, unfortunately neither of us wanted to buy the sat nav for morocco as it would be more real with maps, and it was.
Instead of ending up on the coast we ended up in chefchaouen, the canibis growing capital of morocco, we searched high and low for hotels, and refused all of them. Although we had seen an apartment to rent for the night when we first entered so went back, by this time we were very hot and Justin had already had a collision with a taxi, he thought it was narrower than it was!!! On arrival back T the apartment we claimed 3 flights of stairs too in full bike clothes to be then told he wanted 750 dirham for the night, we then walked back down the stairs and got back on our bikes.
After another 2 hours riding, 8pm we have ended up at a no star motel for the night in the Rif valley, but we are here and drinking beer while we type.
The card has made it for another night although not happy there is no spar!!!
Here's to more trails or tails tomorrow...............
Photos to follow when we find civilisation!
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