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Post by Jim Franklin on Dec 20, 2012 11:03:51 GMT -5
Hi all, we need to make some decisions to truly plan this trip. The poll has numerous options, you have 8 votes so please use wisely. We need to decide what day we get the ferry out of England, I have picked Wednesday sailings as these are cheaper. - Do we sail via Portsmouth or Plymouth. Portsmouth in slightly more expensive and takes 32 hours to Bilbao, Plymouth is slightly cheaper and takes 24 hours to get to Bilbao.
- Do we include the Total Solar Eclipse of November 3rd, if so do we see it on our way home from Spain or do we see in in the Mountains of Morocco?
- Then we have the way from Spain to Morocco itself, for ease do we go via the Spanish enclave of Cueta or do we sale a little longer and go to Melilla, and if the latter which port in Spain to use? Cueta and Melilla are only about 15 miles apart by road, but the customs clearance varies from each port from memory.
- In order to get into the high Atlas, before proceeding further south, do we run along the Algerian border region, straight down the middle of the Country and miss the very high ground, or do we run along the tourist areas with it's encombant "problems"
- How do we camp, only on paid for sites, only wild, a mix of the two or only using local accommodation (The Kasbah option). This is important as it would mean more precise route planning and timings if we go only paid for sites or Kasbah's.
- The we need to decide how many days we spend in Morocco (guides only) and coupled to this is the total trip length options.
We need to make some decisions because once we all decide on dates then I can seriously look at Ferries and start to try to save us some cash and we can all start to book holiday at work... |
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Post by charliedenny on Dec 20, 2012 13:01:28 GMT -5
atlas east would take in Fes, worth a day in the old city with a guide,
we did it hired a guide and taxi for the day cost was not too bad, from memory cannot remember exactly,
go down the east side and come back up the west side (there is tarmac from the Mauri border all the way north, motorway (toll) from tan-tan north to the Med
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Post by Steven Price on Dec 20, 2012 20:45:40 GMT -5
Jim i think it will be better to mix all options for accomadition but mainly wild camping. Its nice to have a decent shower and toilet fo the odd night. But with a group are size i reckon wild camping will be best.
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Post by Jim Franklin on Dec 22, 2012 7:18:24 GMT -5
Steve, I think your right, I have been looking at a Morocco map and attempting to work out a preliminary route as a guide to start with and was trying to take in a major population center every 2nd or 3rd day so that we could all freshen up. I know there are a couple of lakes down the south east of country which would allow something of that type, but I know some peoples sensitivities would stop them from using natural water sources to have a quick wash, and obviously if we have any ladies with us it gets even more complicated...  |
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Post by Steven price on Dec 22, 2012 10:28:57 GMT -5
And im more of pain. I have crohns so need to go toilet more often. Sorry. It want really be much of problem tho. Im really looking forward to this trip. I might be able to get my cousin and his son to come aswell. but there land isnt really up to it being a petrol.
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Post by Jim Franklin on Dec 22, 2012 21:14:06 GMT -5
Steve, I was aware of your medical condition, and your the only person who can judge if your OK for this. Personally, I am 46 now and I seem to have developed a bladder that likes to empty a reasonable amount too some days... So we can take the piss out of each other for the number of stops we have to make to answer natures call  ;D ;D |
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Post by Jim Franklin on Jan 2, 2013 9:50:40 GMT -5
OK, I would like to begin to pin down some dates, Charlie asked this question, and it is right to do so as we all need to consider booking holiday time and the required planning that goes with it.
Initially I am considering the following.
Leave the UK on October 16th 2013
Arrive Spain October 17th 2013
Leave Spain October 19th 2013
Arrive Morocco October 19th 2013
Leave Morocco November 2nd 2013
Camp for two nights in Southern Spain to catch the 2013 Total Solar Eclipse on November 3rd 2013.
Leave Spain the evening of November 4th 2013
Arrive in the UK November 5th 2013.
If there are any objections or changes people can suggest, please do so.
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Post by stevepdefender123 on Jan 2, 2013 18:57:37 GMT -5
Sorry i havent been here a while jim. Iv got a 24hour off road car trial and have been getting my kitcar upto standed cause that needs to be 100%.
Them dates seem ok to me. Tho thats done to you really. I bought on book on Morocco in the summer funny enough cause iv always wanted to go.
Il be fine health wise. Will prepair for it. Many thanks.
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Post by charliedenny on Jan 12, 2013 10:26:31 GMT -5
Right chaps and chapessess! now that we are thinking about driving through France, we have a hell of a lot more choice as to the days we travel (every day rather than Brittany ferries days!!!)
I can get 15 days hols and propose to leave Braemar after work on the Friday and get as far south as I can before giving up for the night (by 9pm should be round about Yorkshire/Midlands, looking at the travel lodge at Stafford which is 6 hours)
I plan to continue south as early as I can on the Saturday, and be at Dover docks lunchtime/early afternoon on the Saturday, (4 and a half hours) for the 1645 sailing which is £35
coming back I hope to be back in Braemar by mid afternoon on the Saturday so I have a days grace should the brown stuff hit the aircon unit!
so my thoughts for getting north was to be at Calais the Friday again lunchtime, and buy a flexi ticket £55 so if I am late/early there isn't so much of a problem.
dates I had in mind were leave Braemar 18th Oct, arrive Dover 19 Oct then down to Morocco, return to catch a sailing on 8th of Nov and home on the 9th,
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Post by Jim Franklin on Jan 12, 2013 11:05:01 GMT -5
Charlie, I have to be back at work on the 8th November as I cannot get cover for that shift period as everyone has used up their cover in the rest of the year.
My last shift is 14th October (days ends at 19:00hrs) and my first shift back is, as I said above, 07:00hrs 8th November. Everything else is flexible.
How about we shift it back so we get back into the UK on the 6th and we get the ferry to France on Thursday at some point?
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Post by charliedenny on Jan 12, 2013 12:37:12 GMT -5
yep can do that I am flexible with return dates will look at the outward dates
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Post by charliedenny on Jan 12, 2013 15:43:11 GMT -5
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Post by Jim Franklin on Jan 12, 2013 20:43:24 GMT -5
Charlie, those dates are good for me...so shall we say that then?
I am sure that DFDS will have the discounts still after the end of the month, I have the same problem, paid on the 24th of each month..
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Post by charliedenny on Jan 13, 2013 4:10:33 GMT -5
Again same as Brittany I am sure we could try for a discount for more vehicles!!
and yes I think we can now confirm the dates as Leave Dover on the 16th of October on the 1645 ferry and arrive back at Dover on the 6th of November,
that gives us 21 days for the trip, less 4 days for the haul too and from Algeciras, allow a day each way to cross the straights of Gibraltar and to get into Morocco leaves us with 15 days in country.
sound ok
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Post by Jim Franklin on Jan 13, 2013 6:20:43 GMT -5
Sounds excellent charlie, it means we don't have a mad ferry rush so can actually enjoy the journey too and from..I agree, I'll make an enquiry about a group booking and see if I can get some sort of discount.
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