7.10 am Still night outside.
Rudely awakened by Ian saying that the alarm hadn’t gone off and we were due to pull out at 7.30. Ray had already warned us that if we were left behind it would be our own fault. Panic ensued but being near to the exit, we managed to pull out second after the Unimog into the heavy predawn traffic.
Caught the 8am ferry to Ceuta and we were away. Lovely view of the sun rising from behind the Rock of Gibraltar.
The coffee in the bar tasted awful but I managed two cups, himself diet coke. The crossing was really smooth. No wobblies anywhere.
After landing in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, most of us filled up with diesel, it being cheaper that on the Spanish mainland, before heading for the pre Border regroup car and lorry park.
Some of us who hadn't been properly listening to Ray's instructions (no, not us) took the wrong turning and headed off to goodness knows where but eventually we all arrived at the carpark overlooking the sea.
That's us ......... between the Hymer and the Arto......
Next stop......the Border where we queued for a fair while, but Ray said that it was one of the better days. It could have been an awful lot longer.
That's us ......... between the Hymer and the Arto......
Next stop......the Border where we queued for a fair while, but Ray said that it was one of the better days. It could have been an awful lot longer.
Once over the border we were instructed to look out for a large area on the right hand side of the road where we were to stop and regroup. Trouble was, we weren't sure how far along the road it was and just as we were sure we must have passed it by and were getting ready to turn around, there was a familiar figure by the side of the road waving us down. Such a relief. We had driven 11 kilometres.
There was a bit of a wait for one couple who had decided to go off by themselves to find a bank to change money even though Desert Detours had already loaned all of us some Dirhams to get by with until we could all hit the banks at Martil.
Camping Alboustane, Martil............. a seaside town. The camp site was scruffy but everything worked and it was very close to the seafront. Ray gave us all cake and delicious Moroccan mint tea and another talk after which we walked the length of the promenade, a fair distance, into the town to change our euros into dirhams. Being February, the town was very quiet and lots of places were closed up and some in ruins. We are told that it is a completely different place in the summer. Sadly, there is litter everywhere. Anything of use is recycled or used but litter, probably because it is of no value, is everywhere.
Back at camp, himself cooked rice with onions tuna & tomatoes for which I was truly grateful as was feeling very shivery with a virus. We crashed out about 7pm after the 'call to prayer' from the local mosque which was repeated at 9pm, a bit of a dirge, but slept well thereafter having slept really badly the previous night in the noisy carpark at Casa Barnado.
