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The latest posts, regardless of story or project

We don’t need scorpions here

March 26, 2014 No Comments

15 – 16 feb 2014 ~ Screw Fes. In fact, screw Morocco. I’m sick of the chaos, I’m sick of the heat (it’s 23 degrees here in Fes, while just two days ago I was walking in the snow), and most of all, I’m sick of the hustlers, none of whom are really my friend, even though that’s what each and every one of them uses to address me. The shopkeepers constantly trying to attract my attention and the restaurant people shoving menus in my face as I walk by can bugger off, too. Fes may be the cultural and spiritual capital of the country, but I can’t wait to get out of it.

Mowgli and the monkeys

March 9, 2014 2 Comments

10 – 14 feb 2014 ~ On the first morning of my four-day trek in the Rif mountains, I meet up with my guide, Amin. He’s 40 years old and has been guiding tourists for the past 20 years (after deciding that smuggling cannabis to Spain was too risky). His father was a Berber from the mountains, while his mother is an Arab from Chefchaouen. He’s not married but, insha’Allah, he will be in a year’s time.

Feeling blue in the blue town

March 2, 2014 1 Comment

7 – 9 feb 2014 ~ The morning of my departure from Tanger starts badly; on the toilet, for an hour and a half. Thankfully it turns out to be a case of agitated bowels not yet being used to the Moroccan cuisine, rather than a virus that would leave me toilet-bound for days on end. Once my bowels have calmed down, I walk to the port, where Lonely Planet claims there is a bus station for CTM, Morocco’s national bus company.

Led Zep, Arab Reggae and the CIA

February 21, 2014 No Comments

5 – 7 feb 2014 ~ The mad dash through Europe has hit me harder than I thought; the morning after my arrival in Tanger, I have a bit of a cold. By the end of the afternoon I decide to go out and exploren the Ville Nouvelle a bit. It’s full of  Art Deco buildings with an Arabized twist in details such as doors or windowsills. It’s also full of people; during the day it’s busy, but in the evening it’s absolutely crowded. Seemingly all the young people of Tanger gather here to eat, shop, flirt, and generally enjoy the good life.

Mad dash through Europe

February 6, 2014 10 Comments

2 – 4 feb 2014 ~ What am I getting myself into? That question pops into my head more and more often as my departure date comes closer. ‘West Africa’ is the easy answer, but what does that really mean? I’ve been dreaming about making a trip like this for years, but so far, dreaming is all I’ve done. Now that I have both the money and the time, I intend to live that dream.