SEGMENT 1
Oct. 3: We left Munich for Morocco. The last couple of weeks had been very busy with last-minute preparations (pic 01). Some of our equipment and parts hadn't arrived on time and we had to improvize. The Skyjacker suspension arrived too late for us to get it through technical inspection and registration. And the Pro Comp tires hadn't even left the manufacturer in the US yet. Nonetheless, we were eager to hit the road.

Our 2,400 km (1,500 miles) drive took us through Switzerland and France to the south of Spain. What we didn't know was that the Swiss started fall vacation that weekend and we lost half a day in traffic. But we made it to Algeciras in time to take the ferry to Tanger, Morocco.
At the border things were a bit hectic with filling out papers, getting car insurance, exchanging money (you are not allowed to bring in any Dirham - Moroccan money). We didn't really like Tanger too much so we got cheap diesel and left for Tétouan. We were stopped by police at a roundabout for ignoring the right-of-way. I didn't know you had to STOP there. We talked a bit with the cop and after telling us a few times how expensive tickets were in Morocco he didn't want any money after all and welcomed us to his country :-). We parked in a secured parking lot and were already hassled by people who wanted to be our guide for the town - just like we'd heard it would be. So we were a little tense walking around in the crowded souk and medina.
After just a little while we moved on to Chefchaouèn (pic 02) where we found a nice campground on a hill overlooking the city. We got settled and explored the town. Here it was apparent that tourists were not quite as common and we enjoyed a stroll through the medina. At the campground we had a Moroccan meal and called it day. After getting used to the mentality people are very friendly and welcoming.

The next day, we hit the road to Meknès and visited Volubilis (pic 03) on the way. This Roman city was once huge with mosaic floors in the houses but now only little remains, since it was later used as a 'quarry' for building up other settlements. Meknès was the first of the "Imperial Cities" that we visited and we enjoyed exploring the impressive palaces, mosques and medersas (religious centers of learning, pic 04). Not far away is Fès, with 2 million almost 4 times the size of Meknès. Here, the medina is split into an older and a newer part, and the older again into several smaller sections, each built up after the same principle containing several mosques, a souk, a common bath and water fountain. Most medinas are a maze with their tiny alleys and walkways but we found the medina in Fès a little more manageable, though huge. We visited a roof terrasse from where we had a good view of the tannery (pic 05), where cow and lamb skins are treated and colored to be made into clothing and accessories later on. A sudden downpour converted the main passage into a torrent within minutes and locals and tourists alike were astounded and amused by the spectacle. After enjoying another delicious meal and a "thé has maint" (supposedly English translation of the famous Moroccan mint tea), we headed south through the mountains where our thermometer showed a chilly 6 degrees C (39 F) at an elevation of over 2,200 meters (over 6,500 feet). The continuing thunderstorms accompanied us for two days throughout the Middle Atlas (pic 06). Unfortunately, the constant downpour made many minor roads impassible so that we had to skip our scenic drive along the famous Cirque de Jaffar. As we continued to head south towards the Sahara, we were hoping for an improvement in the weather.

pic 01

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