T2T Day 5

T2T Day 5 15-Nov-2011  “Sac magique”

Jerez ( Southern Spain ) to Larache ( Northern Morocco )

Miles covered: 163         T2T miles so far: 1,486               Punctures : 0    

Evening Meal: Pizza, frites, Charwarma

Road hours : 09:00 – 22:30 …

We departed the secure parking facilities offered by excellent Nova Centro Hotel in Jerez sans breakfast, sans coffee tired perhaps but with determination in our hearts to reach the port of Algeciras to take our Ferry to Morocco and to begin our African adventure proper.

Algeciras being only 106km down the road, no problems were anticipated.  A modest shower doused T2T outriders but the sun shone intermittently and our spirits brightened as Algeciras loomed.  On arrival team leader Kev made contact with a local ticket agent and set off with Jas to confirm Ferry times and prices.  Jon remained standing guard over the bikes and to stretching aching muscles.  Time alone with the bike is an excellent opportunity to fettle and faff with machine and kit and it was during this brief interval that the terrible truth dawned on T2T Jon – Jas had forgotten his head torch!!! Having just arrived, at speed from Jerez Jon valiantly offered to return to collect the torch (and his own wallet and backpack which happened to also have been forgotten… ).  Not only did this impose an immediate return journey in the direction from which he’d just come but worse still there would be a delay to the murderous T2T schedule … dark moments indeed for T2T.  Having broken the news to flabbergasted but resigned team mates Jon set off to return 3.5 hours later this time with the elusive head-torch and backpack.

Re-united once again the team acquired ferry tickets and boarded the 4pm to the recently re-furbished passenger port of Tangiers with the promise of a speedy pass-through and on the road to Morocco’s capital city of Rabat from where onward visas are to be sourced.

On arrival to Tangiers team T2T were fast-tracked through immigration and passport control in an unbelievable 3 hours ( and were a collective €180 lighter for ‘vehicle insurance’.  This insurance which is mandatory provides cover for any 3^rd party T2T collides with, not the T2T rider nor his machine … )

A brief but eventful ride to the nearby town of Larache where weary T2T team mates were welcomed like lost sons.  A brief round of soft drinks and a plate of frites for the ever-hungry Jas and the team retired in preparation for a 6am start the following day …