Tuesday 29 January – Algeciras to Assila

Algeciras to Assila - 62 miles

 It was still dark when we rose ready for an early start. Our planned ferry was 11.00am and required an hour before check-in but in fact it was only 10-15 mins to the port and we arrived well in time, negotiating a long line of motorhomes who were waiting for a different ferry. They were still waiting when we left............

As usual, the 11.00 departure time turned out to be, well, flexible but we finally sailed at around 11.45 having loaded maybe a dozen trucks, the same number of motorhomes and a few cars. It was almost empty, not even any foot passengers. But despite the weather being dull and cloudy it was a smooth crossing, during which we got the immigration routine sorted out and enjoyed a coffee.

Arrived and disembarked by 13.15, we proceeded to the Customs post which as always was somewhat chaotic, not helped by new procedures for temporary import of vehicles – it looked like they didn't have much idea either with many Customs and Police just hanging around doing not very much. We eventually worked out that we first had to visit the Customs office and get the vehicle registered, then wait with the van for a Customs man to come and “clear” us. We suspect we had coincided with a lunchtime shift change but it seemed ages before a Customs guy we hadn't seen before asked a couple of questions, handed us our import document and sent us on our way. In the UK this would have taken maybe 15 minutes – it was 14.10 by the time we were away to the Bureaux de Change for dirhams. Still quicker than last time though.

We were the last of our group to get clear but not by much so after changing a wad of pounds into dirhams we headed out to the motorway and our overnight stop about an hour away at Assila. As has happened every visit we did not get far before it started raining and we encountered showers all the way to Assila, which lasted well into the night.

Despite getting information that they maybe had closed the guardian parking areas were still very much active, although we thought now getting a bit expensive at 50 dirhams (£4) for basically an overnight carpark. But they were friendly people (even when the newbie gave them a 50 Euro note! We got that back pronto) and as always wanted cigarettes or beer as a “present”. Maybe later.

Quick cuppa then walked up to Maroc Telecom to sort out internet. Despite our sim card being almost two years out of date the guy managed to resurrect it and recharge it, although it took a few hours to register and be usable – all the others managed new cards without difficulty although it did seem a laborious process. It didn't help when we later discovered we had arrived close to closing time, but give the chap his due, he sorted everybody out even though it was well over half an hour after closing by the time he finished (his security guard wasn't quite as happy mind). See that happening in the UK?

In past years Morocco has been on UK time, i.e. GMT so we'd all changed our various timepieces to that, but something didn't gell so we asked the guardian who said we should be on Spanish time. Not entirely sure of him, someone did some research and we eventually discovered the King had decreed that from two weeks ago Morocco would be on permanent GMT + 1 hour, no changes half yearly. Unfortunately none of the “automatic” technology seemed to know of this so phones, satnav etc. are all an hour out!

And so we're back. Apart from Derek and June, all the others have different plans so will go their own ways tomorrow.