“…Fifty Dirham, for a pencil?” I ask, incredulously. The proprietor shrugs and turns back to the soccer game. “You want kebab instead?…” I’ve got a nice idea for a story. I reach for my notebook and pencil to jot it down. No pencil. I’ve lost it somewhere. I head for the market. Chefchaouen is a…
…The highlight of the tour is the brothel, and the famous phallus stone. It’s not too clear what the stone’s purpose was, but it is leeringly suggested by the guide to be a sort of bench mounted dildo… It’s a typically hot and sunny, Moroccan autumn day. From the foot of the hill I can see…
>> This article has been updated. Read the latest version here. …The main reason for camping when you travel, is saving money… every time I fork out money for a hotel room, I’m thinking of the places I could go, the exotic food I could eat, and the exciting things I could do with…
Hitchhiking the road from Merzouga, Morocco, through the Atlas Mountains is enough to make your eyeballs bleed. Serious eye candy. (Above: Merzouga, Morocco.) (Merzouga.) (The Atlas Mountains.) (Todra Gorge.) (The Ziz Valley.) >> More photos of Morocco. >> Like Raw Safari on FaceBook. View Larger Map
…Mohamed climbs out and walks around the car. He squints at the sand around the door sills and kicks at the tires. Bill and I look at each other, and feel grateful we brought plenty of water. “Now we push”, says Mohammed… It’s 06:45. The sun’s coming up. I untangle myself from my sleeping…
>> This post has been updated: read the new version here. The top 5 travel apps in the Google Play Store: (I’m an Android, but some of these apps or equivalents, are also available for Iphone.) 1. Map Factor Navigator. This awesome free app gives you GPS navigation maps on your phone or tablet. You…
…Several films have been shot in Tamnougalt, Alami tells us, including “Babel”. “I loved that film”, I say. “Cate Blanchett is Australian, you know? I met her at a barbeque once.” “It is a quite small world”, Alami says, “my cousin was an actor in that “Babel”… As we bump down the rocky track…
…There’s a policeman nearby who does not look happy. Before he can order us out of there, I launch into my ‘location scouting’ routine. I’ve used this gimmick a few times, and it often works. “Hi! We’re looking for locations for a film! Is it OK if we leave the car here for…
…”What’d you say? You got a problem?” I ask, like a badly written character in a Roger Corman film. We stand there for a few seconds eyeballing each other… I know I’m not really going to get into a fight with an amphetamine pumped Moroccan waiter. I can picture them plopping my entrails into…
>> This article has been updated. >> Read the latest version here. …You can hitch a ride from anywhere, if you have the confidence and time to talk to strangers. Cafes, restaurants, parks, truck stops, supermarkets; any places there are people with vehicles, there are potential rides… OK, hitchhiking isn’t complicated, so I’m…
…”You care for nothing but yourself, young man” he tells me, his voice rising in anger. I laugh, stunned. “You are wasting my time!” he shouts, “you are the only one alone. Everyone else is in a tour group. Only you are so selfish!..” We ask Ouma if she would like to go…
As a small thank you to Ouma and her family for their gracious hospitality in Fez, we make them a big feed of pasta and cucumber salad. It goes down well, especially with the kids, and we are very flattered by the praise of the aunties. One Eid Al Adha I’ll never forget. …