Tangier to Larache. Lifeday 25,318

Apparently I started on Twitter 10 years ago today 🙂

However, today was another toughie with a strong headwind most of the way plus I discovered Moroccan garages only sell fuel and oil no fridges full of cold drinks and chocolate 🙁  I did find one selling bottled water from a locked fridge. I guess its a poorness indicator the shops are also poorly stocked.

Lots of cyclists coming the other way on their Sunday rides giving me a wave. It’s amazing the different styles of driving, cars overtaking coming the other way seem very common forcing the cars on my side of the road into dangerous manoeuvres around me. I haven’t at to leap off yet like in South Africa but I’m certainly keeping my eye open for the ditches.

Tanger beach is stunning with new apartments selling for £23,000  but it’s miles from anywhere and you have to cross the busy road to get to the beach. Every village and town has massive apartment construction underway all very cheap in European money terms.

Arriving in Larache I tried to find the previously booked Lukus Hotel, The pin on the booking.com website is in the wrong place and Google couldn’t find it. Eventually after asking loads of people someone said ask at the Hotel Espanol down the side street. I did, and the reception guy had a scruffy bit of paper with a note of my name, spelt Jeff, so obviously it had been telephoned to him. By far the worst booking.com experience to date.

Larache itself seems to sell trainers and track suits in every shop and on the pavement. My main problem, apart from the lack of beer, is that every one speaks French so you can imagine I don’t get understood very much!

Strava says I did 56.7miles and 2,068ft of climbing at a very pathetic 9.6mph but that contains a lot of riding aimlessly to find the hotel and also leaving The Medina in Tangier another tricky part of the day.

Tomorrow is a long one especially since rain is now forecast for the next week. So maybe the train will be taking some of the strain…

The pictures of the day are here