Africa, Australia and Asia

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Powell Ettinger Africa, Australia and Asia
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- Sep 21, 1989
- 🌧 20 °C
- Altitude: 20 m
- England Greater London Victoria London Victoria 51.495113, -0.14412351°29’42” N 0°8’39” W
Day 1
Victoria Station, london, uk
September 21, 1989 in England ⋅ 🌧 20 °C
11.30 boat train from Victoria. Back in with a bang, 2 days by train to Morocco (Dinner in London, lunch in Paris, Dinner in Madrid, breakfast in Morocco). Very little hassle from pesty Marocs, in fact chorus (?) appears to be V kind, but we have been very wary, perhaps too much so. Went straight to Asilah by train. (3rd class)Read more
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Powell Ettinger Africa, Australia and Asia
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- Sep 22, 1989, 12:59pm
- 22 °C
- Altitude: 42 m
- France Île-de-France Paris Paris 07 Palais-Bourbon Basilique Sainte-Clotilde 48.85889, 2.32004148°51’32” N 2°19’12” E
Day 2
Paris for lunch
September 22, 1989 in France ⋅ 22 °C
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Powell Ettinger Africa, Australia and Asia
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- Sep 22, 1989, 5:59pm
- 25 °C
- Altitude: 667 m
- Spain Madrid Sol Plaza Puerta del Sol 40.4167, -3.7035840°25’0” N 3°42’13” W
Day 2
Madrid for dinner
September 22, 1989 in Spain ⋅ 25 °C
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Powell Ettinger Africa, Australia and Asia
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- Sep 23, 1989, 8:59am
- 17 °C
- Altitude: 26 m
- Spain Andalusia Algeciras Plaza Alta 36.131173, -5.44739936°7’52” N 5°26’51” W
Day 3
Algeciras
September 23, 1989 in Spain ⋅ 17 °C
Ferry to Tangier. Saw a huge school of dolphins off Gibraltar, what a great start! I remember listening to Dr Hook on my walkman on the ferry, looking at the land as we approached Morocco. This felt like a proper way to start a journey.Read more
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Powell Ettinger Africa, Australia and Asia
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- Sep 23, 1989, 12:59pm
- 28 °C
- Altitude: 5 m
- Morocco Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Tanger-Medina Ancienne Medina Port De Tanger 35.782899, -5.80720235°46’58” N 5°48’26” W
Day 3
Tangiers, morocco
September 23, 1989 in Morocco ⋅ 28 °C
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Powell Ettinger Africa, Australia and Asia
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- Sep 23, 1989, 3:59pm
- 27 °C
- Altitude: 22 m
- Morocco Asilah 35.461928, -6.03654535°27’43” N 6°2’12” W
Day 3
Asilah
September 23, 1989 in Morocco ⋅ 27 °C
Clean hotel but not imagination in the way of food. Who cares, its good to be back on the road. Flamingos and egrets all over the place.

Trying to live very cheaply, under £10 per day. Made easier by lack of beer. Have to kick our heels for a week or so to wait for David.Read more
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- Sep 24, 1989
- 31 °C
- Altitude: 22 m
- Morocco Asilah 35.461928, -6.03654535°27’43” N 6°2’12” W
Day 4
Asilah still
September 24, 1989 in Morocco ⋅ 31 °C
Very energetic today. Got up, had tea and toast, went to beach, had siesta, went out for a horrible dinner and went to bed. Not much goes on in Asilah, and the food is poor. Tourism is just catching on unfortunately though it is possible to live very cheaply - less than £20 for the 3 of us.Read more
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Powell Ettinger Africa, Australia and Asia
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- Sep 26, 1989
- 34 °C
- Altitude: 401 m
- Morocco Fes 34.03366, -4.9961134°2’1” N 4°59’46” W
Day 6
Fez
September 26, 1989 in Morocco ⋅ 34 °C
Another long train yesterday. 6.5 hours in 3rd class from Asilah to Fez (via Sidi Kaseem). 33 dirhams, about £2.50. Had to stand for the last 1/2. Accosted by Saiid and Abdul, who seemed cheerful enough maties. Spent last night in a brothel type hotel, but moved to the hotel Du Jardin today, on the edge of the Medina. Saiid took us around the souk, showed us a bakery, Tanning factory, wood dye factory, carpet chops etc. Insulted one matey badly, apparently, by blowing my nose in his shop. He got very shorty. Felt a bit guilty for Saiid as we didn't buy anything so he got no commission, though he wouldn't accept anything from us yesterday as he said he was just a friend. We even got a couple of cups of tes from him and had a free guide for a day. I think by the end he was as pleased to be rid of us as we were of him.

Just been to the 'Long drop', pleased to report that everything is as it should be.

The food is pretty terrible, either fish bones in batter + chips, or mangy chicken + chips - What do the locals eat? (The bread is very good). Bought some bread fresh out of an oven this morning, and felt very philanthropic handing out to beggars and kiddies.

Jan is having an attack of the Chukkies (?), and whats worse is that it seems infectious.

Carpet sellers all have the best, cheap, can sell it in Harrods for 5 times the price, or with a man who takes 10% at a place called an auction (oh really?) Berber rugs. Usually white with brown motifs, (17 different dialects, 56 tribes). Royal and Fez carpets (360,000 stitches per m2) and a 'funny business carpet (do they mean 'how's your father?) but all very yucky and expensive + chemical dies despite their insistence that the vioolent pink and fluorescent green occur naturally. Do people really buy carpets here? Only Yanks surely. The good news is that siestas are back in fashion. French is slowly coming back to me and am learning a few words of Arabic - Shokram=Thanks. And to count to 5. Wahad, Jouj, Kletta, Araba, Hamsa, Sta, Sba Roughly speaking. Jaj = Chicken.Read more
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Powell Ettinger Africa, Australia and Asia
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- Sep 28, 1989
- 30 °C
- Altitude: 1,035 m
- Morocco Drâa-Tafilalet Errachidia 31.9298, -4.4284731°55’47” N 4°25’42” W
Day 8
Midnight arrest
September 28, 1989 in Morocco ⋅ 30 °C
Spent most of yesterday trying to phone David, eventually had to resort to laying out 90 dirhams at 5 star hotel. Not arriving for another 10 days so meet in Tom(?). Variously pestered around the medina again, having got very lost under our own steam. Various mateys followed us but to no avail (for themselves anyway). (Editors note. The Souk/Medina is on a slope. To get out head up/down hill).

Went for a walk during the heat of the day, over the valley to some ruins. Waste of time in general, but had some good slop from a small matey in the market for 5 dirhams. He spoke no French but our fluent Arabic was enough to get by. Took my first 3 photos of peeps in the market but don't know if they'll come out.

Midnight
280 miles to the south at Er Rachidia, up and over the Atlas Mountains. 1 matey arrested en route (Bouleman) apparently for drugs, held up the whole bus for 90 minutes while police tried to identify whose bag it was with the drugs in. Marched everyone off the front 6 rows into the copshop. Meanwhile Seb's bowells were moving and he had to retire to the copshop, much to the consternation of Jan.

Ce matin spoke to David V briefly. I do hope he makes it.

Had some v nice bean slop with little matey in the market and changed £10 in the hotel. All the hustlers thought I was a Belgian motorcyclist but lost interest in me very quickly. The bus was V hot and sweaty to start, but scenery was good and shame it got dark so early. Crossed a sort of Altiplano and met some more rain. Arrived circa 11.00 and found nice clean cheap hotel easily. AmazingRead more
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Powell Ettinger Africa, Australia and Asia
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- Sep 30, 1989, 9:01am
- 21 °C
- Altitude: 1,035 m
- Morocco Drâa-Tafilalet Errachidia 31.9298, -4.4284731°55’47” N 4°25’42” W
Day 10
Er Rachidia - Place of the peanut
September 30, 1989 in Morocco ⋅ 21 °C
Er Rachidia (It does translate as the place of the peanut) is nice enough,. Hotel Renaissance is v helpful, hot showers and a reasonable cafe downstairs with excellent herb omelet. In fact everyone seems very polite and helpful, with the exception perhaps of the taxi driver. Another thunderstorm today that somehow avoided us on our return from La Source Bleu, a fresh spring come swimming pool, infested with fish and a bus full or two of Germans. Quite a pleasant place but not sunny enough all day. Got a lift back with a lorry driver and booked the 5am bus for the morning. yuck.

The good news is that I have purchased a turban (Editor's note. Not a turban, a Ceche - pronounced sesh), Royal Blue with black trim, but lacking a number 9 on the back, for 50 dirhams. Very smart and all the rage in Bilma Erg apparently. Had a good chat with a matey about Sex, drugs and rock and roll in Morocco. Basically very similar taboos to us, but literally about 100 years behind. Tracy Chapman is V popular but lager louts are definitely out.Read more
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