Here I have a keyboard I can cope with and I have good news and plenty of time and I have left my diary in my room!!! Typical. Not to worry. I will write up our Morocco adventures in the next post, suffice to say, we escaped from Morocco only 2 days late after being held up by the Icelandic volcanic cloud. What a disaster that has been for tourism and business everywhere, especially in Europe! We arrived at our second last stop in Morocco, Marrakech, where all the other members of the tour started and therefore ended their land part of their package. However, the cloud was already a problem so 41 people were stranded in Morocco with our wonderful tour director Graham (aka Aziz) stuck with them instead of returning to his home in Casablanca for a couple of days r & r before picking up the next group, which of course did not arrive.
So Irene, Jan and I returned in a huge coach, each with a front seat, accompanied by Karim the driver, his lovely English wife Anne and 3 year old daughter Habiba, who had come from Agadir to visit him for the weekend since he had been away for 2 and a half months! The coach assistant, Hassan was also with us, he was a great Moroccan gofer who kept the coach in pristine condition and attended the back door whenever we stopped to make sure everyone disembarked safely.
I had had food poisoning on the Wednesday after a recommended safe lunch at a hotel in the Toddra Gorge - I had to stop the bus 4 times ... awful, embarrassing and very depleting!!! They were all very caring. I missed out only on film studios at Ouarzazate - who cares and I was given top priority for seating for the last day or so on the bus. Friends plied me with appropriate drugs to keep the coach nice and I survived all the way back to the Prince de Pais Hotel in Casablanca.
Of all the cities in all the world... Casablanca is not really one you would wish to have to spend extra time in, but Aziz arranged for one of his good friends to take us out to dinner on our second night there - would you believe, a lovely young man, Rohan, from Glen Waverley. Aziz had also arranged for us to have the keys to his own apartment if we had to stay past Tuesday! As it happened, we were on the first flight out of Morocco to Casablanca and we were driven to the airport by the father of another friend of Aziz. As you can see, Aziz (Graham) was an absolute angel, no greater recommendation for Cosmos tours could we give; he really had no responsibility to us past Saturday morning, but we are still in touch.
We also made good friends with 2 beautiful people - Deryss from England and Flo from Ireland and we intend to keep in touch with them. We hope they will visit us at some time so we can proudly show them our part of Australia and maybe some others.
The plane was chock - a - block with passengers. Irene was not impressed with the farting footballers behind here seat, but I was on the opposite window and completely unaware of her discomfort. Arriving in Amsterdam jus before 9 pm on Tuesday night, our taxi driver informed us that Schipoll Airport closed at 9! My lucky silk travelling scarf and Irene's lucky boot worked well.
Today we explored a local market and trammed to the city. We walked and walked and clicked and clicked - those beautiful canals and the old warehouse buildings. We took a canal tour which included the port area - fascinating and we have booked a bus tour to the tulip gardens tomorrow.
I think someone is waiting, so I wish you all health and happiness as much as I truly enjoy.
I am here in Holland! Amazing!
It has been great to talk with Bek and Andy and text them, Mum and Judy too.
Love to all
Susie.
So Irene, Jan and I returned in a huge coach, each with a front seat, accompanied by Karim the driver, his lovely English wife Anne and 3 year old daughter Habiba, who had come from Agadir to visit him for the weekend since he had been away for 2 and a half months! The coach assistant, Hassan was also with us, he was a great Moroccan gofer who kept the coach in pristine condition and attended the back door whenever we stopped to make sure everyone disembarked safely.
I had had food poisoning on the Wednesday after a recommended safe lunch at a hotel in the Toddra Gorge - I had to stop the bus 4 times ... awful, embarrassing and very depleting!!! They were all very caring. I missed out only on film studios at Ouarzazate - who cares and I was given top priority for seating for the last day or so on the bus. Friends plied me with appropriate drugs to keep the coach nice and I survived all the way back to the Prince de Pais Hotel in Casablanca.
Of all the cities in all the world... Casablanca is not really one you would wish to have to spend extra time in, but Aziz arranged for one of his good friends to take us out to dinner on our second night there - would you believe, a lovely young man, Rohan, from Glen Waverley. Aziz had also arranged for us to have the keys to his own apartment if we had to stay past Tuesday! As it happened, we were on the first flight out of Morocco to Casablanca and we were driven to the airport by the father of another friend of Aziz. As you can see, Aziz (Graham) was an absolute angel, no greater recommendation for Cosmos tours could we give; he really had no responsibility to us past Saturday morning, but we are still in touch.
We also made good friends with 2 beautiful people - Deryss from England and Flo from Ireland and we intend to keep in touch with them. We hope they will visit us at some time so we can proudly show them our part of Australia and maybe some others.
The plane was chock - a - block with passengers. Irene was not impressed with the farting footballers behind here seat, but I was on the opposite window and completely unaware of her discomfort. Arriving in Amsterdam jus before 9 pm on Tuesday night, our taxi driver informed us that Schipoll Airport closed at 9! My lucky silk travelling scarf and Irene's lucky boot worked well.
Today we explored a local market and trammed to the city. We walked and walked and clicked and clicked - those beautiful canals and the old warehouse buildings. We took a canal tour which included the port area - fascinating and we have booked a bus tour to the tulip gardens tomorrow.
I think someone is waiting, so I wish you all health and happiness as much as I truly enjoy.
I am here in Holland! Amazing!
It has been great to talk with Bek and Andy and text them, Mum and Judy too.
Love to all
Susie.
Dear Susie
ReplyDeleteI spoke with Anna this morning and she told me of your adventures. Your itinerary sounds wonderful. I look forward to following your blog. Love to see the photos and hear of your adventures when you return. Love, Connie