176. Passed the pass

Marrakesh

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This road, the Tizi-n-Tichka Pass, pushed through by the French in the 1930's is amazing. Oh to have a real car with which to tackle it.

For the whole drive we were harried by a swarm of 1,000cc Fiat Pandas on a car rally. On the steep climbs we would leave them far behind but downhill they are spectacular performers and raced past us at every opportunity. It looked like a whole lot of fun and a great car for such an adventure.

Much of the route had vendors selling quartz geodes, though our guide book states that many of them are died. When the vendors spot tourists driving toward them (we are not hard to identify) they walk towards you onto the road holding out large Geodes basically in an effort to make you stop. When there is oncoming traffic this certainly focuses the mind.

Big skies, big plains

Pandas have a herd mentality....

... though frequently seen in pairs. 

A man materialised out of nowhere to sell to us here

The cactus are quite something

I told you it was high

Some lounge, changing view

Don't see a road like this every day on the GPS

Got a great welcome from the Slawinskis' family who were waiting outside the campsite gate when we arrived. We had kept in touch since briefly meeting them when we departed this site nearly two weeks ago. Had a wonderful evening sitting outside yarning, with the children coming and going between both sites (opposite ends of the campsite) joined by another camper who happened to be walking her dog. 

We are hoping that Nikki, Jennifer and family will join Jacqueline and the children in Spain while I am back in NZ, later in the month.