12-13 Nov 2010 - Fez to Parcent

Friday 12 November

 It was another early start, as we had to be in Tangier to catch the 1400 ferry.   It would mean breakfast at 0630 to be ready to leave at 0730 for the 163 mile drive to Tangier

Despite the prospect of a two day coach trip back to the Costa Blanca everyone was in a good mood, and the pleasant weather helped considerably.

We arrived in Tangier at 0100, so we were allowed half an hour to eat our lunch before catching the ferry.   Most of us had bread rolls and fruit from breakfast, so we had a picnic lunch on the promenade.   Also a chance for our last photo in Morocco.

The ferry left on time and the top desk was crowded with tourists taking photos as we left the port, particularly of this luxury cruise ship.

And less than an hour later it was to take photos of Tarifa, as we arrived back in Spain.

We left Tarifa at 1500 and the 92 miles to our hotel in Torremolinos took us two hours.  The hotel had a Spanish dance group performing after dinner, but we preferred a last walk along the promenade.   When we returned to the hotel we were not tempted by the noisy show in the bar, but went straight to bed.

Saturday 13 November

The coach left at a very civilized 0900 for the 352 mile drive back to Moraira. The seating system on the coach was “first come first served”.   This is the fairest method, but it does result is something of a scramble for the best seats, particularly for such a long journey.   So there was a good crowd waiting for the driver to open the doors.

The long journey was more pleasant than expected, mostly due to the exceptionally smooth driving.   Our driver had done much to make the holiday a joy, and I am sure that everyone contributed generously to the collection.   We arrived in Moraira at 1700 and were home in Parcent an hour later.  

Even more thanks are due to Bob and Janet who organised the trip.   They took great pains to ensure that everything went smoothly and even provided free sweets during the coach journey.   They were always on hand to raise spirits or help out if anyone had a problem.  

We had covered a long distance, the driver estimated it at 3000 kilometers (1875 miles).   Many hours had been spent in the coach, though it was more comfortable than many of us had expected.   Although we only spent a short time at each town, we felt we had gained a good impression of Morocco.   There was a general opinion that it was a wonderful holiday and a great experience, though perhaps not one we would want to repeat due to the amount of travel required.