12.01 till 22.01.07, 10 days, currency rate 1€ = 11.1 D (Dirham)

highlights – I started from the Spanish town Algeciras, where I boarded on the ferry which runs between Europe and Africa. After an hour I came to the shore and stand up in Africa for the first time. Ceuta, a Spanish enclave on the black land, isn't very different from Europe, but it seemed to me that I was already in another world. Emotions didn't allow me to feel tired, so despite the late night I walked for an hour to the Moroccan border. Immediately after the border crossing there no longer seemed to me - I was already in another world. Taxi drivers surrounded me, and because was at midnight, I had no much choice. My basic Spanish was useful and the first long bargain brought a positive result - price for course to Tetouan has dropped from 60 to 4 € per 2 persons. Bargains, uff, now I knew that will be my every day routine.

The first place we visited in Morocco was town Chefchaouen. At the welcome we drank the fantastic natural fruit juice - a mixture of oranges, bananas and strawberries. With a new energy we visited Medina (old town). It is beautiful, located on the cliff, with dozens of winding white-blue narrow streets. The locals walking there dressed in traditional cloths jellaba, looks like dressing-gown with spiky hood. They looked great, like mix a monk with a troll. We enjoyed Medina greatly, we walked aimlessly for hours. It was a sign that we are already far beyond our normal life, in the middle of a different culture. This region of Morocco is also known for the hashish cultivation, so do not be surprised that you will get an offer.

Extremely interesting was colourful leather tanneries viewed from the roofs in Fes, which attracted to its originality, but rejected with stench. It's worth to see more then one tannery, to see the whole sheep's leather process. View from the shop terrace at the tanneries is an interesting, you can see the hard employees work standing in the pods filled with tannins. In order to obtain better durability and colour quality often to tannins is added pigeon's droppings and cow's urine. Leaving the store we will be asking to purchase any leather product. In book guide we had selected only one tannery, so we hired a guide to show us several other tanneries. We had to walk several meters behind him, as only the official guides can lead tourists in the city. He took us to a less known tannery. Medina Fes el-Bali is the largest existing medieval Islamic town in the world, it's a yellow clay labyrinth of narrow streets, where it's easy to get lost. Accidently we found a bath (entry for men only). We got in with curiosity and I was surprise when I received two buckets. I was sitting on the tiles floor and putting once bucket with hot, and other time with cold water on me.

But enough the cities, that was a time for the nature. We began immediately to revelations - the Sahara sand dunes. In the small town Merzuga people weren't too nice, so in hurry we escaped from there. However we left our excess baggage in friendly Auberge Le Petit Prince (do not even want to tip), and we went out of town. We walked for hours among the dunes. In the sweat on the forehead we climbed those huge one, nearly 200 meters high - was beautiful, empty, red, and mysteriously. At sunset we observed how the sand is changing its colours into gold, and after we jumped in the sleeping bags. However, the wild night on the desert was cold and I had to scratch a frost from the bag at the morning.

Desert at morning and rocks at evening. Beautiful is not just the red colour of the Todra Gorge, but also its shape and proportions. Here is a worth to walk a little further along the unpaved road next to the river. This is a few dozen kilometres, and on both sides you can see several hundred meters high orange vertical cliffs - a paradise for climbers and trekkers. You might take a trekking in various length, and is also a possible to travel by car to the next Dades Gorge.

Later I enchanted the unique atmosphere of Marrakech main square - Djemaa el-Fna. This place is alive all day, and additionally explodes at evenings. There are a lot of street shows, jugglers, circus performers, acrobats, story tellers, snake charms, sellers, teasers, swindlers, musicians and colourful markets. The best is that, it isn't mainly for tourists, at late night there are no many foreigners left but shown still go on with crowds of locals. You won't be hungry - the smell and colour of exotic dishes tempt effectively, and the seller instantly becomes your best friend. Next day will be hard to walk next to him without sitting and purchasing some meal. The old Medina is also interesting, whole in ochre colour, but it is not so mysterious as medina in Fes. Negative point is the fact that on the narrow streets car and motor traffic is permitted, you must be careful. If I had only one selection Fes or Marrakesh, I would choice the first one.

I was heading to the Western Sahara. Although officially this territory is disputed, in practice the administrative control there has Morocco. Wilderness, open space, empty space. We were driving for hundreds of kilometres and passed only through two towns and a few villages. Otherwise the desert was on the left hand and the ocean on the right. Sellers in Laayoune and Dakhla weren't so hassle, which was the case in Morocco - so the evening stroll on the streets was much more relaxing.

accommodation – worthwhile to bargain. Cheap hostels are prepared for the backpackers, charged per person, often lack of single rooms.

transport– first you need to get to Africa. The cheapest way is by ferry from Algeciras to Ceuta (Spain 32 €, officially trip takes 45 minutes), departure every hour until late evening. From terminal in Ceuta there is an hour walk to the border with Morocco, or catch a city bus.

Bus network services in Morocco works well. Departures time are listed, you can book a ticket in advance. Before board the bus your backpack has to go to the boot or roof-rack (you may lock it just in case) and requires luggage fee - find out how much the locals pay - normally was from 5 Dirham per bag, sometimes we had to argue with unfair boys. Remember also that the overnight journey may be very cold, especially in the mountain area.

Where buses do not go, the shared taxi runs, called grand taxi. These are usually old broken Mercedes, which take two passengers in front seat and four of them at the back. They have no schedule, departure is when all seats are taken - if you are in hurry, you can pay for the missing passengers.

There is no public transport between Dakhla and Mauritania, so you must search for on your own.

visa – Morocco, as well as Western Sahara, does not require visas for most of citizens. On the border we get a stamp which allows stay up to 90 days. There is no control point between the Western Sahara and Morocco. Land border with Algeria is currently closed.

In Morocco you can find the embassy of Mali and Mauritania.