Two weeks ago I was buried in snow back home in Devon, now I am in the warm sunshine of Africa. Two lots of bad news this morning. Firstly, Glen is ill and has been up all night with the runs. He takes some rehydration powder for breakfast and then sits outside hotel vomitting in the bushes. Secondly, Andres limps into breakfast room on his crutches and announces that he has broken his leg! Luckily, it is only his artificial one so he only needs a few rivets to repair it Typical biker humour followed with questions asked as to whether it was covered under BMW warranty and had he bought a spare with him. He took it in the spirit intended although the leg was clearly causing him some discomfort. He would have to find a local engineer to hand rivet a repair and this would delay his departure by a few hours. John immediately offered to stay behind to help Andres and with Glen seemingly too ill to ride it looked like we would revert back into our two groups for the ride down to Marrakesh.
Meanwhile I checked out of hotel, walked past a vomitting Glen, climbed on to my bike and rode around to the Mauri Embassy to try to sort out the problems with my visa. Riding in the morning rush hour was actually great fun, hte air was cool and I was loving the cut and thrust of the driving.
Arriving at the Embassy, there was already a large group outside so Iresigned myself to a long wait outside the entrance. Then I had a bright idea and waited instead outside the separate exit door for someone to leave. As soon as the exit door opened I dived through much to the total surprise of the guard who was only used to letting people out and not having them coming in. I rushed up to the main building where there stood two large black men. One looked like a security guard ready to grab me and the other looked senior and important as he was very well dressed. I very politely greetedd the Senior one in French and explained the problems with my visa. He asked me if I had completed the form correctly and I confirmed that I had so he took me with him to the visa processing office. The surly official who had been so unhelpful yesterday, suddenly couldn't be more helpful and apologetic in the presence of his boss. They dug out my form and confirmed I had requsted a multi entry and therefore I paid the aditionl fee and he promised to process my visa "soon". He told me to wait outside and it would be brought out to me when completed. I used this time to write up my blogin the shade and learn to relax into African time again.
Whilst waiting I texted Andres to give him the good news that I should hopefully be back soon. Andres replied with equally good news that he had found a place near the hotel that was making repairs to his leg so hopefully we would not be delayed too long. John later told me of the strange sight of Andres hopping down the road on his one good leg with John walking alongside carrying Andres's artificial leg, apparently they got some strange stares from the locals!
Meanwhile back at the Embassy the hours were passing and nothing was happening. Finally at 11.30am he told me I wouldn't get it until 3.00pm as the Consul himself was not in the building to sign it. There was nothing I could do about it so I rode back to the hotel to join John and Andres who had kindly waited for me. Andres had fixed his bionic leg at a nearby saddlery centre and we walked a very short distance to the Magic Coq for lunch. I returned to Embassy before 3.00pm and as treated like royalty this time, ushered past all the waited crowd and taken inside and presented with my passport with big smiles from everyone. I made a big point of thanking them all in French and we all left happy and smiling. John and Andres had refueled next door so we were ready to set off for Marrakesh. Four hours and 200 miles later we stopped outside Marrakesh to find out from the other group where they were staying. They had texted us the GPS coordinates of the Ibis on thering road so we were able to easily find our way there.
It was decided to take 2 taxi into town to go to the famous Marrakesh square. We ate in the square then visited a barbers shop where most of our group had a haircut and/or a decent shave.
A long day but a fantastic adventure.
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