Day 42 – Mohammedia second time here

Up early again and set off at 09:30am.

We had a discussion last night and decided that we would make our way to the port on Thursday instead of going to Fez etc. Tina has been increasingly finding the culture here in Morocco difficult to deal with. She sees donkeys being beaten and the abject poverty and wants to get back to Europe so that she no longer is reminded of these things.

Whilst driving along I was reflecting on the english guy who came into the van yesterday. His name was Andy and was married to Assma and they had a new born of 2 months named Hind together with the sister Marouane. During the conversation he mentioned that Assma’s hair was breaking at neck level and Tina suggested a few causes. It turns out that she heats it too often and damages it. He also said that in the moroccan culture he “owns” her hair and he is the boss. Tina felt offended by these remarks on behalf of the woman. It seems that he is going back to the UK when his visa runs out at the end of March. I expect that Assma will have to return to her fathers house as she can’t speak any english and has no chance yet of getting a wife visa.

Andy talked about her family and the village where her father and uncles lived. They survive on a diet of bread and sweet tea made with lots of sugar. They don’t have meat or vegetables in their diet as a rule.It is a meagre existence they live.

This afternoon had another sort out in the van and created some space in the garage so that we could empty the shower. It will make it so much easier to use whilst we travel up through Spain. Our friends are expecting us in about a week and we hope to take the dogs to the vet for their checkup for the pet passport on the following Monday. Then the final sprint up to Calais for the tunnel.

On a hookup tonight and making use of the free WIFI offered by the site. The cost tonight is 90dh (£7)