Happy New Year everyone! This was a good way to start 2009. New Year Eve at the Erg Chebbi in Morocco with the Berbers of the dunes.
petites vacances landaises
13 years ago
22 January 2009
Happy New Year 2009
Happy New Year everyone! This was a good way to start 2009. New Year Eve at the Erg Chebbi in Morocco with the Berbers of the dunes.
On the roads of Morocco
As you can see below, the roads in Morocco aren't always straight or in good condition.
This first photo is happening in the Dades Gorges, very windy. What we don't know at this point in time is that we are going to set the tent next to a village. After setting up the tent and preparing the wood for the fire, a woman of a nearby house invites us for tea and dinner with her and her family. We spent the whole evening speaking with this Berber family (in French), drinking mint green tea and eating a chiken/veggies tajine with homemade bread.
In the Troda Gorges, we could not go any further that here. First, the road is in poor condition, then it turns into a dirt track later on and we don't have a 4x4. After a 1.28s discussion, we agree to head back the other way.
On this one, we are in the car (also called "The Scorpion" by our berber guide) on our way to the Erg Chebbi. I am not very confident that we can cross the river, but the guide is and tells us there is no risk. No problem at all! And we spend New Year Eve in the dunes of the Erg Chebbi with a bunch of 6 Berber guides (most of them drunk by the end of the night).
This first photo is happening in the Dades Gorges, very windy. What we don't know at this point in time is that we are going to set the tent next to a village. After setting up the tent and preparing the wood for the fire, a woman of a nearby house invites us for tea and dinner with her and her family. We spent the whole evening speaking with this Berber family (in French), drinking mint green tea and eating a chiken/veggies tajine with homemade bread.
In the Troda Gorges, we could not go any further that here. First, the road is in poor condition, then it turns into a dirt track later on and we don't have a 4x4. After a 1.28s discussion, we agree to head back the other way.
On this one, we are in the car (also called "The Scorpion" by our berber guide) on our way to the Erg Chebbi. I am not very confident that we can cross the river, but the guide is and tells us there is no risk. No problem at all! And we spend New Year Eve in the dunes of the Erg Chebbi with a bunch of 6 Berber guides (most of them drunk by the end of the night).
Morocco and the survival kit
10 days in Morocco for NYE (Thomas and myself)Our plan , "No Plan"
We like to go "Adventure"
We don't like Tourists
We started the trip with 1 tent for 2, 1 sleeping bag each, 1 sleep mat each, 1 swiss army knife, 1 bottle of Pastis and lots of wood for the evening fire.
Did I mention the Foie Gras? :-)
Job done! The car is loaded with wood, we can keep moving and find a nice place to set camp.
21 January 2009
No news, good news
Sorry, I didn't post anything recently but I have been moving a lot and I didn't have the time or will to write something on my blog. But it means that I have been really busy and had a lot of fun. Soon I will add the 10 days trip in Morocco and the little one of 4-5 days in Pau (south west of France). One thing for sure, I am still unconcerned about the financial crisis. I will have enough time in my hand in a month or two to worry about it.
In the meantime, I keep traveling and smiling :-)
In the meantime, I keep traveling and smiling :-)
25 December 2008
Xmas tree
For the first time in 4 years, I have the chance to spend Xmas with my family in France. Usually, we buy a really Christmas tree. The problem is that you have to clean the mess early January. My mum (and the rest of the family) didn't want of a fake plastic greenish tree. Instead we bought a fake old and dead tree (it's more like a branch). Definitely not the tree everyone has.
Look at it, isn't it beautiful with the lights and balls? No snow in the garden for Christmas, but we never had any for Xmas in the south of France anyway. The ski season looks very good so far in the Alps, looking forward to January in Switzerland.
Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noel !!
Look at it, isn't it beautiful with the lights and balls? No snow in the garden for Christmas, but we never had any for Xmas in the south of France anyway. The ski season looks very good so far in the Alps, looking forward to January in Switzerland.Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noel !!
17 December 2008
Adventures at the airport
After 7 days in New York, I decided to leave a day earlier and spend only 9 days instead of 10, so I could spend the weekend in London. At La Guardia Airport (one of the many airport in NY), everything goes as planned and I am well in advance for boarding. I am supposed to take the plane to Washington (stopover) then to London. The schedule is tight, I have just over 1 hour to transfer in Washington and no room for delays. But things are not going so well already, boarding is 15 min late ... but this is still ok. Finally, everyone is in and we are good to go. The plane moves off the gate and goes toward the runaway. Oh nooo, the pilot warns us of a technical problem and we have to go back to the gate for a quick repair/check. So back to the beginning at the gate, but still in the plane. At this stage, half the people in the plane have correspondances to other destinations (national and international) and everyone gets nervous (especially considering it is 9pm and there won't be other flights today). After 1 hour, the plane is fixed and moving back to the runaway. We take off more than 1 hour later than the scheduled time. In washington, 90% of people missed their transfer and we all find each others at the Customer Desk in order to get the next flight the next day, a hotel room and hopefully food.
In the end, I am in bed by 12.30am in a nice hotel 10 min away and with a $15 food airport voucher. Luckily there is a free internet connection, so I can send an email to Thomas who was supposed to pick me up in London. Up and awake at 6.30am, quick breakfast from 6.50 to 7am, at the airport at 7.30am and in the plane at 9.30am.
Note: United Airlines is not so good compared to other companies I flew with. Looks like a company that has not evolved since the early 90's. If you can avoid ... do so!
Note2: When I went to bed, the only food I had was an apple (which I had in my bag). No food since midday. I was hoping to get dinner in the plane to London. At least this is a good way to loose weight ;-)
In the end, I am in bed by 12.30am in a nice hotel 10 min away and with a $15 food airport voucher. Luckily there is a free internet connection, so I can send an email to Thomas who was supposed to pick me up in London. Up and awake at 6.30am, quick breakfast from 6.50 to 7am, at the airport at 7.30am and in the plane at 9.30am.Note: United Airlines is not so good compared to other companies I flew with. Looks like a company that has not evolved since the early 90's. If you can avoid ... do so!
Note2: When I went to bed, the only food I had was an apple (which I had in my bag). No food since midday. I was hoping to get dinner in the plane to London. At least this is a good way to loose weight ;-)
New York, New York
After 10 days in Vancouver to see Jean and his girlfriend Cynthia, I head to New York where I will spend 10 days and stay with some friends from Melbourne, Caitlin and Adam. I landed at JFK airport at 11pm, which means out of the airport by 12am and in Hoboken, NJ (where I stayed) by 2am. Straight in bed ... sofa bed of course! I am doing some couch surfing but not through the website http://www.couchsurfing.com/I have had time to see a lot of things but not everything. Not in any specific order I saw : Statue Of Liberty, Ellis Island, Ground Zero, Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Time Square, Central Park, a comedy club "The Comic Strip", Chinatown, Natural History Museum, Museum of Arts, and a few other things ...
One thing that not many tourist do in New York is to play volleyball :-) I went to play indoor volleyball with my friend Ken I knew from London.
I forgot to mention the Ice Hockey match in Jersey City : New Jersey Devil vs. Pitsburg Penguin (4-1). Of course, I would not recommend the food at a hockey game, not really healthy. Look at the picture below ... you can live on it, but it tastes like shit!
05 December 2008
Funny signs in Canada
You have probably already seen some strange or funny signs around the world. Here is some more to add to the collection.
If the salmon work, then I don't want to be one in my next life.
After a good day at work (almost like everyone else), the salmon cross the streets to go back home. Watch Out ! That must hurt to be hit by a grumpy working salmon.
If the salmon work, then I don't want to be one in my next life.
After a good day at work (almost like everyone else), the salmon cross the streets to go back home. Watch Out ! That must hurt to be hit by a grumpy working salmon.
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