Aug 14-15 The Long Journey Down. Part III – Boat to Tangier

This is the first time I begin to miss the efficiency pervading UK and Netherlands transportation systems. Everything from now on is slow, slow, slow – and it’s the norm. Customs lines, baggage scans, I don’t think the boat left until 14:00. This is also the first time I discover that telling people that I’m from Canada isn’t sufficient, the Morocco customs guy wants to know where my father is from – ‘parce que ton visage, ce n’est pas Canadien’ or something to that effect. On the boat, we change some Euros for Dirhams (Dirhams are not allowed out of the country, so you can’t change beforehand), find ourselves some lunch (bland sandwiches, but our first time ordering in French), park ourselves at a table in the lounge and doze.

Our destination is Tangier which has been described by Lonely Planet as the ‘worst possible introduction to a country’ just due to the sheer amount of tourist hustling. At this point everyone has warned us about the touts, the pickpockets, the drive-by-snatchers, the people who try to drug you and rob you. We’re more than a little nervous and have no idea what to expect – will we literally be swarmed and plundered as we disembark? So, we prepare for the worst. Locks on the suitcases, locks on the backpacks, wallets chained to selves, extra cash etc. in money belt, nothing you value in the pockets, keep an eye out for each other’s bags. What more can you do? We even made plans to stay in nearby towns on our way in and out of Morocco, just so we would not be staying the night within Tangier.

Next - Aug 14-15 The Long Journey Down. Part IV - Tangier