Morocco´s dynamic duo

Our adventures in Morocco were made all the better by having a great tour guide, Rachid, and a fabulous driver, Ishmael. They were our dynamic duo. The Batman and Robin of Morocco. They were always smiling, laughing and keeping us all entertained and safe. This was especially impressive given that it was Ramadan so for most of the time they were starving and dying of thirst.

Rachid was particularly funny right after breaking his fast in the evening. You could definitely tell that his blood sugar levels were back up to normal (or beyond). He would get quite punchy and flip. Ishmael, on the other hand, was more subdued. He was the tall, dark and handsome one, whereas Rachid was the practical joker bouncy one. Both were excellent.

During our tour we came across a couple of interesting events. Things you wouldn´t find on the options list. On the day we left the Sahara for the High Atlas, we got delayed for two hours due to a flooded bridge. When we came into the area, it was immediately apparent that something wasn´t quite right. There were many many cars, trucks and buses pulled over to the side of the road, and all the people seemed to be milling about way up ahead. Ishmael pulled over and went to investigate. He was back soon enough and announced that the small bridge ahead was under about a foot of fast moving water. This was the effect of the little bit of rain we had had the night before. The river system in Morocco is well managed to get any water from the mountains down into the central part of the country very efficiently. In this case, too efficiently.

Our entire tour group got out of the bus to go and investigate further. Surely it couldn´t be that bad. And indeed, it didn´t look that bad. Our bus should be able to plow through without any issue. But Ishmael wasn´t having it. He had responsibilities. He wasn´t about to get his bus and 15 foreigners flushed down river. Besides, he had heard there was a tractor on the other side that was coming to pull people across. He would only wait for that.

We all tried to convince him it would work. Rachid tried to steal the keys. But in the end, we waited for the tractor. Once it arrived there was heavy negotiation needed to convince the tractor guys to take us across. They had been told by the police to stop all transport as it was too dangerous. Rachid jumped into action with his Berber skills and convinced the tractor guys that he´d take all responsibility for any police issues. We needed to get across. They finally agreed and we were ready to go; until we saw the method for attaching ourselves to this salvation - a coat hanger!

OK, so it wasn´t actually a coat hanger, but it was wire not much thicker than a coat hanger. This, this bit if flimsy wire was supposed to stop us from sliding off the bridge into the raging torrents. Ishmael, Rachid; this had better work!

We got our connection twisted up to the tractor and we set off in neutral. Ishmael didn´t want to run the engine so that it didn´t pick up any water damage. So, that meant we didn´t have any brakes - great. We inched across all expecting to be whisked over the edge at any second. At the very least, water would surely come flooding up into the bus and soak us from below. The tractor guys were giving all kinds of hand signals, nothing we immediately understood, but gave us confidence that there was a secret language between Ishmael and the tractor. Safety seemed so close, yet still so far. What would happen next?

Nothing! We made it through without incident. In fact it was a bit anti-climatic, not even our luggage area got wet. Nevertheless, as we hit dry land, the cheers and applause rose up from the bus. All the locals just shook theirs heads in disgust, ´crazy foreigners, we do this all the time;. Ishmael and Rachid were our heroes again! Getting us through the raging rivers of Morocco.

The following day provided another opportunity for the guys to show the chivalry skills. Again as we were starting out for the day, we came across roadway trauma. This time it was a car completely flipped over onto its roof. A single guy was wandering around the wreak. Ishmael immediately pulled over and our duo hopped out of the bus to see what assistance they could offer. One of our tour mates was a nurse, so she jumped out too to evaluate the driver for concussion. Again the bus emptied and we all evaluated the situation. The poor guy was not likely impressed that he was now the centre of so much attention.

Rachid spoke to the driver of the car while Ishmael laid out large rocks as pylons to keep passing cars away from the accident. Further Ishmael hopped back in the bus and took off in search of police. He return with them in tow. It was at this point the group started thinking we needed to fit this guys with capes and spandex tights!

Turned out that is driver got caught in a bad overtaking situation and was forced off the road. The good news was that he was not hurt, bad news was the other cars involved in the accident had taken off, so he was left to deal with the police by himself. Rachid did his best with translation.

Once the police had everything in hand, we were all ushered back into the bus. Back on the road - another round of applause for our tag team of good guys!

It is so important to have good people to travel with. Rachid and Ishmael went beyond the call of duty everyday. I have a feeling that most Moroccans would have done the same things. It is a very kind and gentle nation.

Shokran guys!!