“Going to Africa today.” I couldn’t believe I was really saying that! A long day of travel ahead, I woke up before the sun rose in Malaga, Spain, where I boarded a bus (2 hour journey) to meet my mother & father-in-law in Algeciras.
Earlier that summer, as we relaxed on the porch of my in-laws’ Jersey shore home, the decision was made to add a one night stay in Tangier, Morocco to our travel plans. Because of the travel experience I’ve gained over the last year, I was nominated to put the plan into action. African travel, however, is a whole new ball game and I soon discovered I was way out of my league –
Travel Lessons Learned
Ferry departure and journey times are only a rough estimate –
I meticulously organized our travel itinerary – spreadsheets, printed maps and ferry schedules were all bound in a notebook to assure my in-laws I was fully prepared. The round-trip ferry boat published a journey time of approximately 3 hours, 1.5 hours each way.
Over the course of the next 24 hours, we’d spend close to 8 hours on ferry boats, with no explanation for the severe delays. Somewhere in the middle of the Straight of Gibraltar, my patience was tested as I watched our boat circle back and forth between Europe and Africa, regularly wondering which continent we’d finally end up on.
By mid-afternoon, we did finally step off the boat and onto African soil!
When venturing into the Tangier ancient medina, try to relax & stay calm. Ignore the panhandlers. Eventually you’ll find your way out.
As soon as we passed through the gate of Tangier’s medina (old-walled city), we were approached by a man who offered to guide us through. Having read about the aggressive nature of some con-men who like to take advantage of the tourists, we turned him away and told him to leave us alone. He didn’t listen. Every corner we turned, there he was, eerily following us.
I was out of my comfort zone. And I knew my mother-in-law and father-in-law (New Jersey natives), were too.
One entrance to the ancient medina
Our next objective was to maneuver our way out of this adult maze, but it was not simple. As locals saw our lost faces, they gladly offered their help, giving us faulty directions that led us deeper and deeper into the medina. Not surprisingly their directions always seemed to conveniently lead us to their shops, where they’d try to persuade us to come in and have a look.
It wasn’t until 45 long minutes later that we finally managed to find the way out.
Always be aware of your surroundings
On our way back to the ferry port the next day, I worked on practicing my spanish skills with the taxi driver (who could speak and understand some spanish because of all the Spanish tourists in town). As we left the city of Tangier, I didn’t even notice that we were driving southwest instead of northeast. Until we pulled into the airport parking lot.
I felt the color drain from my face as I managed to communicate (in broken spanish) that this was entirely wrong! Angry, the driver called the hotel and yelled into the phone for the next ten minutes at the hotel. Our taxi driver was furious and I was worried. If we missed our ferry, we’d have to wait at a fairly desolate port for another 3-4 hours, and by that point I was tired, overwhelmed and ready to get back to Europe.
For the next 75 minutes, we grasped onto the car doors as our enraged taxi driver passed out cars and sped back through the middle of Tangier. The ferry port was 50 kilometers away. Fortunately, the inaccurate ferry times worked in our favor that day and we were able to board the boat, making it safely back to Spain a few hours later.
Observations about Tangier
Beautiful landscapes and views
The natural beauty of Morocco was breathtaking.
Within Tangier, the beach area & waterfront area were a joy to walk around, with great views over the Strait of Gibraltar and Tangier Bay.
Development
Throughout Tangier and even on the outskirts of the city, I was surprised at how well developed it was, and I noticed ongoing construction projects and cranes everywhere, a clear sign that the city is going strong.
On the main street in the new part of town, there were a number of cafes, shops, banks & other regular businesses like any other large, thriving cosmopolitan city.
Memorable Moments – A Moroccan feast
As a taxi transported us back into the ancient medina the same evening, we felt uneasy. We had spent the afternoon trying to get out of that maze and now (due to a recommendation from hotel staff) we were going back in? After we departed the taxi and were escorted up a set up back stairs, we emerged into a beautifully decorated Moroccan restaurant (Restaurant Hammadi) with a live band playing traditional music, a hidden gem in the middle of the ancient medina.
As soon as we sat down, I forgot about the hectic moments earlier in the day, and happily savored all of the tasty Moroccan food, including some of the best couscous I’ve ever had in my life.
Small town American girl in Africa –
Overall the journey was a successful one. Though short, I was able to get a brief glimpse into Moroccan life and stick to my motto of seeing as much as possible along the way. I conquered a brand new level of travel and saw a part of the world I never, ever thought I’d see!
Ready now for the next adventure…
September 30, 2013 at 12:03 pm
Very nice article, Tanya!