Demnate

East from Marrakech to Demnate and then south along a tiny road across the High Atlas to Ouarezazate. The road is about 120 km and would be terrific on a suitable motorbike, you could blast along here in a few hours. However, a bit more care is needed with a vehicle the size of Baloo. We are not in a rush, we are never in a rush, and so at our leisurely pace the trip took us two days.

The start was very easy. A big wide, open, brand new road from Demnate climbing up into the hills. Lovely glimpses of snowy peaks and rocky mountains. Sun starting to drop in the west. Calm and peaceful. Then, abruptly, the road stopped. There was a short section of dirt track and we were deposited onto the old road. A couple of easy corners over the shoulder of a hill and then we arrived at the sort of hairpin bend that keeps me awake at night. Very short, very steep, downhill. Full lock will only get us half way round. Ease up to the edge and put the parking brake on. We are across the apex of the corner. The windscreen looks directly out over an unprotected drop. The front wheels are close to the edge of the road so where we are sitting is hanging over the slope. The turn is steep and the truck is straddling the steepest part. We are tipped forward, leaning into our seatbelts looking straight down to the valley floor hundreds of metres below. Select reverse. Squeeze the accelerator, feel the engine bite and release the parking brake. Slowly back up on full opposite lock. Forward again. Wheel hard over. Lean out of the window to watch the outside front wheel. It is less than half a metre from the edge but that is enough to get round. Check the inside rear wheels. They can clear the rock at the apex so we are good to go. Remember to breathe again.

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Next hairpin was also a bit steep and nasty but then the road began to ease up. Still very exposed and the lack of any sort of safety barrier makes it feel dangerous. There is tarmac but it is often missing and crumbling away. Slow and steady is the key to this. Stay away from the edge of the road and make sure you know where the back wheels are going all the time. Fortunately, there is very little traffic. We met one car coming the other way and I just stuck Baloo into the safe side of the road. Luckily, the other driver was quite understanding and went round the outside. The shadows were getting long when we parked up just in time to watch a fabulous display of red mountains.

The next day turned out to be a delight. The road continued to be steep, narrow and scenic but there was always just enough room to get through. We met a few conventional motorhomes going the other way. One of them was a six wheeled vehicle a lot like the one we used to own. It struck me as being quite bold to take this through the mountains. They only have drive to the front wheels and traction is terrible. The rear overhang is enormous and with very little clearance. Easy to ground on undulating roads. Going up a steep hairpin it is possible to loose drive completely. Happened to me once and the vehicle just slid backwards down the road. Scary stuff. I hope they made it ok.

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We passed through several small villages where the children ran out to wave at us. This is normal. It seems friendly but they are just after handouts and shout “donnez moi at us. Sweets or money is mostly what they want. Sometime the small boys get annoyed when we only wave back at them and throw stones at the truck. I am sure the children do not need to beg. They are clearly well fed, well clothed and well cared for. It seems to be more of a cultural thing. Generally, it appears acceptable to ask for things, especially to ask from Europeans. Pretty much whenever we stop someone will come up to us to say hello. Eventually they get round to asking. Occasionally money, more often cigarettes or alcohol. We always say no and so far, everything has remained cordial. They wave and say goodbye.

Eventually we descended out of the mountains and across a wide and open plain towards Ouarzazate.