As Marks bike now had started to run badly (again!), we decided to see our friend at the Sahara Garage Zagora http://www.garagesahara.guid2roues.com/.
I also needed to find a cobbler to repair my boots as the soles fell off during the desert trials, don’t think gaffatape would have been comfortable for the rest of the trip..
The mechanic soon ripped the radiator off to get to the sparkplug and changed the lead, while I was on the back of a moped to Chaussures Tombouctou where Hassan fixed my boots. Of course I was also dragged into a shop! I found 2 mall Berber necklace and also made deal swapping my t-shirt for a Berber knife.
After a coffee on the main street of Zagora, where dust and sand always is in the air, we then set off towards Nekob where we agreed to part for a while. Mike and Mark to continue to Merzuoga and the Erg Chebbi, I was going to wind my way to Marrakech meeting Sue, who is flying over for 5 days.
As I was chugging along, the bike just went dead, I thought it couldn’t be need for the reserve tank so soon but turned on the reserve. Nothing! 5 minutes later M&M caught me up and we tried changing fuel pump, checked spark, swapped a relay..nothing! After a sip of water we looked at it again and someone noticed the fuel pump had been connected wrong way round...The spare looking slightly different with no “In” and “Out” markings had played us a trick! 10 minutes later the faulty pump was properly marked “Knackered” and we were on our way again.
The sun was going down and the fantastic light made the mountains in the distance even more dramatic. We got to a small town, into the hotel and when Mark asked if they had beer, the man said no, but our sister hotel 13 kms back have. We promptly turned around and went back to Hotel Meteorite. We there met Mubarack, a young man that spoke very good English, had studied language and philosophy at the University of Meknes and with enthusiasm educated us about the Berber freedom movement, the Berber flag, and the protest music of M’barek Oularbi http://www.agraw.com/2011/01/mbarek-laarbi-passed/
Our new friend was a bit of a dreamer/activist and was sure that M'barek Oularbi was assasinated because of his protest songs....so if we don't come back it may be due to our socializing with the Berber freedom movement in Morocco..
Miles : 152
Hassan - The Cobbler
Zagora High Road - Dusty and sandy
Our friend Mubarack and the Berber flag
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