Atlasward

Moroccan motorcycle

Rather than spend tomorrow wandering aimlessly in Marrakesh, I am going to try to get to the Cascades d’Ouzoud. That means finding a bus to Azilal and then sharing a taxi. The Lonely Planet guide only says that there are two buses from Marrakesh per day, giving no times. The bus company website does not inspire confidence. All I can do is head over to the bus station as early as can be managed and hope that (a) there will be tickets available (b) for buses that have not left yet and (c) will not require waiting around for hours on end.

Here’s hoping I don’t get stranded in the foothills of the Atlas mountains and miss my 9am flight to London on Wednesday. If all else fails, I suppose I can shell out a small fortune for a taxi from Azilal back to Marrakesh.

[Update: 4:15pm] I made it by bus to Azilal and by taxi to Ouzoud. The taxi ride was a bit of an adventure, as it seems to have been optimized for drama. The centre line of the two lane road seemed to be the preferred road position – owing perhaps to the number of donkeys walking by the roadside – and we spent long stretches fully in the left hand lane, particularly in places where the road banked in that direction. Given the hills around here, that meant a lot of blind turns. The falls themselves were very impressive and worth the journey. I just hope the bus that has been variously promised for 5:00pm, 6:00pm, and 7:00pm actually shows up at one of those times.

Wonderful how you can get online from anywhere these days.

Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here.

5 thoughts on “Atlasward”

  1. Are you having fun in Morocco? It sounds like a bit of a disappointment.

  2. Mike,

    I might have more if their webpage didn’t look like the product of the old Geocities page creator. Also, if the Voyageurs section with the timetables actually worked. As it happens, neither of the two major bus companies goes to Azilal from Marrakesh. I am not really sure from whom I bought the service I used this morning.

    Mom,

    Morocco has been very interesting, and I quite like Essaouira. Marrakesh I am less keen on, though I think it was an educational place to visit. Marrakesh is too aggressive a place for me to really enjoy.

  3. Aggressive is a good word for a lot of places today. If you go to Nairobi or Bombay, you may get the same feeling. It is different if you are with someone from that city.

  4. I’m surprised the bus company even had a website. Glad you survived the trip.

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