LAND CRUISING After Fez, it was time to move on to
Marrakech, the ‘Red City’ near the foothills of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains. Like many North African cities, it comprises both an old fortified city, the medina and an adjacent modern city called Gueliz. I lost myself in the country’s largest tradi- tional souk and explored one of the busiest squares in the world, Djemma el Fna. Sitting in the courtyard of the Maison
Arabe Hotel, I reflected on my land cruise from London to Marrakech, a journey of more than 1800 miles. I’d put some adven- ture back into travelling but still had all my creature comforts and security of knowing where to stay each night.
And, as I reminisced on the journey,
I couldn’t help but start planning my next rail exploration, hooked on this new, excit- ing way to travel the extensive rail tracks of Europe …and beyond. I was officially a land cruiser.
line cuts spectacularly through the Andalu- cian mountains and the unmistakeable shape of the Rock of Gibraltar looms large on the landscape.
A
multitude of taxis await at the sta- tion, but I walked straight past and, 15 minutes later, I was in the ferry
terminal. Having erred on the side of cau- tion, I had around 3 hours before my ferry, plenty of time to take a taxi to La Linea, the Spanish ‘border town’ from where I was able to walk into Gibraltar, which is a fascinating oddity. Cars with British number plates, red phone boxes, bobbies on the beat and a Marks and Spencer’s are wonder- ful symbols of the UK in such a far-off land. Back in Algeciras, the high-speed twin-hulled vessel that plies the Straits of Gibraltar is modern and designed for high volumes. I took a seat at the front and enjoyed fantastic views as the Moroccan coastline became clearer and clearer. I had a pre-arranged transfer to the El Minzah Hotel, a beautiful illustration of Tangier’s hedonistic past, when the great and good mingled at this gateway to Afri- ca. The faded grandeur is simply a pleasure in this location, and my room overlooking the sea was unforgettable.
The following morning, after strolling the medina, a driver met me and drove me to the gleaming new Tanger Ville station. Main stations in Morocco have benefitted from government investment over the past few years and contain everything you’d expect from a European station. I was glad I’d booked First Class as it
guarantees a reserved seat. The train passes through the Moroccan countryside at what can best be described as a leisurely pace and stopped regularly. I was met in Fez by my car transfer and whisked away to the Riad Dar Dmana hotel, on the edge of the medina. Fez is the oldest city in Morocco and its medina is a world away from anything I’d experienced before. I wandered the main alleyways, dodging mules and donkeys overburdened with goods, stopping for oc- casional mint tea pit-stops and absorbing the hustle and bustle of these age-old streets.
MARRAKECH EXPRESS FACTFILE
ITINERARIES: A 12-night ‘land cruise’ from London to Marrakech, including all rail sections and overnight stays in hotels, costs from £1885 per person.
MORE INFO: contact Railbookers at 020 3327 2444 or
www.railbookers.com.
Summer 2011 I WORLD OF CRUISING 83
Photo by Vaughan Parry
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