The fast ferry from Tarifa to Tangier really is fast, as you can see from its wake. It covers the 20 miles in 45 minutes. By contrast, the customs control at Tangier port proceeded at snails pace. It took about an hour and a half to process 20 vehicles, none of which were lorries. So what took all the time, considering all our group’s documents were in order? Simple inefficiency: one official in a splendid uniform vetting all the papers, surrounded by countless sub-officials and non-officials doing very little. But this is why we’re here- to look through a window into another culture.
First overnight stop is at Moulay Busselham, only 80 miles from Tangier. This pleasant town is just off the motorway and has a convenient campsite, with an unexpected visitor appearing on the doorstep. We fed it, of course. It would be fair to say that the magnificent cockerel looked in much better condition than the average Moroccan male.
Moulay is named after a 10th century Egyptian holy man whose shrine is nearby. His speciality miracle is to cure psychological problems by the sufferer being locked in his shrine for 48 hours. Statistics are not available for the proportion of those who are cured as opposed to those who emerge stark, raving bonkers.
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