Charity Hitchhike to raise money for Learning Community Development

[Brock Manson 0]

Hey Everyone,

 

I'm all set to hictchhike to Morocco on April 2nd. Starting off in Nottingham and ending up at Marrakesh.

 

This is all to raise money for Learning Community Development, who provide sub-Saharan African children with better access to an education.

 

Hopefully with your kind help I can raise £350 to donate to this worthy cause. I am organising donations through my justgiving site: http://www.justgiving.com/Tom-Harnett

 

Obviously I feel a bit cheeky asking you lot, but I've never really done something like this before. I really think it's a great charity though, and I'm happy to try and raise some money for them.

 

For more information, feel free to send me a pm. The link below is to LCD's website.

http://www.lcdinternational.org/

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Tom

[Meenzer 14063]

This sounds ridiculous. I support it wholeheartedly.

[Brock Manson 0]

Martin, you're a true gentleman.

[Walliver 0]

Much more interesting than someone running a 10k for charity, good luck with it all.

 

I presume you'll be staying in Morocco for a while. I went there a few years ago and from my experiences: Casablanca has the most horrible, pushy market sellers. Marrakech is nice and probably has the best souks/markets. People in the Middle Atlas mountains are horrible and will try to scam you out of as much as possible. If you look like a tourist and people come up to dance with, check your pockets. It sounds bizarre but that was the most inventive way we had of people trying to pickpocket us. Make sure you take a few days to go to the west coast. People always recommend Essaouira but we ended up a few miles south in Sidi Kaouki and that was one of the nicest spots we found (there's a Frenchman with a lovely hotel there - stay with him, not at the minging Italian themed place). Rabat wasn't that special but Fes was pretty nice.

 

Most importantly don't be afraid to haggle for absolutely everything. Market traders, restaurants, taxis and hotels/hostels will all try to charge you more than they expect and will normally take much, much less. If you show an interest in something they'll desperately try to sell it to you. I asked about a necklace as a souvenir and was originally offered it for more than £30 (I forget what it is in dirhams) but ended up getting it for less than a fiver. The best tactic we found was that once they stall on a price just walkaway. We did this dozens of times and only once we didn't get the seller chasing after us with a lower price.

 

So, yeah, overall it's quite lovely. I hope you actually make it that far.

[Meenzer 14063]

Much more interesting than someone running a 10k for charity, good luck with it all.

 

Piss off.

[Walliver 0]

Much more interesting than someone running a 10k for charity, good luck with it all.

 

Piss off.

 

I honestly didn't know, sorry. But, still, you'll be going for a sponsored sky dive next - at least go for a marathon or something

[Brock Manson 0]

Much more interesting than someone running a 10k for charity, good luck with it all.

 

I presume you'll be staying in Morocco for a while. I went there a few years ago and from my experiences: Casablanca has the most horrible, pushy market sellers. Marrakech is nice and probably has the best souks/markets. People in the Middle Atlas mountains are horrible and will try to scam you out of as much as possible. If you look like a tourist and people come up to dance with, check your pockets. It sounds bizarre but that was the most inventive way we had of people trying to pickpocket us. Make sure you take a few days to go to the west coast. People always recommend Essaouira but we ended up a few miles south in Sidi Kaouki and that was one of the nicest spots we found (there's a Frenchman with a lovely hotel there - stay with him, not at the minging Italian themed place). Rabat wasn't that special but Fes was pretty nice.

 

Most importantly don't be afraid to haggle for absolutely everything. Market traders, restaurants, taxis and hotels/hostels will all try to charge you more than they expect and will normally take much, much less. If you show an interest in something they'll desperately try to sell it to you. I asked about a necklace as a souvenir and was originally offered it for more than £30 (I forget what it is in dirhams) but ended up getting it for less than a fiver. The best tactic we found was that once they stall on a price just walkaway. We did this dozens of times and only once we didn't get the seller chasing after us with a lower price.

 

So, yeah, overall it's quite lovely. I hope you actually make it that far.

 

Hopefully when we get there we can spend a few days in Morocco, depends how lucky we are by way of lifts. One of those places I've always fancied visiting, even more so now that I've heard more about the place!

Flight home is booked for the 15th, so plenty of time to get to Marrakech (hopefully ). I think we're just sticking to the one city in Morocco, since we want to go through Madrid and have a little look round there too. The Spanish leg of the trip is a little worrying as apparently it's a ghost town over Easter Weekend. Although if we manage to get to Spain by Easter Weekend it'd be some achievement!

 

I figured there'd be the odd pickpocket about, we'll be wearing charity t-shirts so no doubt we'll be a prime target. Disposable cameras and an 8-year old mobile for me. I've been to Egypt before and the markets were similar, never got a chance to haggle as I didn't buy anything. Cheers for the advice, I'll bear it all in mind when we get hungry! Really can't wait to explore the place mind, there's 3 of us and we'll stick together, which is a little more comforting. I'll try and post pics on here when I get home naturally.

 

Thank you so much for your donation btw, can't believe I'm already a third of the way towards my target and I posted this yesterday!

[Tom 13882]

I will donate before April 2nd but I'm a bit skint right now!

 

Good luck!

[Walliver 0]

Much more interesting than someone running a 10k for charity, good luck with it all.

 

I presume you'll be staying in Morocco for a while. I went there a few years ago and from my experiences: Casablanca has the most horrible, pushy market sellers. Marrakech is nice and probably has the best souks/markets. People in the Middle Atlas mountains are horrible and will try to scam you out of as much as possible. If you look like a tourist and people come up to dance with, check your pockets. It sounds bizarre but that was the most inventive way we had of people trying to pickpocket us. Make sure you take a few days to go to the west coast. People always recommend Essaouira but we ended up a few miles south in Sidi Kaouki and that was one of the nicest spots we found (there's a Frenchman with a lovely hotel there - stay with him, not at the minging Italian themed place). Rabat wasn't that special but Fes was pretty nice.

 

Most importantly don't be afraid to haggle for absolutely everything. Market traders, restaurants, taxis and hotels/hostels will all try to charge you more than they expect and will normally take much, much less. If you show an interest in something they'll desperately try to sell it to you. I asked about a necklace as a souvenir and was originally offered it for more than £30 (I forget what it is in dirhams) but ended up getting it for less than a fiver. The best tactic we found was that once they stall on a price just walkaway. We did this dozens of times and only once we didn't get the seller chasing after us with a lower price.

 

So, yeah, overall it's quite lovely. I hope you actually make it that far.

 

Hopefully when we get there we can spend a few days in Morocco, depends how lucky we are by way of lifts. One of those places I've always fancied visiting, even more so now that I've heard more about the place!

Flight home is booked for the 15th, so plenty of time to get to Marrakech (hopefully ). I think we're just sticking to the one city in Morocco, since we want to go through Madrid and have a little look round there too. The Spanish leg of the trip is a little worrying as apparently it's a ghost town over Easter Weekend. Although if we manage to get to Spain by Easter Weekend it'd be some achievement!

 

I figured there'd be the odd pickpocket about, we'll be wearing charity t-shirts so no doubt we'll be a prime target. Disposable cameras and an 8-year old mobile for me. I've been to Egypt before and the markets were similar, never got a chance to haggle as I didn't buy anything. Cheers for the advice, I'll bear it all in mind when we get hungry! Really can't wait to explore the place mind, there's 3 of us and we'll stick together, which is a little more comforting. I'll try and post pics on here when I get home naturally.

 

Thank you so much for your donation btw, can't believe I'm already a third of the way towards my target and I posted this yesterday!

 

You should have a bigger target tbh.

[Meenzer 14063]

Much more interesting than someone running a 10k for charity, good luck with it all.

 

Piss off.

 

I honestly didn't know, sorry. But, still, you'll be going for a sponsored sky dive next - at least go for a marathon or something

 

 

You do have a point on the originality front - but hey, it was my first time, you're supposed to be gentle. Mind, I don't intend to do anything sponsored again for a few years yet, you don't want to take the piss. Fortunately I already enjoy bathing in baked beans as a hobby anyway.

[Monkeys Fist 38822]

Good Luck mate.

I hitched from Washington services to the French Mediterranean several times. Took me 2 and a half days.

Calais is a bastard to hitch out of. If you can, get a lift sorted with a trucker in Dover. It's even worth heading off route just to get away from Calais. ( even though I was heading south, I took a lift heading to Belgium, and got out at a more hitcher friendly spot.

Are you supposed to stay in groups of 3? If you can, split to get out of Calais and arrange a meeting point somewhere else.

[Brock Manson 0]

Good Luck mate.

I hitched from Washington services to the French Mediterranean several times. Took me 2 and a half days.

Calais is a bastard to hitch out of. If you can, get a lift sorted with a trucker in Dover. It's even worth heading off route just to get away from Calais. ( even though I was heading south, I took a lift heading to Belgium, and got out at a more hitcher friendly spot.

Are you supposed to stay in groups of 3? If you can, split to get out of Calais and arrange a meeting point somewhere else.

 

That all? Fingers crossed we'll have no trouble with the flight back then.

 

I think we were headed Calais way, but I'll have a chat with the lads. We're meant to stay in our 3 aye, we also have to text back home every day so the organisers know where we are. Not sure if we can nip through Belgium as I'm not sure the embassy there knows about us. France, Spain and Morocco all expect us. Although tbh I doubt we'd be sticking around in Belgium so I'll definitely consider that as a way round Calais.

 

Thanks for all the advice guys!

 

Oh and cheers JawD, you're a true gent.

[JawD 31]

Shh

[khay 8]

Crazy fool.

 

Might as well do it when your young though.

[Guest alex]

Divvent get ower sterned off all the high-grade Rocky.

[Brock Manson 0]

Divvent get ower sterned off all the high-grade Rocky.

 

Haha.

 

Thankyou very much for your donation Alex!

[Jusoda Kid 1]

Did you get that butt plug I donated Brock, wear it at all times.....pretty boy!

[Brock Manson 0]

Well folks, I got there and back safe and sound. Had an absolutely amazing time, it was one hell of an experience with plenty of highs and lows (no illegal highs I hasten to add).

 

Waiting for the photos to be developed, so will whack a few up on here when I can. Thanks to all who donated, I nailed my target, currently on £377!

 

Lucky to have got back, our flight home was approaching Gatwich as all the other flights were being cancelled!