Hi kar el
Almeria to Melilla? - Are you heading for Morocco?
Suggest you go straight to Nador...
I did Almeria to Nador last November – It was nice and easy, a ‘piece-of-piss’ in fact..
I bought my ticket at a fuel station about 100 miles north of Almeria. I think it cost around £60 and I paid with MasterCard.
I arrived at Almeria Port which is adequately signed, got into the right queue and joined a load of very friendly Moroccans on the quayside.
Don’t get onto the Mellila queue by mistake, both queues are alongside each other.
If you are quick, you can get your visa on board – but after a while the queue is so long I suggest you abandon it and get it at Nador instead.
The crossing took about 10 hours. Bar food and soft drinks on board, not much else. Take a sandwich and something for breakfast! Cabins are available but I roughed it in the café all night and save a few euros...
Nador was very efficient, though the younger gendarmes are not past asking for a small ‘cadeau’. Don’t give them anything, unless you have something to hide…
Port clearance took around an hour.
100 metres out of the port there is a Bank cash dispenser which takes MasterCard and spews out Moroccan Dirhams. Fantastic.
Another bonus, my UK mobile telephone (with Global Roaming) worked in most parts of Morocco, especially the main towns and most desert areas.
I have some notes on my website about the miles and times from France which may interest you. Check out ‘Morocco off piste’ on the opening page
Bon Voyage
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Kitmax - Traveller
Desert Pictures at
http://www.kitmax.com/kitmax/kit03ph...velgallery.htm
homepage
http://www.kitmax.com