Dreaming of a motorcycle trip to distant climes? This section will help you to plan your trip, whether it's to the next state, country or all the way around the world! Start here!
The Achievable Dream 5-part series - the definitive video guide for planning your motorcycle adventure. Get Ready! covers planning, paperwork, medical and many other topics! "Inspirational and Awesome!" See the trailer here!
You could just get on a plane with your credit card and passport and buy or rent everything you need when you get there. That includes the bike, riding gear, etc. etc.
Gear Up! is a 2-DVD set, 6 hours! Which bike is right for me? How do I prepare the bike? What stuff do I need - riding gear, clothing, camping gear, first aid kit, tires, maps and GPS? What don't I need? How do I pack it all in? Lots of opinions from over 150 travellers! "will save you a fortune!"See the trailer here!
So you've done it - got inspired, planned your trip, packed your stuff and you're on the road! This section is about staying healthy, happy and secure on your motorcycle adventure. And crossing borders, war zones or oceans!
On the Road! is 5.5 hours of the tips and advice you need to cross borders, break down language barriers, overcome culture shock, ship the bike and deal with breakdowns and emergencies."Just makes me want to pack up and go!" See the trailer here!
Tire Changing!Grant demystifies the black art of Tire Changing and Repair to help you STAY on the road! "Very informative and practical." See the trailer here!
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Resources and Links
Horizons Unlimited Presents!
Ladies on the Loose! For the first time ever, a motorcycle travel DVD made for women, by women! These intrepid women share their tips to help you plan your own motorcycle adventure. They also answer the women-only questions, and entertain you with amazing tales from the road! Presented by Lois Pryce, veteran solo traveller through South America and Africa and author of 'Lois on the Loose', and 'Red Tape and White Knuckles.'
"It has me all fired up to go out on my own adventure!" See the trailer here!
Meet people who don't think you're crazy for wanting to ride your bike to South America or across Asia! They will encourage you, share their experiences and advice on how to do it!
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Horizons Unlimited presents!
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Back down in the Plains of Marrakesh, the weather gets sunnier again. Still not that warm though...
Our ride into Marrakesh was unremarkable. Our original intention was to try to find a place outside of the medinas and then ride in one day to visit the souks, thus avoiding the hustlers. But we found that all the accommodations were so expensive. It really was cheaper to stay in the old city, I think because the hotels in the modern areas of the city were frequented by people on business with bigger budgets and corporate expense accounts. So it was back to the medinas with the rest of the backpackers and vacationers.
Like before, we had to park outside the walls of the old city and I dove in on foot while Neda watched the bikes. I made a mistake not getting the exact GPS co-ordinates of our riad in Marrakesh before arriving. All I had was a Google Map location which maybe gets you in the right time zone when it comes to navigating in the medinas of Morocco... Lost in the labyrinths of Marrakesh, I couldn't find the place where we were staying and against my inclinations, I had to enlist the help of one of the touts waiting for business. But not before negotiating a price.
After some walking around, it seemed my young guide did not know where the riad was, but he flagged down another guy on a motorcycle who seemed to know and the guy on the bike motioned for me to get on the back seat. The riad should have been close by and I didn't want to pay extra for a ride, so I declined and followed his bike on foot. Our guesthouse was only a few hundred meters away and at the door of the riad, I settled up with the first guy who I asked for directions.
He immediately took off, leaving the motorcycle guide looking at me expectantly. Thus I was introduced to a new hustle in Marrakesh - I call it the "Everyone Gets Paid". Basically whoever you make a deal with enlists as many people he can get to help you out, then you are expected to pay everyone involved. *nuh-uh* I shook my head. "Go chase after your friend and get your money, I didn't make a deal with you".
He looked pissed, probably a mixture of play-acting and annoyance that the "Everyone Gets Paid" hustle didn't work. Too bad, so sad.
Once more, into the fray we go. Into the medinas of Morocco
We were both in a very bad mood in Marrakesh. The hustlers were wearing us down and we didn't feel like leaving the riad. Why did we even bother coming to the city then? It took great effort of will to don our armour and go exploring once again.
Grounds of the El Badi Palace
One of the first attractions just outside our riad was the El Badi Palace. Built in the late 1500s, it was built to celebrate (gloat) over the Moroccan's victory against the war with the Portuguese.
Good luck storks atop one of the towers in the palace
The Khamsa means "Five" in Arabic and in this instance refers to an open palm symbol that is often used in artwork and jewelry as a sign of protection and to ward off the evil eye.
More peering into mosques that we were forbidden to enter. Such intricate designs inside!
Snake charmer in the souk
Djemaa-El-Fna is the largest souk in Marrakech, located in the main square of the old city. Snake charmers are known to frequent this area and we really wanted to see snakes being charmed. Before taking pictures, I asked the guy above playing the flute how much and his buddy beside him answered 10 dirham. Okay, deal.
The snake glistened menacingly like it was made of shiny, moving metal
The guy playing the flute motioned for me to come closer, he kept kicking at the snake to maneuver it into a position so I could get a better shot. I think either the snake was not poisonous or it was defanged, he didn't seem at all concerned about his (or my) safety. Thankfully I have a zoom lens...
I don't think the flute player was doing anything special. The snake didn't seemed very hypnotized or charmed or anything.
This was as close to the snake as I dared go
After I was done taking pictures, the flute-player's buddy took my 10 dirham and promptly got up and walked away, disappearing into the crowd. Oh no. Is this "Everyone Gets Paid" all over again? I looked at the flute player waiting with his outstretched hand. Yep.
I shook my head, turned around vowed never to engage with street vendors and hustlers again as he called out to me for his money. "Everyone Gets Paid" only works if tourists start falling for it and I wasn't going to contribute to this behaviour. I had no doubt in my mind that he would get his 10 dirham once his buddy came back.
We went to a fancy restaurant which was supposed to serve good tajine. Not impressed. Too many raisins.
Waiting for business
Looking out the window is a favorite past-time all over the world
Men in traditional Berber hats walking around the souk
So in the end there was nothing mystical or mysterious about Marrakesh. Nothing that we hadn't seen in any of the other medinas of Morocco. It just confirmed that we are so done with medinas and souks.
It's been freezing during our whole time in Morocco. When we left Europe, we looked forward to baking in the scorching African desert sun. That so didn't happen... we've been bundled up in all of our layers for the last three weeks! During our stay in Boulmane, we chatted with a tour guide who said that the warmest part of Morocco this time of year would be Agadir, on the western coast. So that's where we're going!
So back over the High Atlas Mountains once again in search of warm weather.
Sharing the road with vehicles of varying horsepower
Our search for the perfect tajine continues in a small village along the way
We are heading south-west on the R203, which goes up and over the High Atlas Mountains. After lunch, the road takes us through the N'fis valley, where we are given a good idea as to what the roads are going to look like. As well as a great view too!
Plenty of picturesque villages line the road heading over the High Atlas Mountains
Palm trees to cacti
Road starting to climb the mountains
The R203 is called the Tizi n'Test once it starts to climb up over the High Atlas to over 2000m. The entertaining part is when it steeply descends, offering us plenty of switchbacks and twists and turns, however it's hard to concentrate with the scenery just off to the side and below.
The Tizi n'Test winds back and forth over the High Atlas, offering us marvelous views down below
Another roadside stop to admire the view of the valley below
As we descended from the High Atlas mountains towards the coast, the weather got very, very warm - in the mid-20s. At our next gas stop, we peeled off all of our layers, this was the first time in a long time that I was able to wear just a T-shirt under my mesh jacket. Felt so good!
Surprise roadside gifts!
Just outside of Agadir, we noticed we were being paced by a car, which is not that unusual for us since we were quite an oddity rolling around on Moroccan roads on our huge behemoths. At a stoplight, the passenger rolled down his window to talk to us. He spoke English, but not any kind of English - Canadian English! Haha!
We pulled over to chat. Yassine is from Mississauga (just outside of Toronto) and he was visiting family in Morocco. He told us he was so surprised to see Ontario plates on our bikes! He imports Moroccan oranges to Canada so he gave us a sample of his goods.
Nice guy! And it was awesome getting a chance to speak Canadian again, eh?!
Hanging out at our hostel after breakfast in Agadir
Agadir is a beach-side resort town, luxury hotels line the coast
There was a huge earthquake in 1960 which completely destroyed Agadir, so the city was rebuilt from the ground up a few kms away. A lot of famous architects were hired to help in the rebuild and the result is a very modern place, quite unlike any Moroccan city because it contains no remnants of the old country.
The warm weather year-round makes it very popular place to spend a vacation
Modesty on the sands
Morocco is considered a moderate Muslim country. They have more relaxed attitudes towards women's dress and behaviour here than in other strict countries. It was interesting seeing full burqas on the beach mingled with the bikinis of the tourists.
Still, outside the beaches some tourists do push the limits of tolerance. In Marrakesh a few days ago, we saw a trio of British girls walking the souks in sandals and skirts cut above the knee. They were totally oblivious to the shocked and disapproving looks of everyone!
Moroccan flags flapping in winds from the shore
We spent quite a bit of time just soaking up the warm weather on the beach, it was very therapeutic after such a long spell of cold weather. I was a bit disappointed that we had already booked our accommodations in the next town. I had no idea Agadir would be this pleasant, we would totally have stayed at least a couple of days more!
Stopped for lunch at a small town just outside of Agadir
We're discovering new places all the time. Just earlier, I had bookmarked Agadir as a place to spend a few days if we were ever back again, but now having ridden a few kms outside, we discovered the best place to stay in the area is actually in some of the smaller towns north of the city. The rocky coast is very picturesque and there's less of a western resort-feel, which is totally what we like.
Our bikes weaved across the road as the winds from the Atlantic Ocean grew very fierce.
We were driving north as the road cut inland and we saw an unusual sight...
One of our friends told us about these goats in Morocco that could climb trees, so we were constantly on the lookout for them. We spotted a whole bunch of them just south of Essaouira. We had quite a laugh watching them jump up on the branches to get a nibble of the Argan fruit, which is indigenous to this area.
These guys were extraordinarily nimble and some of them got quite high in the tree!
These goats are quite essential to the economy in this area. Everywhere, we'd see stands and stalls selling Argan oil. It's used for beauty products for the skin and for cooking. The oil is actually extracted from the hard nut inside the food, but only after it's eaten and excreted by these goats!
We didn't buy any Argan oil...
They must be pretty light too, some of these branches did not look like they could support the weight of several of these goats!
Even the camels got in on the action
I climbed up to see what all the fuss was about. The goats didn't seem to like that too much and fled to another tree (you can see one under my right arm)
After pooping out some Argan seeds, I hopped on my bike and we were off to further explore the western coast!
Hi guys, excellent writing as usual, if you get tired of the wind on the coast check out Tafraoute, a bit inland and a microclime hemmed in by mountains with nice roads and trails. I hated Agadir and the coast (too many fat underdressed tourists) keep us posted and stay cool, its May now and its gonna get hot:-))
We have a lot of footage that we've shot from our last four weeks in Morocco and it's been a while since I've done some video editing, so here's what I've been working on!
Our 1-month insurance policy is slowly ticking down and we are quietly exiting Morocco.
Under overcast skies, we arrived at the port town of Essaouira and against our inclinations, we book an accommodation inside the medina once again because the city hotels were too expensive. We did the familiar Moroccan dance - Neda staying with the bikes outside the old city's walls while I dodged hustlers looking for our riad. I've been taking point on all scouting and communications forays because of my (slightly better) knowledge of French, but after the last few weeks it has really started to wear on me.
While it has a typical Moroccan medina, Essaouira is also known for its picturesque port and docks
We're staying a couple of days here to catch our breath before continuing the trek out of Morocco. It seems like the salt water breeze carries seagulls from all over the coast to this one place, hoping to pick at food coming in from the fishing boats and falling off the tables at the tourist restaurants.
Boats under construction at the shipyard
These blue-coloured boats all parked outside the medina walls are perhaps the unofficial symbol of Essaouira
Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's thelist of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now, and add your information if we didn't find you.
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...
2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.
"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)
Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.
Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.
Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!
What others say about HU...
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"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA
"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada
"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa
"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia
"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany
Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.
You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.
helps answer the question - Why Go? Inspirational stories by veteran travellers Greg Frazier (5 times RTW), Peter and Kay Forwood (193 countries), Tiffany Coates (Mongolia Mayhem) and Rene Cormier (University of Gravel Roads).
Get Ready! covers planning, paperwork, medical and many other topics! "Inspirational and Awesome!" See the trailer here!
What stuff do I need - riding gear, clothing, camping gear, first aid kit, tires, maps and GPS? What don't I need? How do I pack it all in? Lots of opinions from over 150 travellers!
break down language barriers, overcome culture shock, ship the bike and deal with breakdowns and emergencies."Just makes me want to pack up and go!" See the trailer here!
Grant demystifies the black art of Tire Changing and Repair to help you STAY on the road! "Very informative and practical." See the trailer here!
Ladies on the Loose! For the first time ever, a motorcycle travel DVD made for women, by women! These intrepid women share their tips to help you plan your own motorcycle adventure. They also answer the women-only questions, and entertain you with amazing tales from the road! Presented by Lois Pryce, veteran solo traveller through South America and Africa and author of 'Lois on the Loose', and 'Red Tape and White Knuckles.'
Cotton or synth sweat-wicking t-shirts with the cool Horizons Unlimited graphic on the front and a snappy slogan (changing every year) on the back.
Show your route on your panniers. Great conversation starter when you meet people on the road!
Motorcycle and travel books to inspire and inform you!
The definitive guide to planning your motorcycle adventure! This insanely ambitious 2-year project has produced an informative and entertaining 5-part, 18 hour video series. "The ultimate round the world rider's how-to!" MCN UK.
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