This week consisted of fixing our first problem (tires) and then being caught in the global pandemic of COVID-19. We arrived Sunday afternoon in Marrakech and except for supermarkets and hospitals (we’ll come to that later), we have not yet seen much of the city.

IN SEARCH FOR TIRES

After finishing the blog from last week, we headed to the outskirts of Marrakech set to find new tires for our Pantherli. The first address was Continental, the mother brand of our General Grabber AT2 tires. Despite a decent looking stock we were informed that they didn’t have a single tire meeting our 255/70 R16 specification and definitely didn’t have the tire we currently use. Somewhat worried that the tire-search would become a never-ending tale of disappointments we went to the next tire shop just around the corner. By now we were aware that the chance of just replacing the broken tire got smaller and had discussed the option of getting a full set (4 + 1 reserve). After a while of searching, we again were told that they didn’t have any in our size on stock. In a somewhat desperate move, Thierry looked puzzled at the shop owner Marouane and asked whether they really couldn’t order any. After a quick discussion, how long we could wait, Marouane searched his systems again, et voila, he could get us 5 new Bridgestone Dueler A/T around noon tomorrow. As always in Morocco, we haggled the price a bit and both parties seemed to be happy in the end. Relieved to have this topic sorted out we exchanged phone numbers in case there should be any issues and Thierry made sure to test the connection by writing the exact terms and tires we spoke about, preventing any attempt at renegotiations or different tires to be delivered. 

The neighbourhood we were in specialized in garages and similar businesses. Therefore we decided to ask Marouane whether he knew anybody who could take out our diesel particle filter and reprogram the motor system. He didn’t really understand what we wanted but called a buddy of his. Explaining our need –  that travelling further south diesel contains more sulphur that is no longer compatible with our particle filter – his buddy pointed us into another direction. Marouane even drove his car to the place with us trailing so we could find this garage.

The garage was a hit. In it, there were several offroad vehicles from the normal Landcruiser up to a 6 axis dune travel vehicle and a rally car. We immediately felt at ease, as people tend to not get their 300k vehicles fixed by a bad mechanic. 

Unfortunately, they were not able to help us with our specific needs. The owner himself took a look at our car and discussed with us but they lacked the motor codes of our car and couldn’t do anything in this regard. He suggested trying it with the particle filter and only drive low gears in the city and high rev it in the outskirts so the filter can re-generate. As we were already in this great garage we asked them to have a look at our windscreen washing system, which stopped working in Spain. The culprit was quickly found and the broken tube got replaced. Yeah! Finally, we have a clear view without manually cleaning ever so often. We also asked them to bolt the license plates to the car, so they couldn’t get stolen so easily. In a discussion with Thierry, the owner asked what we will do with the tires and suggested, that we take 2 of the still usable old tires with us. He hit our sweet spot by suggesting to have some fixture on the roof, as we had been discussing it a few days ago. Having to fix some other cars urgently we agreed to meet in the afternoon again.

With a few hours to spare, we went to a laundry service (near the university in the outskirts) and ate a quick lunch in a definitely not touristic area. Later, the guys at the garage professionally mounted the 4 anchor points on the roof. Like this, we can still be shipped in a normal cargo container, but are also able to transport some stuff on the roof. It just can’t be too heavy as otherwise, the roof might not open anymore.

The last stop on this non-travel day was Decathlon where we hoped to find some surf shirts and Muslim-country-approved swimwear. Instead, we left the building with a new fishing rod for Thierry. Now he can not catch fish at the sea as well 🙂

DOCTORS AND HOSPITALS

On Tuesday, we went grocery shopping and went to the garage for our tires at noon. The mood has already changed and Marouane was wearing a mask as a lot of others in the shops and streets did. In the garage, they had an official sign warning about COVID-19 and how to stay clean. The virus has reached Morocco and the numbers of infected were rising quickly.

We discussed the day before, that we would monitor the situation closely. As our current campsite is the best we experienced in Morocco so far and Marrakech is a major hub it was a good place to track the development for a couple of days and after the first days if still possible and advisable head to the sea where more entertainment like surfing and fishing were available. And indeed that day at 6 pm all non-essential shops had to close because of COVID-19. 

We returned to our campsite – no point in going to the Medina. In the night, Thierry got heavy stomach cramps. At one of the many toilet runs, he got dizzy and couldn’t feel his hands and feet anymore. Worried that something internal had ruptured or the like, I went to the reception and asked for a doctor. In the meantime, a neighbour, a nurse from England, helped Thierry and they managed to stop the hyperventilating which apparently caused the loss of feeling in his limb. Two hours later (…) a doctor finally came. He diagnosed gastroenteritis, probably caused by bad water and prescribed some pills. What a shitty night.

The next day, I spent my time reading books and playing on the computer. Thierry only ate a bit of Knäckebrot. In the afternoon, Thierry suddenly developed a strong fever. This got us really worried. Fever is a probable but not very common symptom of gastroenteritis but a very common symptom of COVID-19. We were surrounded by mainly older people and we had only the experience with the local health system from the night before. Having read that Ibuprofen is a suspect for negative effects in combination with the virus we looked and found a few Paracetamol in our medical box. Then we tried to figure out, what to do from here. We couldn’t find any French or English instructions by the Moroccan government on how to behave. The hotline we found on the health ministry website was completely in Arabic and the sound quality was beyond bad. So we stayed in our car and tried to get some more info. The last thing we wanted to do was to react badly and put others or ourselves unnecessarily at risk. The local consulate did not respond at all and the insurance companies didn’t help either. Sanitas refused to speak to us at all and Sanagate told us, that for all non-life-threatening issues we would have to wait more than a day. We understand that in Switzerland the situation is bad and a lot of cases exist but nonetheless were disappointed with the complete non-service. The information system by the insurers appears to be very ill-prepared to deal with situations where it is most needed, something I expect in the future to be changed and if it is connected to the specific insurers we definitely will check for alternatives.

The EDA helpline was able to speak to us and excused themselves for not being able to help beyond sending us a list of doctors and hospitals in Morocco from 2012.

So with this very weird feeling of being abandoned, we donned facemasks, disinfected again and made our way to the reception. Here they gave us the directions to the hospital, which was designated for the Corona tests. Not being able to find it on the map he had marked the hotel next to it on Maps.me

A good half hour later we thought we found the entrance but got informed by the person at the gate, that this is the exit and we would have to drive around the corner. The corner became quite a journey. Having asked policemen twice while searching we finally found what looked like a small sideroad into the market and stood in front of a closed gate. To our surprise, they opened it for us and we were let into what turned out to be a complex of buildings in which we would get lost once more. There were no signs or anything but in front of the morgue, what a shitty feeling!, a doctor helped us and showed us the right way.

So now we stood in front of a door saying no-entry, which 2 guardsmen, which also wanted to see our passports, just told us to knock at. Other than the guards and the doctor from earlier, we haven’t seen anybody in this hospital. What a contrast to what we expected to be a super hectic, chaotic crisis-hospital.

A minute later a young male nurse appeared in the door frame. Smiling he welcomed us and asked what our problem was. We told him the symptoms and reaffirming he said, no worries, all will be good, good that you came. Whenever he smiled, he showed us his crooked teeth, but it was a warm smile. Again he needed to see our passports and took them inside. 5 minutes later he reappeared in the door and asked Thierry to step in, while I had to wait outside.

Thierry was led into a room where a doctor stood with his passport and who asked: “ca va”? Not being a fluent French speaker the only thing Thierry was able to say was “Ca depend” and smiling a little agonized. After explaining the symptoms and answering some questions the doctor repeated the nurses’ words from earlier – pas de problem, tout va bien. He then picked up the phone and called, what we believe to be some central corona taskforce and discussed it for a while in Arabic with them. It seems like they agreed with our assumption, that it’s quite unlikely that it was the virus. He thanked Thierry for coming in and gave him a recipe for antibiotics and some other medicine and told us to return, should it not work. Asked for where to pay, he laughed and said that these consultations are free. 

Relieved that it seems to be an infection that would normally get us worried, I drove us to the pharmacy and back to the campground as Thierry was shaking from the fever again. These were the first kilometres I drove myself on this journey and immediately in the big city traffic of Marrakech. Cursing and swearing we made our way safely back.

Luckily the antibiotics kicked in quite quickly and the fever receded. A good confirmation of the diagnosis, as the Coronavirus would not have reacted to antibiotics.

FORCED RELAXING

And so our confinement begins. Friday evening not only the shops were closed but also confinement has been announced. Very few last flights have repatriated stranded tourists and the initial coming and going on the campsite has drizzled out. All non-essential travel has been banned. Saturday they specified it to block all intercity travel.

We have since not left the campsite (even though we could for grocery shopping). Every day, we meet new people. A sense of community starts to build. We help other campers with their mainly technical difficulties (Thierry has become the phone guy of the campground) and shared the eggs we got with others. Some of them returned to us as sweet crepes! We read a lot, play games, and catch up on our picture and video editing. Thierry is learning Arabic, I am strengthening my French.

As of Sunday midnight, they definitely closed the border from Ceuta. A few people from the campsite are now stuck in a huge traffic jam on the highway to Ceuta. Others were already sent back after a few miles when trying to leave Marrakech. The mood, in general, is good but one could feel that the definitive border closure damped it for some as they had this as an option in the back of their minds. Most people here are above sixty but there are also some of our age as well as some families. Also one can feel how whenever the sun comes out the mood brightens. Too bad we’re in for a week with very mixed weather.

The campsite is very well-organized. It’s clean, the restaurant is still open and once it gets warmer we also have a pool area to relax. They did an info meeting on Friday where the French owner gave a well researched and calm overview of the situation both in French as well as in English. During this meeting, we noticed, how the awareness of the 2 meters distance has not yet transpired to all when about 40 pensioners started to cram into a room before figuring out, that outside might be a better location. Some seem to be reluctant to change their ways or just don’t care anymore, while others quickly adapted a diligent way.

On Sunday, our neighbour Dave gave an afternoon concert in the restaurant. In the end, people were dancing while trying to keep the social distance. What a lovely, light moment!

The curfew started on Friday evening so we don’t exactly have any choice as to stay put and wait. The latest news is, that it will last at least until the 20th of April. And so we wait…

FACTS AND FIGURES

• Distance: 100 km
• Doctors: 3
• New tires: 5
• French people at the campsite: uncountable