The Silk Route Motorcaravan Club.

Bulletin 102.

February 2003.
Original Edited by Paul Gouwy.
Translated by Christine O'Brien, Rowena Brunning And Les Brook.
Translation Edited by Les Brook.

The renewal form for this year asked for an identity photo of every member so that everyone would be able to recognise the authors of the articles. My respect for instructions and my natural modesty have led me to include on the left a picture of the editor of this bulletin.

Paul Gouwy.

The Road Goes On …

Although this item is so short, it is the one I have found hardest to include in this bulletin.

Just before he left, Jacques learned of the death of Marie-Christine, wife of Pierre Auclair. Monique Bouquet and I later learned that Jean Moriot and Charles Nabais had died. In the name of the whole club, we send our condolences to their families.

Life of the Club.

Best Wishes.

First I'd like to send my best wishes for 2003 to all the members. I hope that every one of you will see their hopes realised, and in particular that your travel plans come to fruition.

To my own good wishes, I would add those of Monique Brouquet, our treasurer. She also sends a warm thank you to all those who have sent her their good wishes, and who are too numerous for her to be able to reply to them individually.

In the assorted mail addressed to Jacques, which I have read in order to put this bulletin together, many of you have sent personal good wishes to Jacques and Lucette or to the club. Thank you, on behalf of both Jacques and the club.

Most of what has been sent is in the pages of this bulletin, but I have not included the good wishes, as these would have filled a whole page on their own.

To help Jacques.
Wednesday 22 January 2003.

These are my thoughts and suggestions, offered up in all sincerity :

1. If we retain the current way of working, it seems to me essential that the members of the committee live near one another so that they are able to help each other regularly.
   
   It will be difficult, even impossible, to find candidates for the posts. In fact our members come from all over France. They are widely dispersed and preoccupied by organising and going on their own trips, so not available to work though they need to be able to get specific information and technical assistance without necessarily offering services in return. Jacques Mahaut looks after us very well.
   
   
2. If we do not manage to expand the existing team, which is often reduced to one man (our president), could we consider using an Internet site which is organised into subject areas. Each interested member could then contribute to the site and learn from it?
   
   This would presuppose that members in their 60s, 70s and over learned how to use computers. If they are capable to travelling to the end of the world, they are also capable of discovering the world of the Internet which comes into their own homes.
   
   The president/editor would act as a moderator, using the information to create a catalogue of archive material organised by subject and key words which would be available in a general summary like the present one.
   
   A two- or three-monthly bulletin would deal with basic information which is not a matter of urgency, and contain humorous notes, points for discussion, ongoing discussions, in short everything that makes our club the convivial organisation it is. The irreplaceable Jacques Mahaut could then be elected president for life. I'd certainly give him my vote.

With good wishes, Ferdinand Kohn.

Editor's note. To a certain extent, all this is already going on, though more help is needed to organise the 2003 general meeting. But the debate remains open, so please carry on sending in your thoughts and suggestions. That will help the debate at the next general meeting.

Let us help Jacques.

An anecdote - when I met Jacques a few days before the publication of bulletin 101, with the intention of showing him and discussing with him the article he included on pages 2 and 3 of that bulletin, he not only signed me up immediately but he also asked me to replace him during his journey to Africa so that I could 'try' editing the current bulletin. He will in fact be travelling for three months which would have taken this bulletin to the beginning of April, all things being equal. And that is how, without any consultation or discussion, I have found myself caught up in the kind of practical work I was advising we should do.

'Caught up' describes what happened very well, as it never occurred to me for an instant to refuse. But also because I was suggesting a more detailed breakdown of the work involved. On this occasion I have, as it were, gone the whole hog. I have edited the copy of your favourite magazine, arranged it on the page, made copies and sent it off. It has been a great honour for me to take this work on and I shall try to live up to his confidence in me. But I ask in advance that you will forgive any errors in the text, any differences in the way the articles are presented, any spelling mistakes (it is easy to spot other people's, but not one's own), typing errors and, especially, bad translations of the English. I hope I haven't made too many changes to the articles that I've translated. Only some of them were done by me, the others by Jacques' niece, to whom many thanks.

So as not to discourage any future volunteers, I won't tell you how much time all this has taken me. It is true that I am not used to the work Jacques does, that I made a muddle of retrieving the emails sent to him and getting them to appear on mine, that my own writing is not so good and that when I started I was afraid I had lost everything I transferred. Until now I have not used the Internet except to send and receive emails and I'd never handled a photo on my computer.

The good news is that after bulletin 101 was sent out, Jacques had already received the following replies:

• Email of 24th December, 'Jeannot and Gudrun are naturally ready to help you', from Jean-Louis and Gudrun Dinee. As are Erich and Annick Bisschop, either by mail or the net.
• Email of 30th December, 'By next autumn, I should have some spare time to help the club in whatever way I am able', from Jean Marie Lamande.

And since he left, offers have been arriving:

• Help with accounts, from Maurice and Paulette LHerbette.
• Cheering up the president at his low moments, from Andre and Francine Helmbacher.
• Help with the magazine, for example, from Christian and Francine Cruchet.
• Technical help. As an experienced metalworker I can point out to newcomers and novices what mistakes to avoid, from Gerard Donars.
• Any help of whatever kind, from Gerard and Gisele Mulaton.
• Any kind of help that will fit in with our absences on the road, from Serge and Christiane Herviou.
• Stuffing envelopes, sticking on stamps and labels and sending out the bulletins, from Rene and Marie Madeleine Notteau.
• Small translations from English or German, from Patrice and Angelica Rozier.
• Stuffing envelopes, sticking on stamps, small jobs in the office, from Michele Martazier.
• Downloading documents on MS-Word, from Guy Bazin.
• Help with editing, putting together and sending out the bulletin, from Michel LeJosne.
• And from me, whatever is needed, but particularly help with organising the 'balades', ferry tickets, border regulations, etc.

Other more localised offers are also arriving:

• As we live near Lavelanet, we can represent the club on the 7, 8 and 9 June, from Gerard and Marthe Desfaucheux.
• Help to anyone already in the south, for example, from Jean-Lucien and Jeanne Rudolf.
• In the useful sector, from Henri Dujardin and Christiane Jeulin.
• Administrative help from 2004, from Paul and Nadine Leclerc.

All these offers and the most rational way of organising them will have to be debated at the next general meeting. The most difficult part will be to organise links between people.

A summary of suggestions.

The following have all been sent in with membership forms or subscription renewal forms:

1. Send out accounts of travels on disk only.
2. Organise direct transmission, by email for example, of reports on interesting trips made by members.
3. Having a balade in June is already too late, as is an outing in September, though it is good for anyone staying in France.
4. Please can some outings and meetings take place during the annual holidays so that those who are still working can take part?
5. Hold general meetings in the middle of France.
6. Promote the club, exhibition, meetings in my village.
7. The club should be offering more help to beginners in their future long-distance travels: the veterans already have the know-how.
8. Perhaps more information about technical and administrative matters (border crossings, security, etc.)

Without wishing to appear argumentative, I can respond to some of these points. Jacques will certainly respond to the rest in the next bulletin, possibly with other suggestions that have arrived in the meantime.

The computer equipment which Jacques is using does not at the moment allow him to use 3.5 disks, but if the copy can be loaded into an ordinary computer it can be sent to him by email. Although around 25% of our members have computers, many fewer have access to the Internet.

In order to make our balades more interesting and satisfying, we do not always have a choice of dates. For example the September outing which I am organising could not be delayed into later in the month, although we would have preferred it, without us losing the opportunity to see the son et lumiere at Ailly sur Noye, the light show at Amiens cathedral and another visit to a major site. In other words, we would have been there out of season. We have to adjust our timetable to suit the days, times and dates on which the sites are open.

But the balades are not organised by the club. It merely offers its name and support to members who wish to organise them to show off the area in which they live. The choice of dates, even if it were agreed by the club or its officers, remains the responsibility of the local organiser(s) with their specific knowledge of the terrain and the sites of interest.

There is nothing to stop any member from suggesting a balade on whatever date he or she thinks fit. Until now outings have taken place in spring or autumn, but it is a great idea to organise one during the annual summer holiday for working people. Who is going to organise the next one?

As far as technical and administrative business is concerned, I only have a few ideas. Inasmuch as the information does not circulate very quickly, the officers mentioned in bulletins 79 and 90 who were putting together files on specific subjects can be contacted. But information soon becomes out of date. The latest accounts, the most recent practical, technical or administrative information all have to be sought out. And despite all their experience, veteran travellers have to start again and collect all the useful information again before every trip - as do beginners.

Electronic Mail.

Thursday 26 December

We are in Arica (Chile) and the day after tomorrow we will be crossing into Peru. We wish you a happy new year and a very good journey in Africa.

Good wishes from your amigos con casas rodanres

Christiane and Jacques Dumas

Monday 30 December

After a long delay I am finally writing to thank you for enrolling me in the club last September. I was somewhere in southern Tunisia at the time, notching up my 500,000th kilometre in a camping-car, and since then I haven't really been home until 19 December. In any case, thanks for the monthly bulletins which are inspiring and bring back good memories.

Jean Marie Lamande

Tuesday 31 December

Bad news. We, Barbaudy/Demontes/Mahaut, have had to delay our departure. The passports sent from Saint-Maur for visas to Mali and Burkina on 20 Dec have arrived in the south-east, but not in Nice. So we're waiting while trying to arrange new passports.

Jacques Mahaut

Wednesday 1 January

They may yet arrive in the post tomorrow.

Paul Gouwy

Thursday 2 January

They're here! We leave tomorrow morning or Saturday.

Jacques

Post Cards.

From Francis Mommart, Toronto, 3 January. After the North and great heat, I am now in Toronto by Lake Macquarie, said to be the largest in Australia. The hardest part of the trip remains to be done, in the Red Centre.

Yulara, 11 January. I am at Uluru (Ayers Rock), the largest rock in the world in the middle of the Outback, 350 m high, 8km round and 500 million years old.

From Rony and Ghislaine Loeschnigg. Hassi Messaoud, 14 January. An excellent trip to Algeria, with a friendly welcome both from the people and the authorities. A country which is developing and changing in a favourable way. Bon voyage for Jacques in Africa.

From Francis Mommart. Broome 18 January. I have been on the west coast of the Indian Ocean in Broome for a while. Because of the rains further north I took the N1 to get here. It is very hot, 44 degrees.

New Members.

Welcome to.

• FLECHARD, Jean Marc and Francine, Les Ribondaines, 16410 Dirac, Poitou Charente, 05 45 25 01 59, Hymer 544 on Fiat.
• BAUDRY, Jean Marie, 1 rue des cotonniers B.P. 13 - Clauvet - 33950 LEGE CAP FERRET. Email : jmsimbaudry@vsnl.net.
• BAUD Gilles and Mylene, Plan, 74440 La Rivere Enverse.

New email addresses.

• Les and Margaret Brook.
  1. Delete the following address if you have it, lesbrook@flat91.fresserve.co.uk
  2. Add the following address, lesbrook@blueyonder.co.uk
  3. You can also use lesbrook@freeuk.com
  4. We are keeping on our yahoo address which some of you have. Don't delete it, but please note that it is to be kept for use on the road.
• Gerard and Gisele Mulaton, gérard-mulaton@wanadoo.fr
• Charles and Colette Brisson, charles.brisson@laposte.net
• Ferdinand and Francoise Kohn, ferdinand-kohn@wanadoo.fr
• Jean Marie and Liliane Lamande, jeanmarielam@aol.com
• Rene and Marie Madeleine Notteau, r.notteau@free.fr
• Louis and Nicole Jonquoy, nicole.jonquoy@free.fr
• Carl and Mary Hunter, c&mhunter@telus.net

Change of Address.

• Bourquin Michel, 10 rue Kellerman, 51100 Reims
• LHerbette Maurice and Paulette, La Maison neuve, 45150 Le Vieil Bauge, prioux@aol.com

Practical Information.

Canadian stop-off point.

Carl and Mary Hunter

Diesel Filters.

Following Georges Veillet's contribution to the Information section of the December bulletin, I have tried to find out the details about the decanting filter separator on my motorcaravan on a Renault Master common rail base. And I haven't been able to make my vehicle entirely safe.

As far as I know, all vehicles with common rail diesel engines are fitted with a water decanter diesel filter (though I'm not completely sure about this) which can contain up to 10cl of water, and this appears to be enough in our European countries where there are very strict regulations about the quality of fuel and the maintenance of forecourt tanks. However, a seller of Narbonne Accessoires from Seclin did wreck the common rail engine in his car with some diesel full of water, in France.

What to do?

1. Petrol stations sell fuel containing additives. Which ones? Do they work in this case? And that doesn't solve the problem of our travels abroad.
2. Meca-Run sell a product called Water Fuel Dispersant (18 euros a litre) which is very effective for our European diesel, apart from accidents. It can be very useful, occasionally, to clean a polluted tank without removing it. But it is too much like hard work if you are looking for a permanent, efficient solution during travels abroad in countries where fuel quality is less reliable.
3. It appears that Fiat have been installing a decanting filter with a warning light on the dashboard since the beginning of the year.
4. It appears that Peugeot have had one for a while. This system could be useful if cases of serious pollution, even if you had to stop every 50km to empty the filter every time you got a warning light, while waiting to use a dispersing agent.
5. Gec Alsthorn makes several models mentioned by Georges Veillet. I wrote to them to ask for details and where to buy them. I've been waiting to hear back from them for two months.

Finally, Norauto and Feu Vert, when consulted, said they knew nothing about it and will only undertake to replace parts, not to modify a filter so that it has a warning light nor to install a second one, since that would constitute a modification of the vehicle. But after several weeks of research on this subject, I am now convinced that you need to check that you do have a decanting filter with a warning light on the dashboard, and if you don't, either replace the original filter with a new one that fits these specifications, or add an additional one to obtain the same result if there is room under the bonnet.

In my humble opinion it has got to be worth spending 150 euros to give yourself permanent protection rather than risking having to spend at least ten times that much for a major engine breakdown.

My garage, which was supposed to be finding out from Renault, still hasn't been able to answer the question of whether my filter can be replaced or can have a warning light on the dashboard added to it.

I'll keep you in touch with my further researches and their outcome.

Paul Gouwy

Refrigerators.

Boats and some motor caravans are fitted with compression refrigerators, i.e. the same type as domestic models but 12 volts rather than 220. Some of these refrigerators have very bad fuel economy and manage to use more than 60% amps per hour more than suggested by the manufacturer. This is a fault which many users don't notice. With the help of experience I have developed a way of controlling consumption with a simple diagram. This method is very simple to use and within the grasp of most owners. Being able to monitor the amount of electrical energy available on board is very important and figures can become misleading if equipment is faulty. I intend to publicize this method to the widest possible audience. It does not blame any particular manufacturer, so there is no risk of being accused of slander, but it does allow consumers to judge for themselves how well their refrigerators are working. If my offer appears genuine, and interests you, write to me with a stamped addressed envelope (0.69 euro stamp). Josian Olivier, 112 rue des iris, 34130 Mauguio.

Editor's note. This mail was sent to CC Magazine, which will presumably deal with it in a future edition, possibly after an evaluation of its usefulness.

London-Paris-Beijing and Return 2002.

Translator's note: almost all of the original text in the bulletin has not been translated as the substance is already in English here.

Saturday January 4 2003

This e-mall was sent to Stephen Stewart, with copies to Jacques Mahaut, Clive and Ann Barker, Maureen Middleton, and Les and Margaret Brook.

We continue to read the accounts of our English friends. It is not easy for them. We hope that 2003 will be less painful for them than 2002.

We went to Hamburg [to collect the van which had been shipped from Hong Kong] and in spite of problems with the battery, snow and freezing, our motorcaravan is now home. At last we are very happy: the voyage is finished! Good memories.

Andre and Ginette Bertrand.

The sting in the tail!

The copy of this e-mail arrived in English in Jacques' postbox from where I collected it. I translated it into French. When our British friends receive this bulletin and retranslate it into English, I am not too certain if André Bertrand will recognize it! PG

Plans for Expeditions.

Patagonia - Urgent!

Louis and Nicole Jonquoy would like to share their trip to Patagonia with another motorcaravanning couple. Departure - the end of 2003.

Paris-Beijing via Kathmandu.

Denis Durand is planning an expedition in 2003-2004 for old vehicles. Seeks motorcaravans to accompany. Tel 04.94.28.64.96.

Vladivostok, Siberia-Alaska.

The news in Bulletin 101 confirms my understanding of the absence of a road from Siberia to Alaska. (Nome is opposite Russia). The Bering Straits cannot be crossed during severe, freezing weather. As far as I'm concerned, other than the ethnography, it's not interesting.

In Siberia a few years ago, while travelling to the Lake Baikal, I already saw the transportation of new cars coming from Japan. The road appeared to me to be completely suitable for motor vehicles. Magadan was the marshalling point for those condemned to the gulags and was very similar to the cities of the ex-USSR.

My interest in travelling to the tip of Siberia is, as far as I'm concerned at the moment, very slight. It would be necessary for me to reformulate the project to visit this part of Russia without contemplating crossing the Pacific to Alaska. A few years ago I spent three weeks in Siberia and Mongolia and I have some idea of the way of life of the people and of road conditions. It's not any more adventurous that going to China. The immense open spaces in Russia mean you have to find something other than historic buildings and evidence of a rich old civilization. You will see that I am not pursuing further an idea that has been presented with insufficient thought, but that is not to say that I will not come up with a skeleton plan in the future.

More simply, I intend to go to Alaska by plane and to visit this country with a motor home rented on the spot.

Ferdinand Kohn.

For those who don't wish to give up the idea of this mythical ramble, I have learned that from Vladivostok, one can get [? OR there used to be] a boat for Alaska.

Jacques Mahaut.

South Africa.

Friday January 3

We wish you a good trip because I believe that you will leave soon. We leave for South Africa with a hired motor home on January 22.

Arlette and Claude Peltier.

Tour of Europe.

I am planning the participation of the ACCL [l'Association Camping-Car Liberté] at the CLC forum at the beginning of April in Isère and to join the tour that follows:

Leave Paris 12-04 - Germany 13-04 - Czech Republic 13 to 17-04 - Germany (Berlin) 18/19-04 - Poland 19 to 23-04 - Lithuania 24 to 28-04 - Latvia 28-04 to 01-05 - Estonia 02 to 06-05 - Novgorod (Russia), St Petersbourg 07 to 19-05 - Finland 20 to 28-05 - Nordkapp 29-05 to 01-06 - Norway until embarking for Iceland from Bergen 10-06 - arrival in Iceland (Seydisfjordur) 12-06 - Iceland 12-06 to 13-07 - departure for Denmark 03-07 - arrival at Hanstholm 05-07 - Denmark (visit family and friends) 05-07 to 10-07 - Belgium (Antwerp, staying with Clement) 11 and 12-07 - Antwerp - Paris on July 13.

Jean Marie Lamandé.

Canada.

Carl, our sons and myself hope to explore northern Canada in Bigfoot this summer. I think that having a 4x4 vehicle will be very useful in this part of North America. We also hope that the length and cost of this trip will allow us to return to France and England later in the year... perhaps in time for the balade. We plan to meet up with the China 2002 travellers, to share photographs and stories of the great adventure.

Mary and Carl Hunter.

Expeditions in progress.

Maroc Toujours.

April 15, 2002, on the road through Spain.

To make our way to Morocco, we have to go through this country whose extraordinary variety of landscape is always striking. Our goal is to see the desert in spring.

Crossing the Algeciras/Ceuta strait, we arrive in Morocco... Tétouan, Chaouen, Ouezzane, Fès, Immouzer, Ifrane in the Middle Atlas, a very beautiful ski resort that is called "Little France". How could we forget the famous stone lion the main square, the Hotel Perce-neige etc? Everything is impeccably well preserved and incredibly clean compared to other cities, which have been allowed to deteriorate through slovenliness.

Tafilalet: here is the High Atlas. To the south of Middelt, the Ziz Gorges are superb. The red of the mountain's rock-face and the soft green of the palm trees paint a beautiful picture.

Er Rachidia (formerly Ksar be Souk) is the capital of Tafilalet. 21 km from the city, a little marvel: the blue source of Meski. The site is charming: a beautiful palm plantation around a huge blue water lake which bursts forth from a spring and which beckons bathers. Many 4x4 tourists halt here before the desert.

En route, black marble quarries are still active. The Tuareg sell very beautiful pieces on which fossilized molluscs are imprinted. On the tracks, we came across hotels often called kasbah like the Saidoù Kasbah where Frederic Uller warmly welcomed us. (His associate has an excellent restaurant in Erfoud). In the heart of the desert, the décor is amazing. Bathrooms carved in fossilized marble, very thick walls, as they should be in the Sahara, sublime colours. Still further on, another kasbah hotel, "Chez Michel" named after the Frenchmen who has lived here for 25 years: excellent reception, excellent food, peace, blue sky, swimming pool where already some tourists are refreshing themselves.

Merzouga: breathtaking scenery. A large lake in the middle of the desert. (Note: it has been completely dry for 10 years. The heavy rains early in April 2002 filled it). An azure sky, gilded ochre dunes, a vast oasis and from time to time the passage of a caravan of dromedaries carrying the "poor tourists" who come from polluted countries. What a spectacle... no congestion…space, nature, peace, and in addition the " blue men"... it is bewitching. The sand dunes that dazzle us by their beauty reach 150 m high and dominate the village of Merzouga.

What can one say about the colours at sunset on the dunes? Oh... Ah... On the other hand we rise at 05.00 to see sunrise, but the colours were less beautiful. Todra Gorge: what a panorama! Contrasting with the ochre of the stones it is a succession of chasms and long green oases that are spread out before our eyes. Dadès Gorge: here the rocks are coloured red and mauve. In spring, with the almond trees in flower, the walnut trees, the poplars, it is a "pleasure for the eyes" (as they say here to Morocco). Here too, in Todra, the hotels rise up amidst lush surroundings.

Ouarzazate: (Pour rire : Et mourir après [To laugh, and to die afterwards]). That rhymes, and it is funny! A city that has become very touristy, and very busy due to the construction of the Mansour Ed Dahbi dam. Renee remembers the very good times spent with her nephew and his partner George and Rolande and the beautiful red cheeks of their daughter Sandra. The dam is arched (height 63m, length 285m). It holds 560 million cubic metres of water. And there it is... water is life. The prefabricated houses built by the Dumez company during the construction of the dam are still there but it is impossible to get to them: non-commissioned officers and their families live there. Seeing them after thirty years was a delightful experience.

This city is very soothing and very airy. Its ochre cob kasbahs are very beautiful (Tiffoultoute, Taourirt). It goes without saying that the cameras click incessantly, especially to photograph the storks in their nests at the top of the kasbah towers. What a change also to see the very beautiful airport of Ouarzazate when we remember only one terminal under a big tent! The Oscar hotel accommodates all the artists and filmmakers throughout the year because of the excellent climate, and because at Ouarzazate there are cinema studios. Marrakesh: another pilgrimage for Renee and the joy of re-visiting this beautiful pink city. Far from the crowd, the gardens of Menara and their immense olive grove where you can have a picnic. The Majorelle gardens, always so beautiful with their ponds where nymphea and papyrus float amongst other vegetation, not to mention the blue-painted walls called "Majorelle Blue". According to the guards, the villa and the gardens are now the property of Yves St-Laurent, who, being somewhat tired, only spend a fortnight or so there from time to time. Such a pity! The Bahia Palace is a succession of princely apartments and hispano-moorish courtyards. The decorated ceilings in particular of the vast rooms attract our attention. They are marvelously carved in wood and are very well preserved.

Koutoubia: This 69m high minaret height is emblematic of Marrakesh. It dominates the famous Djemaa El Fna square (a UNESCO World Heritage site) which is always full of life (snake charmers, water carriers, spice merchants, kebab sellers, storytellers etc...). The hotels of Marrakesh deserve to be visited and of course Mamounia. In spring, the gardens proudly display jacarandas. What can one say about the rooms, some of which still bear the names of their famous and illustrious occupants. Let's not forget the marvellous tour that we gave ourselves in the famous Marrakesh palm plantation. We have seen and re-seen almost everything, and to finish our visit we will dine at Ali's place, in a palace from the 1001 Nights with a spectacle of eastern dances and a musical fantasia.

Casablanca: Renee wanted to re-visit her birthplace. What a change there also! It is a city of 4 million inhabitants now, and 'buzzes' with people. Certain districts have kept their charm and others, like Mers-Sultan, lost a little. Notre Dame de Lourdes is the only active church in the entire city; the Sacré Cœur cathedral has become a library. The United Nations square (formerly the main centre of local government administration) is still beautiful. Marshal Lyautey, or rather his beautiful equestrian statue, is in the gardens of the French Embassy. The famous coast of Casablanca seems a little 'rusty' and by way of a romantic walk one meets only joggers on their daily run.

We could not miss visiting the Hassan II mosque which we had not previously visited. Designed by the French architect Michel Pinseau, it was built on the site of the old competitive sports swimming pools of the belle epoque. It took nearly 6 years of relentless effort to construct. Several thousand craftsmen from Safi, Marrakesh, and Fez were involved. The chandeliers are from Murano. The marble floors are heated. (Don't forget to take your shoes off). The courtyard can accommodate 80.000 of the faithful. Construction by the Bouygues group was completed in 1993 and King Hassan II inaugurated it. To continue... a last visit to Anfa which has kept its distinctive residential character, the Corniche, the Miami swimming pool has disappeared, the Lido Boulevard etc...

Rabat: quieter than Casablanca, the capital of the kingdom is pleasant and airy. We enjoyed our return visit to the royal palace. The king has 25 palaces in Morocco… poor little king!

Moving on… fireworks at the most beautiful marble monuments in the world, the mausolea of King Mohammed V and his two sons, Prince Abdellah and King Hassan II. Oudaïas has not changed.

Moulay Bousselam is one of the most attractive places on the Atlantic coast. A very beautiful dune beach where hundreds of birds fly endlessly, not forgetting the flamingos. We had a very beautiful view over the lagoon and chatted to the fishermen who had come to sell their profitable catch.

Tangier: in this city, the artists, writers and celebrities who succumbed to her charms cannot be found any more. This 'larks' mirror' was formerly a town of vice. Nothing much has changed: still in the same place are the famous caves of Hercules, the beaches and its paséo in the Spanish style, the port, Cape Spartel etc...

Martil: here's the seaside resort of Tétouan. Everything seems new. Many kilometres walking along the beach where a stretch of modern buildings empty in spring awaits the tourists of summer.

Cabo Negre and Me Diq: golf, holiday village. Before Moroccan independence people from Casablanca frequented these beautiful beaches. Once more, we take the ferry from Ceuta to Spain.

Mijas: a splendid white village, untouched by the frenzy of assorted constructions on the coast. Plus the panorama is splendid.

Granada: everyone should visit Granada in spring and we have the good fortune to be there in May to be able to admire the pinks in the gardens of the Alhambra under a blue and luminous sky. The poet was right who said: "There is no greater sorrow than to be blind in Granada".

Toledo: a superb site. We visited the city inside the ramparts. It is an astonishing maze of old lanes of great artistic richness: The house of the painter El Greco, his museum, the Santo Tomé church which houses the famous picture by El Greco 'The funeral of the Count of Orrgas'. What a talent!

Claude and Renee Canada Bourgeon.

Canada - U.S.A.

Friday December 13, 2002

After leaving Saint Jovitte (24.10.02) where we had taken part in a folk dance club, we travelled towards the south-east of the USA, to Florida. The cold and snow accompanied us as far as the centre of Orlando. The previous day, in Saint Augustine, it was down to 0° at daybreak. This city, the oldest in the United States, prides itself on being an ancient town with a superb Spanish character and its old fort is also surprising. I got locked in there at twilight, and so my wife when she didn't find me at the drawbridge exit and saw the portcullis down and padlocked, had to arrange for a guard and an official to let me out before I threw myself from the top of the battlements.

Right, let's return to our travels. St Jotteville-Hull and its splendid Canadian museum of civilizations: one day's visit is not enough leaving so many riches to discover.

Ottawa and its Parliament Hill: very beautiful by day, majestic when illuminated at night. Then Toronto and Niagara Falls. To those who can view them through the eyes of a child, these Canadian falls are a permanent spectacle where one can, and in our opinion should, devote several hours watching them - at different times and even different days - to really appreciate them, all the while thinking of story of how and when they were discovered. If not, there's a danger of being distracted by the neon lights of the ever-present tourism. Why are they there, all these flashy and noisy shops? Because the public demands them! One can choose to be part of it all - or not.

4.11.02 Crossing the US frontier: next stop Gettysburg. Gripping image of the past. Visit battlefields, dry and cold. A good atmosphere in which to remember the American Civil War and this decisive victory for the Union. The Confederates will never truly recover from this failure. Short speech by Lincoln which was to become one of the founding speeches of the EU.

Then we start a drive of 930 km, the entire length of which happens to be in a park. The road continues at a constant height of approximately 1000 m - hence its name, Blue Ridge Parkway - connecting two national parks, Shenandoah to the Great Smoky Mountains, in the large Appalachian chain. It is a delight for the eyes and for the driver: no intersections, no stops, no traffic lights, no trucks and speed limited to 50 and 70 km.

To right and left never-ending rhododendrons, woods and forests, magnificent views at every turn, masses of wild animals, hunting prohibited. All that in the cold but under a bright sun. On certain days we could not follow this road: it was closed to traffic due to weather, snow and ice. On the metalled road in the park, amazing crystals of white frost surrounding each branch, each thorn illuminated by the sun... splendid Parkway.

When we came close to Saratosa Park, we agreed to pause before continuing our American experience. Small anecdote: during one evening organized by the Alliance Française we made many contacts with vintage Americans, and got on so well with one couple that we were invited to join them on their yacht for a trip round the Gulf of Mexico.

So there you have it: some aspects of our visits and our meetings.

Colette and Charles Brisson.

North-West Africa. (Western Sahara)

Dakla, January 16.

After some misadventures:

• Accident 15/12 - not easy to find a bodywork specialist.
• Passports with visas returned on 21/12 from St Maur, arrived at Laplume on the 21st and Nice 02/01! We thought they were lost!
• Mechanical problems with Michel Barbaudy's Toyota (not really sorted: it smokes!).

We left on the 6th from Bacarès: Demontès, Barbaudy and us. Thanks to André and Ginette Bertrand for their hospitality. A journey without incident so far. First night on a camp-site yesterday evening, for water and a hot shower... at the Doumss hotel. (Same owner as the camp-site).

Please note: there was nothing major to report about the passage to Tangiers. 24 euros less than we started with, certainly, but it took 3 1/2 hours to get across. The formalities were the same as at Ceuta (1/2 hour) and there was no duty-free Ricard.

Going to Mali, there are, to the best of my knowledge, 3 groups.

1. Di Giusto, Auffray, Denis at the head. They go so quickly that they did not have time to inform George Veillet if they would stop and say hello.
2. Dujardin, Brout, the small new one, and Alfred Blanc. Perhaps they will wait for us at the border.
3. Us (see above).

For the borders formalities, individual record sheets containing passport and vehicle data licenses are really useful. We filled our tanks: 126 litres for 230 francs… good. (Note: and it's another way of using up your last francs!).

On the way, on the car park of the Marjane supermarket in Agadir, we had a nice meeting with Charpigny and with Rudolf of the Aglou camp site. We know that Helmbacher, Thimjo and others are in the area, but thanks to Orange, communications are blocked! We took all the necessary steps, but have been told our contract does not allow us to call...

Jacques Mahaut.

Mauritania.

January 22

We are here in the capital of Mauritania, after experiencing on roads that would have been worthy of inclusion in the film "Wages of Fear"... If we'd known, we would not have come! So bad that now, even though only a quarter of the planned journey has been completed, we (Lucette and me, at least) are dreading the return trip home. The conditions are terrible with some very scary moments, like, for example the track on the beach that we took too late. The rising water started to lap around our wheels. With a rock blocking our progress, we had to go into reverse and with each turn of the wheel, we feared that we'd get stuck in the sand.

We found firm ground, very very firm: corrugated iron for 150 kilometres with the only distraction being a very, very soft crossing of some sand banks! But we are becoming hardened. I believe that we only got stuck in the sand three times today, but this was nothing compared to our crossing of the free (and therefore not maintained) zone between Morocco and Mauritania... Four hours to do 7 kilometres, and we had to use an expensive guide who was there as if by chance and arrived in middle of the night at the Mauritanian frontier station. It was only the following day that we remembered that the area is infested with mines.

However, a shower and some couscous this evening in the Dunes camp-site (actually in the middle of town) gave the team a bit of a fillip. Just what we needed, the more so as our reserves of Ricard are exhausted. Nonetheless, everyone is in good health...! St Jean and Ste Clemence, pray for us... Michel's strength puts us to shame! And thank God, we still have our tins of tuna, sardines and choucroute 'Royale'.

I forgot: it seems that the 4X4 of the VW is not operational and that had been causing some of our problems, and the air-con does not function properly. After having been cold, we ate outside for the first time this evening and now we're in a furnace, at least in the daytime. We will try to repair the van tomorrow, but it's not clear if we'll be able to do so. Until the next time… I hope...

Jacques Mahaut.

North West Africa again.

Sunday January 26: By wire.

If you see a red Renault fire engine, registered in Brittany, driving round Morocco from south to north, don't ask. It is Alfred Blanc and his dog Hulotte who are returning after having tasted the roads from the edge of the Mauritanian border near Nouadhibou. We don't know if he was able to travel more or less (if at all) with the Mahaut group. It is only known that he had some trouble with a universal joint, that we have no news of them, and that it seems he was seen in a mosque in Marrakesh today.

Mauritania continued

We are returning to Nouakchott today (28th), after a vain attempt to get to Mali via the Chingetti-Tidjika track. Stranded in sand… 12 kilometres in 4 hours, including a 30 minute plus walk into a strong, sandy wind to find Michel who had not been able to set off again from the 'palm plantation' (one palm tree) where we had lunched. It appears that the VW syncro is not syncro any more! The front axle will not engage. A 'specialist' told me that it functioned in second, but as the engine is not powerful enough to get out of sand, a fat lot of good that does me!

In addition, I am not happy. I had asked to have everything looked at, and this evening, while crawling [under the vehicle] I realized that the protective metal guards are only held on by one of two or three bolts. Moreover, I will have to re-weld the silencer. I'll do it tomorrow morning and then we will once more take the road, the correct road this time, in the direction of Mali.

I did not contact Atar, as planned, because the only place was far from the camp site and communication took even longer than here where it took us a whole hour to read the preceding message! Normally we would expect to be in Bamako in ten days... All goes well, a great ambience, in spite of having the jitters. You will see the photographs! For their first effort with a keyboard, Maggy and Roger showed great patience... We were 1 hour 10 minutes trying to find the messages.

Jacques Mahaut.

French Polynesia.

July 14 - August 29

Staying with Eric and Michele, during the first four weeks, we organized from Pappete visits to some Polynesian islands and to Easter Island. The islands which we visited (there are 118 in this French territory) prompted us to say, and say again, "My God, France is a beautiful place!". Their names are still singing in our heads: Tahiti, Moorea, Bora-Bora, Huanine, Raiatea, Tetiaroa, Rangigora. What a dream!

Other than Tétiaroa, the famous island with Marlon Brando's birds, where we went by catamaran, and Rangigora which we reached by plane, to get to the other islands, we had a splendid cruise on a four-masted barque. Its name was chosen by fate - 'Wind Song'. This song of the wind enabled us to live in those heaven-blessed places where everything is designed to make us even happier than we are.

What hospitality! What joie de vivre! How kind the locals were! How lovely were the emerald waters of the lagoons and the sea! How wonderful is the folklore, the dances and chants that seduce us into singing and dancing continuously! We no longer wonder why so many people, if they can, invest their resources in this paradise on earth... To discover Tahiti and its many islands remains for us an unforgettable experience because each one of them is unique.

Easter Island.

From Pappete, we learn that it will take 5 hours by plane to get to Easter Island. Oh! But it is very close... and so we set off again.

This island, Chilean since 1888 and also called 'the island of great silence' is a fascinating place and one of most mysterious of the world. This world heritage is a true museum in the open air where you can admire monumental statues, the Moaî, which can weigh up to 80 tons.

On our arrival at the airport of Hangaroa, we are cordially welcomed with shell collars and the smile of a Frenchwoman, Lily. She points out that we have landed on one of largest landing strips on the planet. Why? Because it is somewhere for the space shuttle to land if necessary. Who did not dream, at least once in their life, of this voyage to the end of the world? Easter Island, or Papa Nui, has imposing landscapes and a beautiful wild beauty. Fortunately, the inhabitants know how to preserve the island from the changes made by tourism that could be fatal for it.

We were welcomed very nicely by Teddy and Lily and stayed in their bungalow facing the Pacific Ocean. He's a local man, descended from the island's last monarch. She is French, an admirable guide and human encyclopedia. She helped us find the answers to all the enigmas on this mysterious island. These revelations surprised us - the way in which the statues were transported to the mausoleums for which they were intended, the damage caused by the pseudo-excavations carried out by certain inefficient archaeologists.

The Easter Islanders are very protective of their mysterious island. It is necessary to go there to experience the bewitching atmosphere. The kindness of all the people met throughout our tour was an important factor in the success of our trip. We thank them.

Claude and Renee Bourgeon.

Other News.

Better late than never!

Camping-car Magazine has just agreed to pay for the mailing of our Bulletin 101! But we've already posted it out... Thank you nonetheless, and we would point out that the international festival of the motor home will take place on June 7, 8 and 9 at Lavelanet (Arriège).

Anniversary.

Future events - the 25th anniversary of Font Vendôme [motorcaravan builders] promises much...

Discussions and Publications.

With my friend Alain Guillard, I took part in the creation of l'Association Camping-Car Liberté (ACCL) and in the discussion forum that is accessible to the public in the Yahoo! Group accl_actions.

I have finished and just published an account of my last tour (Italy, Sicily, Tunisia) with my fellow members on the motorcaravan forums on the net (Yahoo! Groups: campingcar and Yahoo! Groups: cclf). (60 pages of text + approximately 700 photographs compressed to the maximum extent , about 18 Mb). [Go to http://fr.groups.yahoo.com/group/campingcar/]

Jean Marie Lamandé.

Invitation.

The tourist office of Cours la Ville in the Beaujolais wine country invites you to a gathering of motorcaravans from 8 to May 11 when there will be the inauguration of its aire de service. Information and reservations: 04.74.64.72.11 - syndicatinitiative-courslaville@wanadoo.fr or www.courslaville.fr.st

Humour.

Reflections on Europe.

The referendum on the treaty of Maastricht, or more exactly the debate of ideas which surrounded it, certainly showed that finally our fellow-citizens, and undoubtedly with them the majority of Europeans, all had good reason to vote YES - because union is strength and a united Europe is our future - and a good reason for voting NO - because in Europe that we were being offered, many details were not completely finalised.

In fact, the difficulties come when you do things inside out. And that's lasted for more than 40 years. When one wants to build a house, a ship, a car, one starts by drawing up the plans. Then one builds the walls, the hull, the frame, followed by roofs, doors and windows, floors and glass.

Then it is equipped: heating, electricity, machinery, engine. Finally one decorates and one furnishes. It is only after that the unit can function.

In Europe, they are trying to make the accessories work when the equipment is not in place and the structures not built. At the risk of lecturing, the reflections below show that the idea is not new, and that there's a long way to travel, not simply in spirit but also in achievement.

Paul Gouwy.

"Europe is too large to be united. But it is too small to be divided. That is its double destiny".

Daniel Faucher.

"The day will come when two immense groups, the United States of America and the United States of Europe, will be seen holding out their hands to each other across the seas"

Victor Hugo - 1850

"I learned Italian to speak to the Pope, Spanish to speak to my mother, English to speak to my aunt, German to speak to my friends and French to speak to myself"

Charles Quint.

"England is an empire, Germany a race, France a person"

Jules Michelet - French history

"Spanish is the language of lovers, Italian is that of singers, French that of diplomats, German that of horses"

Spanish proverb.

"Europe would be almost to perfect if the French remained an hour less each day in the bar, and the Germans one hour more in bed"

Jean Mistler.

"Zeus, king of the gods, was certainly a funny citizen! After having changed a a nymphette who gave him pleasure into a cow (see the Io chapter), he did not hesitate, in the opposite direction, to change himself into a white bull to kidnap Europe, another nymph with whom he was madly in love, and to transport her to Crete so that she would give him three children. Let us recall in passing that artificial insemination had not been invented. It is thus under the sign of the love cow that our continent was born. May this not be one of the reasons why the union between the states often turns into a bullfight and what makes Europe graze a little before starting up?

Anonymous

Will Europe become what it actually is, i.e. a small cape on the Asian continent? Or will Europe remain what it appears, i.e. the most invaluable part of the terrestrial universe, the pearl of the sphere, the brain of a vast body?

Paul Valery - 1919

End Piece.

This edition is a little late, and a little bulkier than it should be. Late because of the extent of the journey of our president and editor-in-chief so that it does seem that it won't appear in March. Also, we've included everything that was offered.

Bulky for this same reason, but also, due to a lack of material, at the beginning of January I prepared the envelopes in advance. I was confused by the various tariffs and, in error, put on stamps for first-class post. The result is that, using slow mail, the weight of this edition is much less important than anticipated.

Anyway, apologies for using second-class.