The first time we tried to get into Morocco we couldn’t. We had to beg the border officials in the Sahara to allow us in and they eventually did, on our second attempt.

Then, seven weeks later when Tim tried to get out of the country, they wouldn’t let him out – even begging and crying didn’t work.

(Not that he wanted to leave – in fact he would have loved to stay – but for some reason South Africans, along with Israelis and Algerian, can only get 1-month visa on application. Tim’s was, understandably, expired. You can’t do Morocco in a month! It’s impossible without missing too much good stuff…)

A beach in Tanger with Europe in the distance. So close, yet so far for Tim.

The emigration encounter went something like this:

Tim: “Hi, I have a ferry to Gibraltar in one hour, can you please stamp me out of the country.”

Border Guard: “No, your visa has expired.”

Tim: “But I have this extension from the police in Casablanca.”

Border Guard: “I’m sorry that’s not valid.”

Tim: “So my visa has expired, and I’m not allowed to be here anymore, but now you won’t let me out?”

Border Guard: “Yes.”

You should know that we spent the preceding 3 days in the beautiful blue medina of Chefchaouen where things got a little out of hand…


Tim – happier times in Chaouen before attempting to leave Africa

… but we do not believe that events there were related to the trouble at the border.

Regardless of the cause, Tim found himself reporting to the Tangier Port police station last Monday morning to be arrested for a visa infraction.

But thankfully, after an entertaining morning spent being shuttled around with a bunch of shady illegal immigrants, being locked in underground holding cells…

Moroccan jails: cozy…

..and trying to explain to a non-English speaking Moroccan judge that he meant no harm to the people of Morocco, Tim was released with a 3000 Dirham suspended fine and allowed to cross to Gibraltar.

Phew.