I was tempted to ask if the owner of the Triumph motorbike had a helmet as travelling by two wheels is always my preference, however, duty called and I trooped back on to the bus.

The first stop was the Dedes river Gorge that was magnificent and you can see why the motorcyclists would want to visit.

This was quite a tourist destination especially for walkers. We were headed in the direction of Marrakech and stopped at a restored kasbah at Skoura Ah El Oust. This was built in the 17th Century and was a fortification against other tribes. We saw how the building was divided up for cooking, living and sleeping and where they kept the animals! If you were female then the reality is that due to danger of kidnap you would live your life inside.

Next we drove on to a nice hotel in Ouarzazate where we had some time in its spacious grounds before dinner. The guide introduced some of our dining destinations usually by first advising that we could use a credit card! It really was a step back from what we now experienced as a cashless society in the West. Despite this opportunity the dining itself at a local restaurant in Ouarzazate was disappointing. We both steered around our old friends the tagines and skewers: the staple offer and plumped for a Salad Niçoise. We both knew the fish would be out of a tin but it was something different. Frankly we only got a spoonful of tuna each! On every trip I always pack a packet of McVitie’s Digestive biscuits and so this supplemented our diet on our return to the hotel room.

The next morning meant another kasbah and an important one as it was on the route for the camel caravans between Timbuktu in Mali and Marrakesh. This was Ait Ben Haddou. Climbing up to the top was a good workout not least with all the steps usually of different heights and often with rubble across the path! Again despite looking ancient and obviously the rock having been here forever then a lot of the construction took place in the 17th century.

After taking in the view we descended and were ushered into a rug/carpet shop for the next retail opportunity and, yes folks, people bought stuff! Marrakech next.