Moroccan kindness was off the scale today! 🥲

A day doesn’t pass in Morocco without an act of kindness, or ten, directed our way. Over the past couple of days of cycling this has included almost endless encouragement from drivers, people stopping to give us water and to check we are ok, filling our bag with oranges and letting us sleep on their forecourt.

Even by these standards, today has been very special. We had the usual bits (not that we take them for granted) and then we rolled into Laayoune. We were pretty hungry after a Very Sandy Headwind and we were browsing some ice creams to eat on the sly (it’s still Ramadan). Once we’d chosen what we wanted some chap paid for them, despite my insistence that he shouldn’t. He even tried to give me the change!

Then as we stood waiting in the street outside an apartment we are staying in for a few days we got invited to break fast with a local family. We gratefully accepted and had a really indulgent meal prepared by Hamadi and his family. Fatima’s tea shot right into the shortlist for Best Tea in Morocco.

Regarding the apartment we are staying in for a break (to enjoy Eid al-Fitr)…we contacted the host last night because we had made good progress and planned to arrive in Laayoune a day early. We asked about adding an extra night to our stay but they came back to say the apartment is booked. So, they offered us an unfinished, and unfurnished, apartment in the same block for tonight...at no charge! They then met us to let us in and even brought bedding and other items for us to use.

Next level kindness. We’re so grateful.

(My eyes are full of sand and I’m tired. At least, that’s my excuse 🥲)