Outerbat to Midelt - Day 141

Date: January 6th, 2010
Distance: Travel by tranzi and bus
Country: Morocco
Song of the Day: Time - Pink Floyd

Woke up the next morning and Jack saw me to the tranzi. Jack, if you are reading this, thanks for letting me crash!

If you recall tranzis are a little bigger than vans, but not as big as buses. Running a tranzi is a two man operation. There is the driver, who is only concerned with not crashing into something. There is also a guy who is responsible for getting luggage on top, getting everyone inside and seated, and collecting the fares. So it is like a little business on wheels. You could also think of them as rolling vomit factories. Yep, I don't think I have been on one yet where someone hasn't puked. So that is also one of the second man's jobs. He hands out black plastic bags to those in needs. Then when they are finished, they pass the bags back to him, and he throws them out the back. On this particular trip, everyone around me had to use the bags. Not me though, I am proud of my intestinal fortitude.

The tranzi took me as far as Rich. I stopped for lunch and then found a bus to Midelt. Less puking, which was nice, but odd. The bus is taller and seems to sway more... anyway.

The terrain down to Midelt was pretty cool. The rock was layed down flat over thousands of years and then twisted and tilted. Some of the hill looked like the very rock was plowed into neat angled rows across hills and valleys. There was even a place where layers of rock were turned perpendicular to the earth. They looked like the ragged edges of a massive and forgotten book. I couldn't help but be a little inspired by it.

In Midelt I met up with another PCV, Jeff. He has only been in Morocco a couple of months, but he was in Madagascar before that. The peace corps had to get everyone out of there a year ago because of unrest there. I guess they are back now, but Jeff wanted to try something new. Jeff had to take off in the evening because he was teaching English to kids. He left me a spare key so that I could see the town. I didn't see much of it as I just took a nap. When Jeff got home we got some food and he made some tasty tagine. Jeff and I stayed up late talking and sharing movies.

-Dravis