Ouarzazate

This was our first experience of driving in Africa and, having waited at Marrakech airport for four hours in the vain hope that the Avis rep would actually turn up eventually as booked, we gave up and went to the Europcar desk instead.

The sad little excuse of a car at a ridiculously inflated price was a poor start, compounded by the hopeless signposting in Marrakech and the failing light, potholes and questionable driving habits of the locals through the Atlas mountains.

So it was that we arrived in total darkness at a hotel with no lights who had almost given up on our arriving. We were the only guests, but they made an excellent dinner and drinks by a roaring log fire.

In the morning we awoke to a magnificent view over a lake to the mountains.