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I had to set my watch to the local time and awoke at 6:30. I quickly packed my tent
and met Serrouf who brought my bicycle outside. After filling up my water jug and steril-
izing its contents, I took his photo and thanked him profusely for his kindness in allowing
me to set up camp next to his home.
And thus I began my first full day of cycling in Morocco. I made my way to Rabat
under an overcast sky. There was a welcomed rain shower which only lasted for a few
minutes. The terrain was a little hilly and the winding road gave me a chance to rest from
the headwind. My spirits were up as well and I found the local people friendlier than in
Tangier. As I waved to them they all would smile back and give me a word of encourage-
ment regardless of their age.
The roads themselves were in very good condition and had to deal with only a few
short climbs. I decided to have lunch on the vast plateau 60 kilometres from Rabat. About
25 kilometres from the city, I had a flat tire. So, while on the side of the road, I stripped the
bikeandstartedtochangeit.A14-year-oldboystoppedandaskedmeifIneededanyhelp.
I declined, but he continued to stay and watch. As it turned out he did help me by holding
the bike steady as I repacked it (not that I couldn't do it on my own.) When I was ready to
push off, he just said 'au revoir' and left without asking for anything. This boy's gesture
was one of a multitude of small acts of kindness I received throughout Morocco and the
rest of Africa. It just emphasized my belief that kindness is everywhere and it comes in all
shapes and sizes.
I started to look for a source of water to refill my depleted containers. I happened
across a Police Training School in Sale and decided to go ask for some water. They filled
up my bottles quickly and then offered me some sweet mint tea. Even in the heat, this was
incredibly refreshing. I stayed with them for an hour and befriended Karin. After taking
pictures and a promise to send them a copy (which I did after the tour) I bid farewell and
headed to Rabat with only 5 kilometres left!
IcycledintoRabatlookingatallthebuildingsandthemosques.Ifoundthecathed-
ral and made plans to visit it once I found a place to stay. I headed out to find a hotel near
Mdina (the oldcity) andfoundonefor68dirhams. The hotel clerk hadawarmth andkind-
ness about him that made me feel that my bicycle was safe in the storage room at the base
of the stairs. I made plans for the next day to find the Canadian, Mauritanian and Seneg-
alese Embassies.
Since the next day was a day-off from cycling, I went to mass in the morning and
spent the day strolling in the markets of Mdina. The alleys were crowded with beggars,
shoppersandvendorswhowouldtouchmeinthearmtogetmyattention.Therewerefood
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