Twenty four hours later and Tobi's bike went in the luggage compartment of a bus from Laayoune to Tangiers (about 1500 kms) he also took a bus, while I rode on through torrential rain - the frst rain I had seen since setting off six weeks ago, it turned some of the desert road into a quagmire of mud, the following day I was hit by vicious sandstorms, then the bolt on the broken shock absorber snapped - whoops!

In Marrakesh, another bike traveller (Sam) helped me to pack old rubber bits around the spring on the shock absorber to try and make the ride a bit safer; everyone seems a bit shocked at the state of the suspension. We also replaced the broken bolt.

Having been delayed by these repairs, I then had to get on my way, a last minute chance to buy some Moroccan slippers and it was hit the tarmac with a vengeance time, making it to Madrid from Marrakesh in 26 hours.

North of Madrid I was in extremely snowy conditions – riding along with wistful thoughts of the heat in the desert. In Bilbao I bought another battery, caught the ferry and arrived home in one piece.