Fez in Springtime

Having been back from Fez for a week now, we can say that the trip there and back on two Ryanair flights (each way) is not as bad as some things. Take our 3 children out of the equation and it would almost be relaxing. A tip for would-be Stansted-Girona-Fez travellers, check your bag weight, they seem to have a different type of 15 kilos in Spain.

It was good to get in our house for the first time without having to rush out and buy something straight away, like a bed or a fridge. Everything was ready and the new cover over the roof kept the torrential rain out out the central patio. Another tip - take a few warm clothes this time of year, we spent the first few evening wearing all of our clothes at once.

This is the time to get there though, anything that's going to be green is green now, as well as swathes of wild flowers around the countryside outside the city, the Ville Nouvelle was, and probably still is bristling with geraniums and other plants that look nice but I don't know their names. We nearly got to ride the tourist train, but the driver was asleep spread over two sets in the back. Obvious child safety fears aside, the prospect of swerving around the various intersections dodging kamikaze petit taxis has a certain appeal.

We had some vague plans to visit Lionel in Meknes and and to travel out to see Fred and Marie's country house, but getting out of the house for a leisurely stroll around the Mellah was a challenge in itself. So sorry Lionel, sorry Fred and Marie. We'll try and get out next time, although next time will be the height of summer, so moving around could be even more off the agenda.

Mehedi, Frankie and Ashraf, life in the derb

Our son Frankie had the usual raucous time, with most of the local kids knocking on the door all the time... "Fronkie joué?". He's now able to show his friends back here his early attempts at Arab flips and walking up walls.

It was good to catch up with Louis and his latest top secret schemes, and get to check out our old friend Pippa's house deep down in the medina, which is now under renovation.