Time to leave Marrakech

We rushed over to the train station to catch the 3pm for Casablanca only to find the train was horribly delayed. There was a communication problem. We didn't know what that meant at that time. So we waited and everybody was scrambling, trying to find a CTM bus to take them to Casablanca. Finally they opened the ticket office to sell us the tickets and we saw a train coming into the station. We boarded  and thought all was fine. It was for a while, then the train stopped, we waited, then it started up again and moved. Then it stopped, waited, then it moved again. It did this for like numerous times and we couldn't know why. Each time it stopped, we would hear people scrambling on and off the train. We were in the first class coach and it was the last compartment. It was getting pretty dark and once I looked out the window and saw people at the crossing gates. I asked aloud, 'why are there people in the shed at the crossing gates?' It was then I realised, the crossing gates wouldn't operate automatically, there was a communication problem. The train had to stop before each crossing gate, someone get off, bring the gate down so the train could move without running over anyone on the ground. After we passed, it stopped, so the train staff could get back on the train. Our trip which should have taken 3 hours took 7. We ran out of water to drink and snacks to eat. But I do commend the Morrocans for doing an incredible job. We did finally arrived in Casablanca at almost 11pm with no reservations. The taxi driver found us a place nearby, that was pretty cheap. We met some incredibly nice people in Morroco that went out their way to make us visitors to their country happy. The train station at the major cities are brand spanking new. They are really doing their very best to bring in visitors.You must visit Morroco.