Morocco Atlas Adventure Diary
Day 1 Flights, Flights, Flights…
EK751 Dubai–Casablanca – good.
8-hr wait at Casablanca for connecting flight of 45 minutes to Marrakech – not good.
Note to self: always check connecting flights/times! One of the things one does not realise when booking using an agent is exactly how thorough their preparation has been: we could have taken at least one flight to Marrakech in the time spent waiting for the one booked. Or got the train or bus.
Once in Marrakech quickly to the Hotel Foucauld, just off the madness that is the Jemaa el Fnaa square: centrally located, friendly and functional. The electrics, however, are suspect, the showers sometimes cold and the noise from the street constant. Hmmm… Straight to bed.
Day 2 Marrakech
A Saturday of looking around the great city of Marrakech with our guide, Hajj.
A quick tour of; the outside of the Koutoubia Mosque with its’ 70 metre minaret, the magnificent Bab Agnaou stone gateway entrance to the medina, the Saadian Tombs, the Jewish quarter, the Berber Pharmacy and the souks. Marrakech has an unpretentious feel to it and the Moroccans are keen on welcoming their cash-carrying quarry. If they don’t speak your language, you need to come more often!
Dinner at the hotel and early evening shopping in the souks: clearly not enough time given over to this activity for the inveterate Hong Kong shopper!
Day 3 Road Trip
From Marrakech by minibus into the mountains.
Lunch at Mohamad’s restaurant at Telhouet which included the magnificent local dish, pastilla –nuts, minced lamb and fruits in a pastry case: delicieux!
Stopped the minibus at Anmiter to take the final few kilometres walk up the valley to Tighza through lush valleys, beneath staggering rocky mountains and to meeting gorgeous Berber people.
Dinner at the Kasbah. We will all get fat.
Day 4 The Rain, the Cold and the Howling Wind
A difficult night with difficult mountain weather, but awoke to double rainbows! The tree-planting was called off, so took a trip in the rickety local minibus to the local Anmiter Salt Mine, an astonishing twinkling, hand-dug cave that reminds us all exam results do matter.
Lunch back at Tighza. Paid a visit to the local primary school to play football in the playground, teach English and kept the excited children entertained for nearly 2 hours.
Day 5 Into the Mountains
A (relatively) early start and a walk up to the lake. Sounded simple enough –up to the lake and be back at the camp ground for dinner. What few had taken into consideration was the sheer effort required. It took its’ toll on some, and the plod-plod-plodding up and up through the brilliantly verdant river valley and the wide expanse of the high meadows and even higher pasture left many weary, if not exhausted.
We found Lake Tamda to be a high alpine lake in a natural amphitheatre of even higher mountains. It is bright blue, full of trout which occasionally splash out of the surface and a perfect backdrop for our lunch!
Then began our lengthy descent across the spectacular biblical landscape, this time with the aid of mules, to the camp ground by the ford of the river. After our evening’s food around the fireside emerged the stars which, even with firelight, astounded through their intensity. And with cloudless night skies the temperature plummeted. By the freezing early light of day the romance of open mountain living, of twinkly stars and of long wilderness treks had completely evaporated, only to slowly condense again through the warming rays of the sun.
Day 6 Back to Tighza
A beautiful, restful place where even the sound of a passing aeroplane is unusual, the Tighza valley has an unhurried feel to it. Finished our hike down the river valley, past the little fields, the fruit trees and homesteads.
Lunch at the Kasbah. Then rest time. Lots of rest time.
Just before dinner we were shown the lamb ready for our meshwe dinner, and the veg prepared for tagine. Our hosts also show us the Kasbah which will be our eco-friendly home on future visits.
Day 7 Farewell Tighza, Hello Marrakech
Then came a welcome lunch stop at a local restaurant by the river at Taddart on our way down to Marrakech. For a distance of just over 126 km the journey is nearly 6 hours!
Day 8 Getting home
Another sunny morning in Marrakech and a fond farewell to Mohammad our excellent host (or should that have been an au revoir?) After our last bread-filled breakfast and bus it to the airport, we finally took leave of Morocco.
EK752 Casablanca–Dubai
EK384 Dubai–Bangkok–Hong Kong – this last one being on the enormous A380. It don’t matter which way you cut it, Marrakech is a long way from Hong Kong.
What a great Challenge Week. I want to give out a big thank you to all you Moroccan travellers –you made it so special. I know you are all a little weary now and personally challenged by the trip, but also I’m glad you had a good time. And a specially grand merci to Mrs Tranter and her hard work (especially in the mornings) and without whom the week would clearly not have been possible.
Bessehha!
!تحيا مراكش
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