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Published: October 5th 2008
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Ok so first I must apologise for the first photo. The dude at the front was our local guide in the Todra Gorge and he thought he was giving the aussie thumbs up until we explained he he he. So his name was Assis and he is the best mountain rock climber in the gorge area. So good that he assisted Tom Cruise when they completed stunts for the last Mission Impossible movie. You know the one where he is hanging of the rock in the intro....... well its the real deal and that is where I have spent the last few days.
Talk about needing energy. We began our time with a 5 hour hike through the gorge. Those who know me well know how much I love to walk (not!) so it was a challenge but a great feeling of achievement when we made it to the top and took some group shots. Along the way we saw a few native nomad women pulling stubborn donkeys along. If you saw how steep and rocky our hike was you would not believe that these donkeys get through the gorge carrying tonnes of supplies on their backs. We also stopped
for mint tea at a nomads home and they had two young sons who were glad to see us and wanted to play. I imagine life can get pretty boring for them on the side of a mountain. Again the home was small and simple, made out of lots of berber rugs.
After such a tiresome walk most of the group settled down by the pool for the afternoon but not ME! My friend Sharonika and myself decided to go rock climbing. I figured that if I had the chance to be guided by Assis I should not waste the opportunity. So feeling exhausted we headed back to the gorge and got set for some hard work. At the end of the day I have decided that I need a bit more practice in a fake location before I tackle the big guns again!!!! Man, it is hard work and scary when you can't find anywhere to put your hands. I think I made it half way when I started to feel my height issues kicking in again and I began to yell out 'someone get me a stiff drink' When I finally made it to the top I
just wanted to come down but Assiss, who was supporting me from below was talking on his mobile phone and could not hear me yelling in desperation 'I WANT TO GET DOWN'. I could not believe it! Sharonika thought it was hilarious! I didn't! When he finally got off the phone he lured me down and I began to analyze all the cuts and bruises I had accumulated as proof that I had actually climbed the gorge. oooooohhhhhhh Too Funny!
The following day we headed deeper into the High Atlas Mountains reaching heights of about 2660m above sea level. Now I don't know if that is high or impressive but for an australian thats pretty huge! It was an amazing sight that got even better as we drove to the Toubkal region. The windy roads are a death trap waiting to happen and I held my breath at every blind turn we made. I would even say worse than the Amalfi Coast in Italy! ( note to Rachelle: Must go back to Amalfi to confirm that my statement is true!)
When we finally made it to Toubkal we had a 45 miute walk to the town of Imlil.
There are only two ways to get to this village, walk or mule. In my fight to beat the bulge I opted to walk which was sooooo easy compared to the gorge. The picturesque town was natural and simple at it's best. Our hotel (the largest hotel in the village having 4 rooms!) showed us views of snow capped montains and the cleanest water you have ever seen flowing down the river. I was particularly excited because our arrival marked the last day of Ramadaan and I was keen to see how things in Morroco changed. We spent the evening teaching each other new card games and celebrated Helenas birthday with a yuummy cake that Kazza had carried up the mountain himself.
The following day was comparable to our celebrations at christmas. All the locals walked the streets congratulating each other for completeing Ramadaan. Food was passed around and children wore their new outfits. We went for a walk through the town with the hotel owner and he took us past the Mosque where men and women sat singing in a type of choral meditation. It sounded beautiful so we stayed for a while to listen. I was captivated
by the little boys who sat outside the Mosque watching and waiting for their fathers, almost wishing they could be part of the prayer but laughing and congratulating passers by. Our walk took us through the apple farms that expanded along the side of the mountain as far as the eye could see. They looked so delicious and ready to eat.
Not long after returning from our walk we got ready to trek back down to our mini van and began our drive to Essaouira. It was a long drive but there was so much to see including the goats that feed off the trees. This is such a funny sight! I really don't know how they get up so quickly but they have balance that I would kill for! Suprisingly! After taking different phots a man appeared demanding money for the photos of his goats. We had no choice but to hand over some coins, which is really beginning to annoy me. But when I got back in the car I couldn't help but giggle as I remembered Al's encounter with the Masi Man in Kenya and his demads for money as well. I really should have known
better!!!!
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