A small date stone props up the water jar ~ Moroccan Proverb HE SAID... Today we were travelling southeast from Ait Benhaddou to Zagora (via Ouarzazate). After a quick visit to a women’s carpet weaving cooperative down the road from our hotel, we piled into a minibus and left the quiet dusty village of Ait Benhaddou at 9:30am. We were travelling to the city of Ouarzazate (a mere 30km away), but a last minute change of plan saw us detour into the Atlas Film Studios, which are located on the outskirts of Ouarzazate. We were given the option of a guided tour of the studios, but we declined. We opted instead to relax in the internal courtyard of Hotel Oscar while we waited for our film-buff travellers to complete their tour. The hotel was conveniently located ... read more

Even the loftiest of mountains begins on the ground ~ Moroccan Proverb HE SAID... Today we were travelling south from Marrakesh to Aroumd. We left Marrakesh around 9am and drove through the city with the snow-capped High Atlas looming on the horizon. This alluring and pervasive mountain range dominates the southern skyline of Marrakesh, and it wasn’t long before we were climbing and winding our way up towards the snow. As we ascended, the road narrowed and the scenery changed dramatically. There were steep drops to one side with barely enough room for two cars to pass. Tiny villages were set into arid hillsides, and I wondered what prevented them from tumbling down into the valley below. And all the while, the ever-present High Atlas Mountains towered above us. Near-empty river beds ran along the valley ... read more

He who does not travel does not know the value of men ~ Moroccan Proverb HE SAID... Today we were travelling northwest from Chefchaouen to Tangier. We woke early to the call to prayer after a broken night’s sleep – the local dogs had been unsettled for most of the night. I did sleep a little with the help of a couple of paracetamol tablets at midnight, but my sore throat was lingering. I needed it to dissipate, as we had a long travel day to Tangier and then an overnight sleeper train to Marrakesh. We were leaving Tangier at 11:30pm, so we would not have access to a shower until we checked into our Marrakesh hotel tomorrow morning. We headed down to the dark hotel restaurant for breakfast around 7:30am. I hydrated with orange juice ... read more

There is no queue at the gate of patience ~ Moroccan Proverb HE SAID... Today we were travelling northeast from Meknes to Fes. It was a wet afternoon in Meknes. Heavy rain fell from dark clouds shrouding the city, and a bitter wind swept the empty streets. We emerged from the medina and sheltered as best we could in the shadows of Bab el-Mansour (the city’s iconic gateway) until a taxi arrived. We jumped in, dropped by the hotel where we’d left our packs a few hours earlier and headed to the Meknes train station – we were about to embark on a one-hour train journey to Fes. Moroccan train travel is unbridled and anarchic, and you get to experience the gamut of Moroccan life in the cramped and chaotic confines of your designated carriage. We’d ... read more

Endurance pierces marble ~ Moroccan Proverb HE SAID... Today we were travelling northwest from Moulay Idriss to Volubilis. We emerged from the steep narrow lanes of Moulay Idriss around 9:30am, piled our packs into a waiting taxi and made our way towards the archaeological site of Volubilis, a mere 10 minute drive from the intriguing hillside village we loved so much. Once a distant outpost of the Roman Empire, Volubilis is located in the middle of an agricultural plain, and we soon discovered we were at the mercy of strong winds that amassed incredible force as they made their way across the flatlands of the Fertassa and Khoumane valleys. There were times I could barely stand, which made it difficult to hold a steady camera for photos. I couldn’t help but question Rome’s logic as we ... read more