Kasbah du Toubkal Imlil

2.30pm This morning went on 3hr walk around berber villages. I love the way they just blend into the hillside. and everyone is so friendly. Ibrahim said that all Berbers are like family to each other and everyone he saw on the way (a fair amount of poeple) greeted him enthusiastically and shook hands. He laughed when I told him that if we see so...

Am writing this curled up in my hoody and ski jacket in the guesthouse I stayed in on the night before the 1st day of the trek. Have just had shower (warm!!) and finished my'chores' for the night (i.e. sewing button back onto trousers - not me being fat but button being badly sewn on? ( and washing dirty clothes as they have plenty of water up h...

3pm
Am sitting in a 'gite d'etape' in a small berber village called Armed drinking mint tea which on previous visits to Morocco I hated but am now finding it quit addictive! I've enjoyed all the food I'v eaten so far - veg couscous; veg tagine; bread and sardines; though probably because I'm eating a lot les than at home yet doing more exerc...

Journey has been amazing so far; though one of mixed emotions. The husband of the English woman who runs the riad I stayed at in Marrakesh took me from Cafe de France to the riad on the back of his moped; weaving through the souks which was a fun way to arrive! First night found earplugs to be essential as people very noisy in hosteland loud sno...

Three days of travelling to a small village in the Atlas mountains via Sydney, Hong Kong, London, Paris to Marrakech have thankfully become a blur. A driver is waiting at Marrakech airport but what was even more impressive is the mule waiting for us at the end of the road in Imlil to carry our bags higher up to our accommodation. Thank goodness ...

Today we are getting out of the city. Zachariah from our riad arranged a driver to take us up into the mountains to Ourika Valley. The driver met us at the riad and we piled into his minivan. We left the city and drove toward the mountains. We stopped at a shop selling Berber goods at the base of the mountains. The Berbers are the native tribe i...

We began our trip to climb up Jbel Toubkal, northern Africa´s highest peak at 4156 meters, with a taxi ride from Marrakech which took us up through the beginning of the High Atlas ranges to a town called Imlil. Imlil´s elevation is approximately 2000 meters and it was from there we were to walk the rest on foot. To say Imlil is a one street town...

Tonight is my last night in Morocco. I'm feeling a lot better than I was last night and I did some shopping in the souqs today. I tried to find stuff for people but it is just too difficult. I got a tea set which is really cool. I have been drinking so much mint tea or "Moroccan Whiskey" that I figured why not make it when I get home. I will hav...

Ce va? I'm all packed and ready to head east through the mountains and to the Sahara. Going to see a lot in the next 3 days and will have my camera ready. I am already at about 250 pictures. Liz won't be coming with me but I think she is ready to get out of Marrakesh as well. I am looking forward to spending time in smaller villages with nomads ...

The train ride last night was wonderful. I was a bit worried at first because each cabin had 4 beds so that meant sharing with 3 other people. I am usually a very private person and have had trouble sleeping already. There was a French couple above me and a man in the bunk across. It was very tight in there with barely A/C running. I met another...