Atlas mountains
Djebel toubkal le plus haut point
4,176 meters
5, 037 feets
2,500 kilometers long
Imlil
1,800 meters
63 km from Marrakech
Al Haouz province
I didn't know where exactly I was going, for ounce, I was not the one planning the excursion. But I was just excited to go camel riding with a group of great girls.
If I knew I would have never gone... and in the other hand, I met some very nice flight attendants, very nice people, very generous ,very welcoming...
We love Morocco!
Sad indeed to what happened in this region to those girls last year,
we taught about them...when we realized we were in the same region.
I did.
And I was crossing my fingers that nothing happen to us
but we were 6, we had a guide, a chauffeur and a host family..
So, I was going to do my flight to Casablanca when one of the girl proposed we go for camel riding
I was dying to find a crew to do that. So, I jumped on the occasion and went along with 5 other girls. I was going to see the Majorelle garden but this could wait another time!
I was not sure to go afterwards, when I looked at my cell phone discharging instead of charging
no fun...
no camera...
no cellphone to take picture...
hum!
but I told myself
they all have a cellphone they will send me some souvenir pics for sure...
so I went!
As soon as we arrived at the hotel in Casa, we packed our things for Marrakech. Most of us didn't plan to do anything like this.
20 minutes later we met in the lobby.
We grabbed 2 cabs to go to the train station.
Unfortunately the manager told us there was a train every hour
WRONG!
we had to wait
so we did
We went across the train station Oasis for a Moroccan breakfast.
Then we went to waist some time shopping for saffron and went to take our train to Marrakech
150 dirham to go
2hrs and a half
180 to come back
just so you know price differ
we managed to sleep on the train
We grab 2 cabs to go to the ryad 100 steps away from jamaa el fna
The sun, the heat, the heavy wind, was enough to make me jump in the pool on the roof top.
I never do.
While others, sipped a beer at the bar, lay down in the sun or went around the hotel to be more familiar with the surrounding of the ryad.
If you want the name of the ryad just ask me.
So after a couple of hours lounging, we went to the souk and went to look for the Nomad restaurant
what a bummer...for me
no alcool
worst
we got served a cold couscous
what is this
too bad
I enjoyed the view and all
but very deceiving for me
plates of my friends looked good but 2 of us received a cold couscous
looks good tho and tasted good afterwards but...
but
it took a long time to come back and still the veggies were kind of raw not all dente raw
not my forté I must say.
So I was looking forward to take a coffee somewhere else
but
We ventured inside the souk to look for djellaba and scarf ...
on our way back the crowd of people had just gone out
Oh my allah!
So many people!
We walked around the great place of Jamaa el fna
and went back to our ryad to lounge some more
I went for ice cream others smoked chicha or drank beer.
We had to wake up quite early the next day for our 4 hours camel riding but
Dam!
I woke up at 4 o'clock in the morning so I went on top of the roof and spend an hour
looking at people go. Some were sleeping on the sidewalk or passing by to go for their first morning prayers...
Hum!
I went back to bed and luckily I slept until 7
It felt great but even better
My cell phone decided to work!
Yes! I was going to have 100 % charge on my cell; perfect for my camel riding.
I was going to have an amazing day!
Internet was on and off we had trouble booking our reservation and booking our tour but luckily the the girls tried and tried and it paid off at the end.
Martine finally managed to get the reservation we took and show it to the manager...internet fuck up here big time and Christine managed to get us all on our way to our camel riding experience !
Yes!
HOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT day
On our way to the hotel for the meeting point to get our van guide and all we had a tiny problem it was the wrong meeting point or the right one but we decided to go to another hotel meeting point
how can you miss 6 girls at 9 o'clock in the morning.
Well it was a bit of a chaos but after 45 minutes
we met our guide
we put some gaz
registered with tourist police and the way we went
mountains are getting closer little villages here and there and the mountains drive is getting higher and higher
Suddenly the van stops
our driver is having problem with the clutch
we started again
and we drove not knowing if we will ever reach our destination in one piece or drive down the cliffs
After a while, we stopped by near a creek to fix this issue as the driver try many times to pump the clutch with his hands
OMG
Lucky for us we were almost to our destination
We had mint tea and we left to do some camel ride
but because it was extremely hot
they decided to change the 4 hour ride to 1
hum what a bummer
sad indeed
but what can I say
and instead we were going to swim under nice falls
so ok
we went
we had to dress the part and look like Berbere
it was fun
and than we walk in a rock field in zigzag than we saw little hills and we came back
it was hot
so no complain here
we then drove to have lunch in the Atlas at a local resident
wonderful drive
dangerous and scary
we pass Richard Branson hotel and
I realized this is where William and Kate came for their vacation and help some local ladies
I was thrill
better than that
Coming so far away to see camel not being well taking care brakes my heart but I didnt say anything then but now I am concern to see this.
They should use better gear not to hurt the animal. The rope they use is very rough and itchy. There should be a cushion under their gear not to blister the animal.
And it shouldn't be so close to their eyes.There is a law in Morocco for donkies I think its time there is one for camels.
poor women who have to go up and down the hill to get provision or water
We were welcomed like princesses in this modest family.
wash your hands first
The view was spectacular
Not much place to bake here.
Imlil
I was actually in a place where I never dream of going because of being afraid of height limits my excursion.
I was just very happy to be sitting in the back of the van and not pay attention anymore to the cliffs and the turns and the closeness of falling we were....
we pass a few villages donkeys and horses and stop the van.
We then proceed on foot to the house on top of the hill
oh well
I never dream of trekking in the Atlas
great again !
maybe 20 minutes walk
but very slippery little rocks slippery running shoes the inclinaison of the slopes
very high stairs
we finally made our way to the family who was waiting for us
we were greeted with all the honours
mint tea and delicious pastries
followed by huge tagine
chicken beef mouton
and a great caramel flan!
The view was amazing spectacular
right in front of me 2 windows to look out the mountains
this place must be magic with a bit of snow on top of the mountains
but I will never dare drove here in snow weather
oh no
we could see behind the mountains the biggest of Africa apparently
what a journey
we looked at the village and than we ran out of time
no time to visit it all
we had to rush
forget the falls and stopping at Richard Branson's hotel...
we only had 48 hours here in Morocco.
so we drove back to Marrakech looking at the the end of the eid carnaval
where men dress up with goat or sheep skin running after kids...
interesting
We had 10 minutes to catch our train back
the girls were worried for their return
so we rush to get out of the van buy our ticket and jump on the train
we could of stayed a little longer but people were still celebrating the eid so we were afraid not to have space to come back we didnt take a chance
and we are actually here to work
lets not forget that
At the airport I bought a nice camel tshirt and 2 nice bottle of wine
Roscane white and
medaillon red
We had so much fun and sharing this moment with people is even better. being 6 in a group can be hectic when it comes to get some taxi and all but because of our large group we were not afraid and we could enjoy the moment and relax a little more.
Our guide and driver were very professional again it was a great experience in Morocco.
It was really cool to be in a group of crazy fun girls!
Total spending
taxi to train station
20
breakfast
170 !!! not sure
train ticket to marrakech 150 dirhams
taxi to the ryad
20 dirhams
dinner
170 dirhams
ice cream !!!
souvenir 100 dirhams a picture of my work in arabic they have it so cute
ryad
50 dirham including breakfast
350
excursion 73.00 canadian 80.00 no change
560
tip for guide
20 dirham
tip for driver 20 dirham
train ticket
180.00 dirhams
dinner at the hotel
2 beers and a shawarma
dirham
we were quite happy to have made it in time and alive to the hotel
112 dirhams
$ 224.00
+
souvenir
2 bottles of wine
53 euros= 573 dirhams
$81.00
305.00
+
1 T-shirt
??? I will find out in a couple of days
Total for 2 days
