Marrakech or Marrakesh is interesting to say the least. I wanted to show you this image above first because as you can see the roads are polished and modern, getting off the mini van you feel like you have stepped onto a street in Los Angeles, forgetting you are in a beautiful African country. This is probably a great way to end the adventure tour, after so much trekking and being surrounded by the hubbub of rural markets along dusty roads or simple villages in the remoteness of the mountains. I think ending the trip in a contemporary place allows the traveler to reflect back on the awesome holiday as a whole and it also makes you really appreciate certain comforts that us westerners take for granted. For example, all through this tour our group found it difficult to have to endure cold showers almost every day due to there being not enough hot water and yes we did jokingly moan about it but looking at the bigger picture you realize that not always having hot water to bathe in may be a reality to some Moroccans and other parts of the world, in fact it didn’t bother me so much largely because I came from a poor family where my mum couldn’t always afford hot water, I learned to wash with cold water in a sink and with a sponge.

So although Morocco is developing fast and it is really up and coming, it’s still a real eye opener and culture shock to not have hot running water readily available in certain places we traveled to and it’s something us Westerners probably take for granted too. Or perhaps there is no central heating in the hotel you are staying at and you need ten thick blankets to keep warm due to your delicate western body being unable handle the cold nights because it is so used to radiators. It’s times like that, that you look back on and smile, it makes you appreciate a culture so different from your own and as a human being you learn a hell of a lot about yourself and how you adapt to not getting everything you want, and how others thrive in societies you may consider beautifully strange.

You don’t see the culture shock when you first arrive in Marrakech, it’s very modern, and has all the mod cons. It isn’t until you visit the main square you think to yourself “Ah Ha! This is the Morocco I know!” Marrakesh is like two worlds encased in one. As you walk to the main square you are surrounded by sophisticated shops and cafes and sleek pavements & roads and then suddenly you step into the noise and eccentricities of the main market. This was our last two & a half days in Morocco before we said our farewells to the group of 16 people who had become a little family to us. These last couple of days involved a short tour around the souk and mainly pottering about, eating lots of food at the food court, bartering for gifts and enjoying the odd street performances.

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Essaouira is up and coming, it is becoming the creative and bohemian hub of Morocco. If you liken Marrakesh to London, then Essaouira is like Bristol or Liverpool. Over the years many ‘foreigners’ have been buying & renovating beautiful town houses here which is great for the economy but not so great for locals since outsiders are getting rid of that crumbling charm of the exterior buildings in order to modernize and suit their own needs. Moroccans strongly believe in community & in being humble. The whole reason as to why the exterior buildings look as though they are about to collapse is to show all men & women are equal, nobody knows who is wealthy or who is struggling until you step inside their home. Moroccans; unlike us in the West, do not like to gloat about who has the most expensive car and who can afford a deluxe designer kitchen because doing that encourages segregation and a weak sense community. Another practice that I love about Moroccans is that local bakeries and store owners always put the poor first, giving them the bigger and fresher pieces of bread because they know full well that whereas the wealthier person can afford bread every day, the individual who is struggling may have to make their loaf of bread last a week. There is a real sense of community here in Morocco in that they do try to look after those who are less fortunate. In the West our community enjoys pointing the finger and offering little or no support, needless to say I prefer the Moroccan community to the West.

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Soon after Ait Benhaddou we headed to Aroumd, a village in the High Atlas mountains. Aroumd (also called Armed or Aremd) is the largest village of the Mizane Valley, an extraordinary looking place, built on a huge moraine spur above the valley at 1840m. We were to stay over night with a lovely local family who welcomed us all with open arms. You will find if you ever visit Morocco, the people there are exceedingly accommodating & friendly, always wanting to enjoy a good conversation with you over tea or encourage you to dance & sing by a roaring fire.

After numerous hours driving through the valley & up the mountain pass, the dusty white hairpin bends are becoming so tight that the hard-worked mini van, unable to make them in one, negotiates a series of death-defying turns, leaving us at times driving so close to the very edge of a precipice, with only a handbrake between us and a 1000-foot drop and a breathtaking view down the valley. Our driver is the Bees Knees! To the south, a dizzy view of interlocking spurs, and to the north, a spread of horizontal terraces and rooftops. Here is the village of Aremd, 8000 feet high, overlooked by jagged ridges and wedged in the cragged mountains. The silence of the mountains is both eerie and magical.

Our mini van couldn’t take us to where we were to stay so we trekked for about 45 minutes up & around parts of the mountain side, taking in the incredible views as the sun was slowly setting and enjoyed our brisk walk. I mentioned in the previous blog post that at this point of the tour my body was getting tired and now it was showing signs of being a bit poorly. If like me your immune system isn’t great, I’d suggest taking multi-vitamins or Berocca and maybe probiotics too. My body creates a lot of nervous energy, my nervous system is usually on full power but it never knows what to do with the stress and adrenaline so I get fatigued and poorly quite fast on the positive side to that I have reasonably fast metabolism which helps maintain my slim figure. Although another favourite place during our time in Morocco, I was getting weak and craved some quiet time with herbal tea, PJ’S and a good book. I actually did get that whilst in Aroumd which was a welcome relief.

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