Most Inspirational Moment
The walks took us up and over a high pass before descending into the valley of Aroumd. It was a long days walk, but so beautiful along the way and we stopped at various points to gather our breath, cool down in the shade, acclimatise, chat to the group and take in the views. After a comfortable night in the Gite (for the girls at least) there followed another long walk the next day which took us up through the valley pass to the Neltner Refuge (Toubkal basecamp). But when I got too tired there was a backup ... the mule ! What a way to travel. I think I'll be trading in my car very very shortly. There were stops for drinks and snacks along the way, so again, a very manageable day. However, all those little luxuries disappeared for the summit day, but the hard uphill battle was soon forgotten when we reached the top and looked out at the mountains spread out beyond. Stunning.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our leader (Rachid) was very kind and friendly. Our bags were always there before us, our rooms ready, and Rachid spent time explaining the culture and sights as we travelled along.However, the pace was a bit too fast for me (I am notoriously slow - and this group were also extremely fast) so I quickly lagged behind. This didn't bother me in the slightest though - apart from on the day after the ascent when I would have liked to have done another walk, but didn't think I could keep up with the pace set, so I didn't go (went litter picking around the Refuge instead in an eco warrior kind of way!). The assistant guide (Hammid) was always at the rear of the group, so I was always in safe hands. Plus he had the "emergency" mule, so was quite a popular fellow. Rachid also stopped frequently enough so that I (and other laggers) could catch up, and that was fine. Rachid and Hammid worked hard the whole week to make sure the trip ran smoothly and that we had good lunches and dinners. No mean feat for a large group. Legends both.
Advice for Potential Travellers
A couple of bits of advice - (1) take a thin sheet / sarong as this is useful for the more basic accommodation units (like the Refuge) to separate you from the rather over-used mattresses and concrete pillows ! (2) unless you are the dominant snorer, ear plugs are quite useful..., but be prepared for a broken nights sleep at the Refuge anyway as the dorms are quite big and altitude has a funny effect on some people. (3) take some coloured pencils, crayons and small notebooks - the kids in the villages go mad for these and you will probably be cleaned out in a matter of minutes (I was). I really enjoyed the food that was prepared by our cook, but some of the others in the group didn't enjoy so much vegetarian food or the sweet / spiced (cinnamon) flavours. However, it's fresh fare and someone else cooks and does the washing up - how can anyone complain about that...!
Suggestions
I loved this trip and would like to go back and amble through the mountains at a more leisurely pace (with maybe a couple of mules just in case I got tired...!). Conversations with the locals took a long time, and sometimes I had to rush off to catch up with the group. But I guess that's the clash of cultures ...!
