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After hearing that our camel ride was going
to be around 3 hours in duration – so we understood – and were warned that a
half hour was more than enough, we were delighted to find out that our ride was
to be 30 minutes only – and on the flat too!! In fact it was the subject of our
first stop. After partaking in some local tea - the Morocco tradition, we were
dressed in the local garb - all blue -
and hoisted on to the back of our friendly camels. It took a few minutes to work out how to
balance and relax on the camels’ back then it was time to enjoy the sunshine, fresh
air, and peacefulness of the balmy countryside.
Then it was off to the majestic Atlas Mountains – huge alps looming an hour away
high in the sky. We detoured to a natural health and beauty products place
where all was made from oil by a women’s collective, a quick stop to inspect
the outside of Kasbah Tamadot -Sir Richard Branson’s place - the base of his mother’s Eva Branson
Charity – offering projects to enrich the lives of the local people of
Morocco - and at the movie location for
a recent Tom Cruise Mission Impossible –
now to be the location for a war movie, then past a place that Meryl Streep set
up to educate girls in the area. More
‘names’ to come… The scenery of the alps is dramatic
– reminding one of Central Otago Scenery
– redder, more trees, precarious roads red river valleys with much greenery and
higher mountains in the distance. Plus many small terra cotta neat villages
everywhere. We trekked up through villages past the Kasbah du Toubkal - a ‘premier’ mountain retreat – and National
Geographic Unique Hotel. It was the film set for the Dalai Lama Movie and has
hosted Martin Scorsese, Lady Gaga and others.
The local villages, unlike others nearby in the Alps, thrive on Tourism (The
Kathmandu of Morocco) - walking and
skiing. – with mule deliverers – the local 4 x 4’s, Air BnB’s and tour guiding
being the most popular jobs. A typical
Moroccan lunch accompanied by lots of laughs from our fellow travellers, topped
up this highlight of our trip to the Atlas Mountains by Marrakesh, Morocco.
Well worth the trip!
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