After a very peaceful and relaxing 2 days at Ouirgane, we were off on our way to the Sahara, but not before a couple more stops, and 2 hyperthermic hikes. The first stop was Ksar ait N Ben Haddou, a UNESCO world heritage site and the backdrop for countless movies incl Lawerence of Arabia, Gladiator 1 and soon to be #2. The site is an ancient Kasbah on the main caravan trading route between Mali and Marrakech. Once the home of 200 Berber and Jewish families, onl...

On our way to Ouirgan in the Atlas Mountains, about 40k south of Marrakech. After leaving the wind on the coast and the low 20C temps, we are now at around 1000m above sea level, no wind and mid 30s. At first sight, the hills look barren and forlorn, devoid of habitation or capacity to support it, but how misleading that is. Our hotel is located halfway up a hill, overlooking the town of Ouirgan and today we went on a hike further up the mountain, following ...

The 4 hr drive down to Essaouria from Marrakech was through county that went from seemingly barren and rocky fields to acres of olives, grapes, wheat and melons. The contrast was amazing. The Moroccan oil, Agran, is a speciality and is used in cooking and when scented, for cosmetics and medicinal purposes. More on this in a few days. One of the additives is eucalyptus oil and it was surprising to see plantations of gum trees. Essaouria is a layback beachside t...

Having completed our pre-adventure regime in Brighton, UK, we were ready to embark on our Moroccon meanderings. Settling in to a roof top room in a very comfortable Riad located within the Medina in Marrakech, we were well prepared for whatever came our way. Day 1 and it was off on a slow paced walking tour of the Marrakech Medina with our guide. Early morning (9:00am) and the temp was quite mild, mid 20s which was a very pleasant surprise. Interspersed with a...

Almost 4 years since our last adventure and we are off once again to new fields and new adventures. As has been the case in the past, our departure was not entirely uneventful. Leaving Melbourne, a small oversight in not removing the liquids from one’s handbag caused a delay at security. Then the electronic passport reader didn’t and a manual check ensued. Once on the plane the experience of attempting to eat the meal with a face mask on seemed to suggest a ...