We settled on spending a couple of days going out to./coming back from Jebel Toubkal, and then another three days walking between the towns of Imlil and Setti Fatma.
We decided to do it all without a guide which I think turned out to be a wise decision...at this time of the year the weather was great and we generally found that the paths were easy to find and navigate (aided by some maps and instructions in my Lonely Planet Morocco). Except for the thing with the trees on the second day where we accidentally went up into mountain goat territory and eventually found ourselves incapable of further progress and so had to climb down to the real path (amazing how the real path becomes more visible the further you are away from it sometimes). Well, Phil climbed down. I slid on my ass. A local dude came scampering across the loose rubble and supervised the end of this particular ordeal.
We were chased by terrifying children through a number of small villages. Children chanting
BONJOUR STYLO
BONJOUR DIRHAM
BONJOUR PHOTO
BONJOUR BONBON
as they chase at your heels, holding your hands.
In at least two different places we were followed for many many minutes and then even when they stopped following us they continued shouting hopefully yet plaintively, like we might, just might, turn around and deliver the goods
BONJOUR STYLO
BONJOUR DIRHAM
BONJOUR PHOTO
BONJOUR BONBON
for many many minutes more.
Oh how I want to kill the people who taught these kids these words.
In one place we were blockaded by women bearing large loads of prickly looking thistles on their back as they demanded chocolate.
One scary invisible crone shrieked something at us from a window when it looked like we were about to take the wrong path out of town.
One woman was bitterly disappointed when Phil did not give her his hat. I think she wanted his hat. I'm pretty sure we got the Evil Eye for that one.
That said it was always interesting and to be honest I would put up with a lot of shit to be able to walk through this:
Many more photos at Flickr
Finally thanks to Bénédicte and Phil for the Brumisateur, for a much needed dose of Normal (and also to Phil for not complaining about my slow uphill pace). Shukran!
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