Heading To Essaouira

I didn’t really get the point of last nights’ adventure. We hiked up into a very steep valley where we were surrounded by the snowcapped Atlas Mountains. After the one hour “death march”, we made it to our lodgings for the evening in what was refered to as a “multi-share gite”. I would call this place a multishare shee-it”.

No heat and no hot water. Had a wonderful chicken tajine last night, though, so it wasn’t all bad.

Last night, LG and I shared some wine with a lovely Canadian guy who is in our group. We took the bottle to the communal room and sat down with a couple of Brits who were about to hike up to 3000 meters for a few days, and then proceed on to the summit of the highest nearby peak. We privately thought they were nuts! It was bloody freezing at the gite, and the thought of being colder and more miserable was just crazy! To each his own!

Shortly after we poured our first glass of wine, the little wood stove started smoking badly. With tearing eyes and smelling like wood smoke, the 3 of us, minus the Brits, went to our gite room and drank a couple of bottles while shivering with no heat.

Got up, watched the lovely sunrise, and hiked back down the mountain. We said a teary farewell to the gite. (NOT).

I’m aching for a hot shower and a warm nights’ sleep. Because we are all pretty tajine’d and kabob’d out, we stopped at a grocery store and bought picnic stuff for lunch. Let me tell you, after almost two weeks, a turkey sandwich with good cheese tasted AMAZING!

Will be on the seashore in Essaouira within the hour. Hoping there will be some good seafood and a tiny bit of relaxing downtime.

Still having an amazing journey.