So what are you going to cook for us tonight Adam? Mmmm , now let me think. how about a chicken tajine? Fantastic and what a cook you are. Paired up with Riek, the two of you have made us some splendid meals. Like salt and pepper, Adam and Riek. They go together and when it comes to preparing and serving a desert meal, they are mezyan bezzaf or should I say, bloody marvelous.These two lovelies have put up their tent in a variety of places. At Amtoudi, they left it until after our walk and as the sun set, the wind picked up with force. I volunteered to help and as the ground was solid, tent pegs bent and stones were chosen to help prevent the tent becoming a kite!! We thought that the wind was due to heat of the day and cool of the night. No doubt we were right, but as we turned over a large rock to attach tent ropes to it, a large black scorpion scuttled out and then back under!! We had no choice as the rock was needed and as we moved it a second time, we must have hurt the scarey creature and Adam bravely put it out of it's predicament. Not a task we would have chosen to do but dark was upon us and the wind was howling so.....sorry little creature but.. and the tent went up! Brave warriors returned to the van to tell of their deeds. Perhaps that's what Krysia has captured in this drawing. Adam was not a happy bunny to have disturbed and then dispatched little stinging creature but sometimes it's better than being stung! Maybe, she has just captured him in deep contemplation over a scientific quandary or a computer related dilemma! It's hard to know these days with Krysia and her drawing, she's managing to capture all sorts of people and events with her wonderful ipad. And we don't even know that she's doing it! Brilliant.
So Up'n atom in the morning and off for a good walk up the gorge to some pools that are reputed to be good for swimming in. The next drawing of Krysia's is called ' Riek swimming with the fishes ' which is exactly what she did! We all did. In the glorious sunshine at the top end of the gorge, surrounded by incredible rock formations, to the sound of wild squirrels chattering, we stripped to our bathers and jumped into the clear cool waters of this fairy tale delight. The surrounding mountains are as dry as, well they are, a Desert. And here we are swimming in a paradise valley, our own little wonder.
As we walk back down the gorge through the palmerie, we spot a second 'agadir' peeking through the palm trees. Perched even more precariously on top of a rocky outcrop, is this one obsolete or is it a working grain store? We shall have to find out another time as we must leave for Tafraoute and it's 3 pm so we better get a move on!
It's another fascinating drive that takes us up into the Anti Atlas, isolated palmeries break the intensity of the hot dry hamada. Black mountains give way to green lush wheat growing communities that are here for one reason alone, Water! Without it, there is nothing but stone and sand, but as we climb higher into the mountains, suddenly a change takes place and we find ourselves surrounded by fields of wheat as far as the eye can see!! so lush, fed by rain??? we don't know but green it is and very prosperous. On we drive with Tafraoute our destination.
Perhaps we missed the meaning of the small sign at a crossroads but for 20 kms we are caught in road works!! not ideal, gravel and dust that fills the air as another lorry whizzes past us and then I get the idea, whizz, gravel or no gravel, so I speed up and to our great relief and the last 20 kms is old road and dust free.
We are safely in Tafroute. The palmerie here is full of campers so obviously it's ok to join them but first we see Adam n Riek to the hotel Tangier, 100 dirhams a night, a bargain and a sweet place for the young ones to finish off their adventure. Hot showers (we pinch one each too ), cooked meals and village life. Makes a change from tent in the dust! We eat at the cafe Marrakech and leave them too their splendor. The moon is full, the stars are shining and it's very peaceful in the palmerie.
The next morning, Krysia and I clean the van inside and out, we dusted good and proper, cough and splutter we need to clean our van ( who's going very well by the way! ). I find a problem, as I do! The motor bike carrier has suffered a break and we are fortunate to have discovered it now. We need a welder. Now would be good as later is only putting it off. And who's that i see leaving the palmerie, ?? It's none other than Jean-loup and Hugette!! Just about to leave but not before they run me into town and help with finding a garage and French is their language so all is well. I know where to take the van and we'll see them in Imsouane soon.
So as I take the bike and the rack too, Krysia draws an old fella sitting outside the garage. I make good contact with all the young mechanics as well as the boss, a lovely fellow named Ali. The welding is done in no time at all and I put all the bike rack etc back together much to the amusement of all the watching lads. I won't allow any help as I and only I know how to assemble and secure the whole caboodle!
I inquire with Ali how much I owe him and he replies with ' come sit and eat cous cous with us '!!!
Which we do! Withe the other 5 lads, Ali, Krysia and I sit around a table inside the garage and eat a delicious meal. Well it is Friday!! cous cous day!! and we are guests of honour.
Can you believe it? well it's true and after paying the 100 dirhams for the welding work, we're off to join Adam n Riek at the Hotel Tangier. Full of our tales of hospitality and cous cous. While we had been busy cous cousing, they had been off on their own voyage of discovery. Tafraoute is a very beautiful place.
But time waits for no man and the last day of the young ones visit was upon us and that brings us nicely to the title of this blog. The diggers came upon us on our way out. We had leisurely been having a picnic in the Ameln valley, no hurry, plane doesn't leave til 7 pm! Lovely lunch, plenty of time. So we set off around2 ish knowing there is the main road to Agadir marked on the map, a yellow road, bound to be a good one, right?
Well, how wrong could we be. Out of the Ameln valley was up, up and up! Ok, that's not a problem, van goes well. down the other side is straight forward, Adam reads google maps, wiggles ahead but this is the right road. Now Krysia, Jaimie and I had travelled this road a few years ago and got a bit lost, finding a road that took us to taroudant, good condition and all was well. This road, after passing the junction we must have taken years ago, became narrower and narrower, higher and higher and altogether feeling like we were suddenly getting a bit late for the plane. Then, with drops of a thousand feet to the side, no barriers, we come upon road works and the diggers! Five of them at least. One after another, each 'chewing' out great lumps of rock ,no room to pass until they had swivelled themselves sideways leaving just enough room on the outside, for us to pass. !!! Fortunately, I the driver was on the inside of the road, adam, the passenger was looking down the steep valley side. At one point shouting,' thats it, we've missed the plane, I'm locking the door from the inside. It's straight down and a long long way!! ' Or words to that effect.
No photos taken on this part of the journey. We were all very quiet and rather shaken. I focused hard on my inside line of sight and stuck to it well. Never once looking over the outsjde edge. Had to keep my nerves, no going back, onwards the only way. How this can be called the main road to agadir beats us. Why have we not heard about this road before. Without diggers it ranks highly on the pretty scarry scale. With diggers......Krysia's drawing is how it was. Van, diggers and tiny little towns way down below! On the edge. and we still got to the airport in time in spite of the overturned lorry just 100's of yards from the airport. ' You'll have to get out and run for the plane' Krysia shouts. but over a sea of oranges we drove, locals picking all they could get, we squeezed ( pun intended ) through the mess to get the young ones on their plane in time!! What a way to finish a trip.
What an adventure. Adam n Riek you were beautiful company. A week felt like a month. Now we're back up to Imsouane for a rest. We need it. We drove from Agadir to Imsouane, stopping at Tamri for banana's, arriving at 8 oclock.
We're going to have a holiday now. As I write this catch-up blog, it's 30 deg C and we've had a lovely swim! the sun is shining and the bull bull's are singing.
Lots of love
Ted n Krysia
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