Morocco / Day 2

Up early we had breakfast at the hotel and made our way onto the bus to start our journey further inland towards the Sahara Desert. Our end destination for the day was Ouarzazate. A place known as the door to the desert, given its closeness to the Sahara. We crossed through the High Atlas Mountains and stopped for photos along the way.

As lunch time loomed we arrived into Aït Ben Haddou. After lunch we explored the small fortified village known in Arabic as a Ksar. The famous Ksar has half a dozen Kasbahs and is a great example of Moroccan earthen clay architecture.

‘Where there is no water there is nothing but dirt, rock, and achasia trees, but when there is moisture in the ground there is greenery - whilst it is enhanced by the comparison of such red earth against the trees, the oasis was seriously green and lush.’ - Laura Morrison

It was our first taste of the relentless sun that we were to endure for the next couple of days. We carried on to Ouarzazate passing baron lands, the occasional oasis and Africa’s little Hollywood. Atlas Studios, one of the world’s largest movie studios in the world is situated just out of Ouarzazate.

After we arrived at the hotel, I dragged Monita out to the streets to make the most of the dying sun. Back at the hotel some of us gathered around the pool (which was too cold to swim in believe it or not), played cards and got to know each other a little better. After another group dinner it was lights out quick smart.