Day 197 1st February
25miles (Touama to Tadart Izdar) Average speed 7.2 mph Top speed 30 mph
A tough day on the legs even if I only covered 25 miles. It was mostly uphill, or should I say up mountains. I got up at 8.30 and had a good brekkie, well worth 25 dirhams with two coffees and mint tea to go with two types of bread and cheese, fish slices which were like crabsticks, olives, oil, spicy sauce and marmalade. The only other couple staying there complained about something, but my French wasn’t good enough to understand. They had paid more for a room at the front of the hotel and probably suffered the road noise as a result. I tried the shower in the morning but it wasn’t as hot as last night, so I didn’t bother.
I left at 10.30 but only to go as far as the town for another coffee. Then the climbing began in earnest as I made my way up to a petrol station where I stopped for a drink and to cool down after only 40 minutes. It was beautiful scenery all the way with only the occasional lorry to give me any problems.
I stopped for lunch, where I met some Americans who had seen me on the way up and thought I was mad! – I agreed! Then had a Moroccan salad with bread and olives and a coffee to give me some energy to get me up the next big climb. It was a stunning setting and the colours of the fields amazing, it also gave me some brilliant views of the snow on the mountains up ahead.
I continued up and up and up for hours with the odd descent along the way. By the time I arrived at the village I was ready for a rest.
A guy from a shop showed me the way to the hostel and I pushed the bike up the steps which thankfully had a ramp on each one. He showed me a large room and said it was 75 dirham which seemed a bit much as it was pretty dingy, but then he said if I waited 10 minutes he’d get the key for the rooms upstairs, which were much better and I was glad to take one rather than camping, as it’s pretty cold up here when you’re out of the sun and especially at night. I went for a walk through the tiny village and found the baths but I didn’t venture in as I had a hot shower back at the room.
A few people asked me to come into their restaurants but eventually I chose the “family bar” and sat down to Hirari soup and chicken tagine and the place filled up with people waiting to watch the African Cup semi-final, luckily I was in the prime spot in front of the TV. The food was good but the tea not so good, so I had a couple of coffees while watching Egypt win on penalties.
Dinner and all my drinks came to 70 dirham so it was not only good but also one of the cheapest. The service was second to none and the people so polite. A real difference to Marakesh, I think I like the Berbers! It was a great atmosphere in the packed bar but most wanted Burkina Faso to win. Then I met my host at the hostel for the first time and he invited me to his house for couscous and dinner but I told him I’d already eaten, so he just took my passport details and gave me an electric heater to warm up the room.
Gite d’etape 75 dirham