Day 214 18th February
70 miles (Zagora to Tazzerine) Average speed 9.8 mph Top speed 30 mph
Another tough day into the wind. Up at 8 as usual had a shower and shave followed by brekkie of omelette, bread, jam and oranges. I said goodbye to Berlaid and took a photo of the cabin.
As I left the town I picked up some bread and cheese for lunch and made my way across the bridge. There were quite a few large hotels on the way out and some were very grand.
I stopped after a while to get tomatoes and had a few minor inclines before the wind really picked up. Then there was a really big climb and it was into the wind and hard work but a guy in a van called out to me and came over for a chat. He was very smart and wore a shirt and tie. He wished me luck and I needed it for the rest of the climb. I felt the need for more motivation when I saw the next hill in the distance and found a good radio station which had a good mix of tunes. I also discovered that my buff used as a headscarf did a good job of keeping my speaker in place.
I had lunch hiding from the wind surrounded by gravel conveniently arranged by a digger into a bunker for me. As I got there I saw a man lying on the floor in amongst the rocks and wasn’t sure if he’d fallen but it seems quite common here to see people sitting by the road or laying down. Bread and cheese was good with a tomato and a chocolate bar for extra energy. As I carried on up the hill the wind picked up some more and it was as tricky trying to hear the music.
More ups and downs came and went but the mountains were stunning as ever.
I stopped on the way into a tiny village for a coffee at a roadside cafe where the owner had a warm welcome even though he dragged his legs behind him using crutches. He shows me pics of all the travellers he’s met and his son who had a dodgy arm.
(Ermintrude: Brian’s notes stop here today, I think the hotel he stayed in was so bad that he did not remember anything else that happened today)
Hotel Bougafer 100 dirham
The worst room I’ve had.