Blog ≫ 2024 ≫ Winter holiday to Marrakech part 5 - a day off
A day off on day five, following our full day excursion to Ourika Valley in the Atlas Mountains... OR WAS IT? Clare had also booked a camel ride. Because of the season we could not combine this with our trip to Ourika Valley, and the trip that it did come as part of a package with was not the one we wanted to do. I did not want to do any overseas animal adventure at all, of course, but the boys were very keen. So the concierge at the hotel knew somewhere quite local we could do this. We had a minivan pick us up and take us to a place with camels.
There are various places you can do came rides, and the advice seems to be don't just pick someone at the side of the road. Ours seemed very nice, though he did try to involve me a lot more than I was expecting. First of all there were four camels, they didn't get the message I would not be part of it, and there were four sets of traditional dress. Now I would have put on a traditional dress, but it seems no camel, no dress. Clare and the boys climbed aboard these ships of the desert and we walked around with our guide . Both he and the cab driver told us the area we were going to was were all the rich people live, where the mafia live, where foreign royals live. We were in a semi desert area with big old compounds around. Apparently the mafia are rife in Morocco, just not in the big cities. In the big cities the government takes charge, but out of the cities it's a free-for-all.
This was actually a very nice experience, just took up part of the morning, and we got some good photos.
This is not a good photo, this is one with me in it, but you'll have to take my word for it. Hoodie on again as it was morning and not as warm as it looked. Family disappearing into the distance on the back of camels.
When we got back we went to the gym and I did 5km on the treadmill. No more pictures from this day after this which makes it trickier to recall, but I have found a message on my friends group chat:
Sat in the bar waiting for the fam. Judging all the families who reserved seats near the fire pits. Mostly French families here, that's how sophisticated my holiday is.
It's not hot, high of maybe 24 today, but warmer than home! Swimming outdoors weather. Also did aqua yoga and Zumba today, like the old lady I am.
Ah yes, we spent the afternoon by the pool. I said it was "aqua yoga" it was actually "aqua gym", an exercise class in the pool, but with a lot of stretching. Then Clare and I went to zumba too. In the evening there was a lot of "baggsing" of the seats around the fire pits, people putting jumpers down etc. We did not do this but we did head down early, maybe this night? And we sat and read in the area near where the firepits were, so we were in a good spot for them later.
Not too late a night as we would be up early in the morning for a day in Marrakech itself.
5k: Five kilometres, just over three miles to you.