News
Morocco update
Wednesday 23rd June 2010
The girls were always great company, lovely singing, and always cheerful. Some had problems at altitude, either from fitness, health or reaction to the altitude itself.
So, on Day 3 of the 4 day trek, eight girls did the summit of Mount M'goun - a 12 hour route with an altitude gain of 1100m and some snow at the top, and the other four girls took an easier route round the summit to the same campsite, still a 6 hour walk, in very hot conditions. Day 4 we all came down together; Down meant going down in height about 500m, then up to 2800m again, then finally down to 1850m, our starting height. It took us 9 hours to get back.
They all did brilliantly; we had to walk all day, pitch tents each evening and sort out kit, and pack everything away again each morning. Thank goodness for the mules who carried all the kit for us.
In terms of health, we have had fitness problems, some faintness and nausea, travel sickness, and heat exhaustion. All has been copable with and nobody has been incapacitated by it. So far, no tummy problems. We drank stream water sterilised with iodine drops. All the girls were in excellent spirits when I left them last Friday.
The guides and cooks and support team of drivers, mules and muleteers, were great and looked after us well. David Scotthorne, the World Challenge leader, has been superb. He is always focussed on the girls safety, well-being and health. he has been very impressed with the team spirit of the girls, and the depth of their observations. David Hockley has also been excellent - good fun and great with the girls, bringing a deeper insight to their experiences.
I have had messages from Jan Hockley to say it is very hot where they now are, in Ouarzazate. All are well. The main project is decorating a school for the deaf and also painting an educational mural and setting up playground games. They also meet the local students. They visited the local soukh, the film museum (Ouarzazate is used a lot by Hollywood for desert scenes) and have been swimming.
On Thursday they will return to Marrakech and have the afternoon sightseeing, before getting their flight home on Friday.
Madeleine Abramson
