Thermal explorers

We've spent the last two days wearing helmets because these kiwis are into high adrenalin fun!
We've been luging (hurtling down steep tracks in plastic carts), on the worlds biggest swing, chairlifts and cable car. That was just our first morning. When not hurtling at high speeds or at great heights we've relaxed in Rotorua's geothermal hot baths, which are kind of dangerous in their own way because you don't know if you're going to scald yourself on entry.
Second day consisted of a thrilling forest top zipline, swing bridge scamble and tramp through mossy rainforests. It was rainy and it was cold but it was oh so much fun....

Beads, spices, buckets and goat heads

Farewelled Rach and Sam this morning then scoffed home made crumpets & honey, Berber omelette and coffee and raced into town for the weekly Berber market. It's the only opportunity for surrounding villagers to get their weekly supplies. People arrive in trucks and on donkeys hawking everything from goats heads to plastic buckets and soap powder to bails of hay. It's where you go to get your donkey shod, have a shave, have your pants taken up or get a tooth pulled out. You name it, it's there to be haggled for. Morocco is not a great place for browsing or window shopping because stopping to look at something can unleash the most persistent and aggressive side of the seller. Best to wander and surreptitiously look at things out the corner of your eye and only stop to look properly if you are quite serious about buying something.

It was a huge, heaving, spectacular market. Loved every dusty, stinky minute.  

Caught a local, leopard print lined Mercedes taxi up the hill to the hotel and got ready for our afternoon hammam. 

This was more relaxing than the last. We knew what we were in for and also there were no strange men bursting through the door. We lay in the misty steam room, then were slathered in black olive soap, sloshed with buckets of hot water, then scrubbed all over to shed dead skin, rubbed in a clay(ish) mask and sloshed again with water. She washed our hair with rosemary shampoo and then threw the final buckets of water over us. Smiling warmly at us all the while. So lovely. 

Last night tonight. Getting ready for the long journey home. Can't wait to see our scallywags because we love them to the moon and back. 

(That's a serious selfie- hee hee)

Hammam

Noodles In A Bag

Well, I'm sitting here watching The Voice like I often do, writing a blog post to summarise the last two days. Beniamino and I woke up yesterday chatting to cups of tea and toast. We decided to cook a Vietnamese salad for lunch, and Beniamino whipped up the most delicious beef salad with vermicelli noodles which he served in the noodle packet. That afternoon, we went to Centennial Park for ice cream and a walk in the dog park which was very enjoyable.
Today at school, it was pretty normal, nothing new to update you on in fact.
Anyway, we all LYTTMAB.

Berber time

Set off for the Atlas Mountains and wound our way through Berber villages, stopping once to look at a sheep/goat sale. Didn't seem to be selling large flocks but rather the buyer would walk away leading their sole purchase on a piece of string. 

Our hotel, Kasbah Bab Ourika, is set on a hilltop overlooking the Ourika valley with the Atlas Mountains in the background. It's truly spectacular, has extensive herb and veggie gardens and a beautiful, earthy aesthetic. Very serene indeed. 

We were greeted warmly by our host, the manager of the hotel, Amanda, who is from the middle of the north island, New Zealand. 

We eased into the chilled pace and lay by the pool, dozed, did yoga and mooched about before setting off for a trek with a sturdy and sweet Berber guide named Akmed (sp?). We trekked on small, dusty goat tracks which were studded with various kinds of sparkling rocks and crystals and ended up at a Berber village just as they were bringing their flocks in for the night. It was a great walk but we ended going a little further and for longer than anticipated. "Berber time" we were told with a smile when we got back to the hotel.