E CARD 1

Dear All

Well we made it! It was a very long day on Wednesday, only yesterday! We were up at 4am having not slept much and on the mountain at 5am with our headlights on. Ahmad thought we would be slow because we said we would be! and Paul, 25 from Llandirodd, had pulled a muscle the day before and was in some pain.

The crossing of the waterfall was a tricky start and then it was up the scree. Like most scree slopes this meant 1 step up and 3 steps back occasionally. Anyway it was hard work and very steep. Some of it was scrambling. After about 25 mins. Ahmad advised Paul to go back. He had been using Peter's walking pole and I was carrying his water. He did go and really needed the pole to get back. That left us with one which I used on the way up and Peter on the way down. We continued on up. The sun rose. It was very cold. We hit the snow and I was glad of my gaiters through that. It levelled out a bit. It went up and up. We were on the western side of the mountain so we were nearly at Toubkal Pass before we were into the sun. We climbed from 3200m to 4167m that morning. The second highest peak in Africa after Kili. At the Pass it was like from Gilman's to the top, we turned left for the last 200 m. We were short of breath but the altitude sickness was not too bad andd we could ! enjoy the views at the top but I really didn't fancy the sardine sandwiches Ahmad had prepared for us! Peter tried to phone and got through to Sarah. It was a bit heat hazy but we could see 10 miles or so; it was 9am;

That was the easy bit done! We then had to come down. The scree is very slippy. If I went down once I went down 5 times but never disasterously. Slipping through the snowy bits could have been fun but was a bit scarry. The thigh muscles began to hurt about half way down and we slowed somewhat but we were down in 2 and 1/2 hours so not too bad. It was midday. Paul had got back all right. We had luch, packed our bags for the mule and were on the path down to the village of Imlil by 1pm. It was 10 miles dropping another 1400m. They said we would do it in 2 hours! We were a little on the tired side and Paul was still in some pain. After 1 and 1/2 hours they decided to put Paul on the mule if we carried our bags. So we did and progress was a bit faster but our leg muscles really hurt by now. As we got to the half way point on this stretch, a pilgrimage place it got steeper down. We eventually reached the wadi / flood plain under the villade we had stayed at the first ni! ght in the area and we still had an hour to go. We couldn't believe it the path was going up! A very tired pary of 4- Peter and I and the two mid 20 year old Canadian lads6 arrived at the minibus at 5.45pm and then we journeyed very fast to Marrakesh. It was a most luxurious hotel 6 quite magical. Just what we needed. Help with our bags, a lift, mint tea and small sweetmeats in our room; I had them in the lovely warm bath two minutes after I was in the room. 4 poster, curtain strewn beds- a double and single- and air con which works. We literally were too tired to do anything and collapsed into bed after baths and a brief up pack. It was before çpm.

Today we are achey. I am so glad the boys are too, but much recovered. We have had a tour of the town in a horse drawn carrige and have the afternoon to ourselves. We are to have our last meal toniught in the Jewish quarter6 belly dancing and the lot. I'll tell you about that tomorrow!

Lots of love

Ruth and Peter