Trekking on Mount Atlas

Imlil

Prior to our hiking, we stopped by Imlil as it was the starting point of our adventure. This village shows the rural side of Morocco. With all the greenery, it's hard to believe that Marrakech is in the same country. The air is so clean and the neighborhood so friendly that we could have stayed there our entire trip. However, the vastness of Atlas mountains seemed to invite us to whatever it had to offer.

http://moroccoonthemove.com/2013/05/19/imlil-valley-berber-village-at-foot-of-moroccos-mountains-ventures-africa/

Ready for the Adventure
Can't wait to climb the mountains behind us! Don't worry, we packed warm clothes in our bags (absent from photo)

Beautiful Landscapes

While climbing, we stumbled upon amazing views. Saint-Hilaire is nothing compared to this!

http://www.experiencethehimalayas.com/the-trips/trekking-morocco/mount-toubkal-berber-village-trek/

Our First Accident

So far, the trip was going very well. No one had been injured and no mishaps occured. However, when we finished crossing Mount Atlas, we saw the desert and got excited, as it was our next destination. Angel was so happy that she started to run and jump, but tripped on a rock and fell. Her fall engendered a few giggles, until we saw that she twisted her ankle. Fortunately, she didn't break it. We will be able to resume our trip soon! 

https://alombredubaobab.wordpress.com/2012/09/29/septembre/

Hamza the Guide

All three of us can say that choosing to hike a mountain for three days was an ambitious decision considering we were not-so athletic girls. However, thanks to Hamza's charm and guidance, we were able to overcome every obstacle and climb every peak without a frown. 

(We secretly think that Angel is in love with him since he carried her after her fall. -Elena&Nanxin)

https://www.guideadvisor.com/stories/get-know-morocco-guide-abderrahim-chaair/

Our Last Night 

This is the resort where we spent our three nights in Imlil. Every morning, we would climb a different part of the Atlas Mountains. Even though the mattresses weren't the most comfortable, we were glad to see them again at the end of every excursion. Goodbye Imlil! 

*Special thanks Abdul and Yara, the owners, for their great service and their constant smile:)

http://www.hostels.com/hostels/marrakech/kif-kif-marrakech/61496?dateFrom=2016-04-10&dateTo=2016-04-12&guestCount=3&p=V_1&o=price#orderBy=price&propertyAnchor=p61496

Visited on April 3rd to 6th 2017

Marrakech, Morocco

Our First Destination
What a wonderful country Morocco is! It's so different compared Canada, from the people (duh!), the weather, the urban noise, the colours, etc.

Piece of Bread

On the night we arrived in Marrakech, we were lucky to try out a Moroccan staple, the Khobz Kesra bread bought in the souks. It's basically white bread, but it's shaped in a circle and it has a really nice flavor. It can be eaten as is or with any topping and dip you want. We tried one with toasted sesame seeds on top and it was scrumptious. Plus, they are very cheap. The price varies from 1MAD to 8MAD each.

http://www.landsandflavors.com/moroccan-bread-khobz-kesra/

Rania, Henna Artist

On our first night, we went to get henna tattoos, and wow, what an artistic woman Rania is and what a fascinating story she has! She grew up in a small village and seeked a better life in the big city since she abhorred the labors of a farm. When she arrived in Marrakech, she learned the arts of henna from local artisans. Since, she is locally known and many tourists seek her skills.

http://www.lemauricien.com/article/shehnaz-kausim-artiste-autodidacte-du-henne-en-relief

Beautiful Marrakech at Sunset

Not only can you assist snake charming shows in the souks of Marrakech by day, it's probably the best place in the world to get a midnight snack! The marketplace itself is an attraction. I'm craving for another stuffed msemen (Moroccan pancake)...

http://authentic-sahara-tours.com/day-trip-marrakech-sightseeing-tour.html

Youssef the Snake Charmer

While wandering through the busy marketplace, we came across this bedazzling snake charming show. During his break, we had the chance to talk to the entertainer, Youssef. Unlike magicians, he had no problem divulging his tricks. He taught us the basics of his art and talked about how it was an inherited profession from his father, who learned it from his own father.

http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/02/123333/a-snake-charmer-in-marrakech-dies-from-snakebite/

Shopping in Morocco

Look at how colourful the products in this souk look! The owner told us that all the rugs/bags were artisanal and that it's mainly tourism that keeps the souks alive. 

http://www.cityzeum.com/images/lieu/fotolia_24835283_subscription_l.jpgn

Beware of Pickpockets

Marrakech is a big city. While preparing for our trip, we saw on the Internet the reviews of other travelers. They warned us about the many pickpockets in the city. We thought we had taken the necessary precautions, but pickpockets are smart. Fortunately, they didn't steal a lot, only a little bit of change in the smallest pocket of a backpack. 

http://comicsagogo.com/comic-book-gallery/tintins-thomson-and-thompson-gallery/

Experiencing the authentic traditional

Before we went climbing the Atlas Mountains, we experienced a few nights sleeping in a traditional Berber tent. It was surprisingly comfortable to sleep in. The only down side was that we had to share bathrooms with other guests.

https://www.vrbo.com/1804906ha

Be Careful With Tap Water

In Morocco, it is not recommended to drink tap water and we tend to forget that. However, Nanxin tends to directly drink water from the faucet back in Quebec. Since our arrival, she kept her habit, filling her glass with tap every day. Eventually, she did get symptoms of food poisoning. From now on, we made a deal to drink only from bottles bought in supermarkets during our trip.

https://sowhymorocco.wordpress.com/2013/09/27/what-to-know-before-traveling-to-morocco/

Visited on April 2nd and 10th to 12th 2017

Leaving in 20 Minutes

Hey guys, it's currently 10p.m. and our flight leaves in 20 minutes. We boarded the plane, covered ourselves with blankets, each with a book in our hands. (Elena has such an ugly neck cushion, can somebody tell her already? -Angel) All cozied up, we will experience time travel as we cross the different time zones that separate us from our first stop, Marrakech. We probably won't be publishing anything during our trip, but we will be back in a month and a half with all our scoops! Can't wait to share our pictures!

http://booksdirect.tumblr.com/post/62124063976/i-ve-got-a-pile-of-books-to-read

Sunday, April 1st 2017

2 weeks prior to our trip (now March)

Nanxin ($4,475.10 accumulated)

Since mid-October, I found a super awesome job at a supermarket working in the bakery. Making and decorating cakes for a few hours, it's surprisingly therapeutic! Plus, my pay is astonishing. $15,00 per hour, I couldn't ask for better at 17 years old. (5 hours per week)

Angel ($5,616.00 accumulated)
After religiously going to work 52 times this year, I finally get to taste a day of break. I'm still unsure whether or not I will go back working to the Provigo when we get back, although the manager did offer a raise for my next pay. Story to be continued... 

Elena ($4,200.00 accumulated)

Wow! During winter time, so many parents leave their children home while they go on brief romantic trips. That just makes it easy bucks for me to earn! (on average $35,00 per child, four children per month for six months)

Together

We were feeling particularly motivated one day as we decided to bake 240 cupcakes (yep, we used 15 box mixes). At $3,00 each, we quickly sold everything during Montréal en lumière since Elena's father had a booth dedicated to the cinema magazine in which he writes articles.

In total, we have raised $17,191.10CAN to spend on our trip. What an accomplishment! Of course, our parents loaded our credit cards with extra money in case we encountered some unexpected trouble.

Sunday, March 18th 2017

6 months prior to our trip

Nanxin ($2,975.10 accumulated)

With graduation coming soon, I had no interest in working too many hours. My friends and my family all convinced me to enjoy my final years of youth. Down to 6 hours per week until end of school, I saved every bit of money I make for the trip. And during summer break? I will be doing two weeks of stage at a music camp while I spend the remaining time in China with my relatives. 

Angel ($3,024.00 accumulated)
Same old Provigo job every weekend. I think the regular customers are starting to like me.

Elena ($3,360 accumulated)

Working at the Dairy Queen's is probably the most enjoyable job there is! I hate being idle during my days, so when school ended, I was glad that I found a job so easily at the parlour for the whole summer. Being in an air-conditioned room when the hot blazing sun strikes on Montreal is seriously pleasurable. Plus, there is a park and a public pool a few yards away so I can go swim when my work is done. A great treat after my 35 hours of work per week. ($12.00 per hour)


Sunday, October 1st 2016

12 months prior to our trip

Nanxin ($2,278.80 accumulated)

I have been working at my usual part-time job at a tutoring center for the past five months. I'm still at minimum wage doing 12 hours a week. I seriously can't take any more of teaching a 7-year old kid how to count and add, but my motivation to raise money is stronger than my reluctance. 

Angel ($108.00 accumulated)
So I have been working at the Provigo for the past two weeks. I think I'm getting the hang of cash registering. ($12.00 per hour, nine hours per week)


Friday, April 1st 2016

Raising 10K

When we announced to our parents that we decided to go to Morocco and its surroundings in a year and a half, they were reluctant at first, given it will be our first trip without any adults. They contacted each other and after much deliberation, they agreed to let us go. We rejoiced as it was the hardest step to achieve in our journey. 

However, we soon discovered that the plane tickets were costly, disregarding any other expenses. None of us was born with a silver spoon in the mouth so we knew that begging our parents for loads of cash was not an option. They did grant us $1,000.00 CAN each. We made a plan of our budget and estimated a rough total of $10,000.00 CAN necessary for our trip. We agreed on accumulating each at least $2,500 CAN. Undeniably, we will work blood, sweat and tears until we get the needed dough. We will regularly update our fundraising progress.

Plane tickets are often the cheapest in April, so that gives us less than 16 months to raise money (now December).

*money earned is approximate, not considering tax deductions

Wednesday, December 2nd 2015