Marocco - Spain
The travel began from Guimaraes the city in north of Portugal. I left from there on 12th of April at midnight, really it was 13th. I caught a bus from Guimaraes to Lisboa the capital of Portugal a distant about 300Km, all the try was at night so it was time for sleep. I arrived in the very beautiful station Oriental in the area of Expo 98 at early morning about 4:00.

A policeman was one of the few people where spoke english at this time until the time pass for to catch the first and one train per day that is going to the city Badajoz in Spain. The train begin at 9:30, but the trip was little strange because I must change tree times train and the way id the railway going again north and after a log trip going south and passing from a big plains in the east of Portugal is going to Spain. I didn‘t understood that I went to Spain just only when went out from the train and one policeman ask me for the passport.

My friend Axel waited for me and we went to center of the city to do a party in the bars with a lot of beers. We passed all afternoon drinking and we made the bag packs and al the thinks where we need for to go to Marroco. At 6 in afternoon we catch a bus to the roman city named Medira. Guadiana River pass throws the city and a very old Roman bridge going to the other part of the city. We was in Merida at 7 o’clock in evening but the bus pass from there to Algeciras (Gubraltar) late at night. So we had a log time to see the city and to go all the night to the bars until 4 in morning. After a lot bottles of beer we went to the bus station drunk and waited for the bus to Algeciras.

This trip was the second night where a passed travel and slipped in bus. The distance was bigger than I thought, Spain is really very big country. Seven hours of traveling we arrived in the city Algeciras with the big port. There are about four boots per day that are pass to the other side of Middeterian to Africa with a high price of the ticket 7.000 pesetas for two ways. A lot people and a lot of controls to pass this time the border. For first time in my life a pass to Africa. The boat embark to the port of the big city named Tanger. Few seconds since with walk to the Africa a lot of people (Arabs) walk around us and ask what we want for to help us and to give money. This is the thing where you must accustom when you have to go to any country in Africa. Everywhere, every time some people walking around us and begin to speaking in any language until to understood and to answer. You must be very careful because if you need something to know nobody will help you without compensation. The some is and when we need to go somewhere by taxi, We arrange before we enter to the taxi for the price and everything important, because some times is possible to pay more than 5 times more than the typical. By taxi we whet from the city to the train station.

The pity was that we had to wait for more the 10 hours o the railway station, but in the end the time passed very well. We tried Marocian tie, it was great we drink tie every time. There aren’t alcohol in Marroco because forbidden from the religion so everybody drink tie. We met to girls from German and a gay form USA and you pass all this time speaking about the plain of the trip and the interesting places where we can visit. The train begun at 10 at night from Tanger and destination was the city Marrakash in the south of the country near the mountain Atlas. The trip was all the night 10 and half hours and it was my third night with slipping in the travel, the fatigue was big.

16th April morning we arrived to Marrakash. The weather isn’t look like for Africa, but it was really cold and few minute after we arrived and begun to walk to the streets in Marrakash it rain. We try to find a place to leave the bag packs in youth hostel and after that we went o the center and to the market. Catwalks with a lot of stores where selling everything full of people, a big bazaar. In the same place there on street full of something’s like restaurants but completely different that every in Europe. We went to one of them with a lot friend from German that they went for to visit Marroco. Inside it was so small only two tables and a lot of insects around to the walls. The hunger was so big that we eat everything without to think. We found a hotel near to the center for to stay the night. 40 dirchans (4$) per person and per night plus 5 dirchans for hot shower was the prices.

Next day, we stayed in morning in the city and begun at noon to find out the taxi where go near the mountain range of Atlas. Someone tell us but after that we had to pay for it, arrange the price with the taxi driver and we went inside about six people, I and a Arabian woman in front and all the other compact back. So we begin to the Asni village about 60Km southern than Marrakash. Because we had to go to the next village named Imlil from there we have begun to climb to the mountain Toubkal.

This is the difficult part because there are no taxis to go to Imlil and we had to found a track to go up. I small Van, like a bus where inside there are sits made from wood and with full of luggage over it and more than 15 people inside. After a very strange trip passed throw the river and very bad road we arrived to village Imlil in 1800m elevation at 4 o’clock in afternoon.

The time was late to begin to climb up to mountain, but we begun because we have a tent. The first kilometers of the path is very good after pass of the gorge where you can see the very nice village Imlil, and after that throw the sike without water at this time. The back packs were very heavy, the time passing very fast and the fatigue hugely. We tried to find a place to put the tent for to stay the night, it was impossible because the mountain was bluff, but we were very luck just few minutes before be dark I found a small place on the ridge, the elevation was about 2.400m. We put the tent, and we tried to slip, the cold is coming after the sunset.

We were hot from the trekking for half hour but after that the bodies were so cold that I wearied al the clothes put gloves two pullovers a jacket and cap. I tried to slip again after some time of the slip I waked up cold and wet, The tent’s roof inside was full of water from the humidity of the breaths. After that a left open the door to take away the humidity but after few minutes a layer of ice was inside of the tent. The temperature was less than –6 degrees, I went to run to be warm again and I continue the slip until early morning. It was really the colder night where passed in my life.

We begin in morning for the next stop to refuge in 3.207m, after 4 hours of heavy walk we arrived there. A lot of people and tents were there and snow and ice everywhere. With out special equipment good boots crampons and piolet it was impossible to continue to the peak Toubkal. I tried to climb up and at least I climb until about 3.400m altitude. It was great but we staid pity because for a next time we didn’t have provide all the things that we need for this. We passed the night into the refuge and this night was cold but bot like the last because we were inside so it was better. The temperature was –12 degree during the night.

The next morning 19th of April we begin to going down and after 5 hours we were in Imlil village and with a taxi to Marrakash. I nice meal and two fresh orange juice I toke my miss energy for the travel back. By the same train that is leaving at night from Marrakash after some hours of waiting to the railway station departure to Tanger. In morning to Tanger. Back to the port to catch the boat where going back to favorite Europe and Spain. Every anxiety go away since I did the first steps in Spain, like to went to my home. We tried fast to find a money exchange to change the rest Dirchans to Pesetas and with fast walk to the bus station.

We stay very like because there are only two buses per day the are do this travel to Merida, and one leave just the time the you enter to the bus station. In the same evening we arrivered back to Merida and few minutes after Axel’s mother appear with her car and take us to her house in Don Benito ano city about 70 Km from Merida. At this night was the anniversary from the epitaph of Christ’s and was really one of the most strange things that I have ever seen in my life. A lot of people dressed with purple cloth and with conic high hats. One night with very nice sleep and with a hot shower and good food it was enough for rest and to continue my travel the next day.

Exactly the next afternoon 21st April after a shake hands to Axel and his family I catch the bus from Merida to Mandrit. I arrived to Mandit but my final target was Bilbao in pais Vasco. I had already called to my friend Kyriakos to Bilbao, and he is waiting for me. By metro I throw all Mandit but underground. After a quarter an hour I found the bus station to the north Spain, and the bus where is going to Bilbao. At the same night late in morning 3 o’clock Kyriakos waiting for my in Autonomias Street in the center of Bilbao.

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