Title – Mountain Refuge
Date – June 2007
Location – The Atlas Mountains - Morocco
The mountain refuge at the base of Mount Toubkal was certainly not what we had expected when we had considered where we might be sleeping on the first night of our two day trek to the summit of the highest mountain in North Africa. The words ‘mountain refuge’ whenever I have come across them in the past have meant anything from a small hut to a slightly larger hut with the luxury of a few bunks. So it certainly brought a smile to our faces when after a long days walk we came across it and found it’s ‘dorm style’ rooms well kept and clean, even dinner was certainly perfectly adequate (breakfast left a little more to the imagination).
But even the best kept accommodation can not always guarantee a good night’s sleep and the variety of factors that inhibit your sleep when travelling can range from heat & humidity; cold; noise; the side effects of prophylactic drugs; other people; bugs & mosquitoes; fear; and in this case altitude. Well a combination of altitude and a very cold breeze… Not idea when you have to get up at 4am to climb to the summit of a very steep and high mountain.
Poor sleep or lack of it can start to ruin a trip if it persists. As if it sleep deprivation is not bad enough, the thought when you are lying there that the solutions are often so obvious and so insignificant, that a few simple plans and the right equipment being packed in the first place would have made all the difference, can infuriate you more, and perpetuate the situation. There is little you can do to stop altitude ruining a good night’s sleep if this is something that affects you, apart from acclimatising and sometimes this is not an option. However preparation and knowing what you are likely to face on your trip allows you to prepare well in advance for most eventualities.
Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop prepares you to travel wherever in the world your dreams take you. During the workshop we examine all aspects of personal and Travel Safety as well as your Travel Equipment choices. Through our Destination Advice we can help you to understand which equipment best suits your needs so that even if you can’t control the effects of altitude, you can mitigate its effects by controlling all the other reason which might prevent you getting a good night’s sleep.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
Title – Kasbah du Toubkal
Date – June 2007
Location – The Atlas Mountains - Morocco
The Kasbah du Toubkal sits on top of its own little pinnacle located in the valley and at the starting point of the 2 day trek up to the summit of the mighty Mount Toubkal which at 4167m is not just the highest mountain in the Atlas range but also the highest mountain in North Africa.
Certainly ‘The Kasbah’ as it is referred to by all who visit this area, is not really considered as a budget destination, but it is equally not a ‘credit card-limiter’ (a new phrase I am claiming for a purchase that takes you to the credit limit of your card). In fact it has a number of different rooms on different rates and even a dorm facility. But book well in advance, it’s a popular destination. When you arrive you quickly notice that there are two types of visitor to The Kasbah, those that stride round in complete confidence and inspired by their new surroundings and those whose every move is completed rather gingerly and with a grimace of pain on their face; put a different way, those who have just completed the trek up Mount Toubkal and those who are about to…
It is certainly a great place to start and an even better place to stop after completing the trek. However it should not be ignored by anyone who does not feel they can make it to the summit. Exploring the surrounding country is in itself a pleasure and there are many ‘easier’ one day hikes that you can complete and endless little villages to explore and friendly villagers to meet along the way.
However not only is this stunning location something that will bring a smile to anyone’s face, the facilities are uniquely Moroccan, the breakfast superb and dinner exquisitely local (I have to say with the exception of one night we were there when something went obviously wrong in the kitchen or the chef was on a day off…); The Kasbah is also run in both a sustainable way and supports local villagers by donating part of their income to support local projects. This has promoted it to gracing the front cover of Tourism Concern’s Ethical Travel Guide, a book we are happy to recommend to all.
During our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop we consider all aspects of Travel Safety and travel planning, this includes Destination Advice, Ethical and Responsible Travel and Travel Health. Only you can get yourself to the summit of Mount Toubkal, but we can help you do it responsibly, more safely and to recognise the symptoms of altitude sickness that even at these heights can start to lead to problems and discomfort.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
Title – Marrakech
Date – June 2007
Location – Marrakech - Morocco
Local traders and markets are a draw for travellers all the way from Bangkok to here in Marrakesh. They are vibrant, busy and quintessentially local places. Undoubtedly in many places they have changed to accommodate tourists and the additional income that they provide, but looking past this façade you can almost always see that essentially they are still a hub of local life.
The Souks of Marrakesh are world renowned for their cramped streets, bustling with ‘shops’ and traders selling anything and everything from cow hides to electronic goods. You can get well and truly lost in the maze of tiny streets and neither the best map nor the most up-to-date GPS system will serve you particularly well. The one way-out sometimes seems to be the locals; and both old and young long ago figured out that this is a service that they can charge for. In fact consider yourself very lucky if you manage to go more than 5 or 10 minutes without acquiring a self-appointed ‘guide’ and they all have one thing in common; they simply do not understand the word ‘No’.
Markets, souks or any busy urban area can present their own dangers, petty criminals, pick-pockets, bag-snatchers, con-men, all use the crowds as cover for their ‘trade’. That is even before you face the war of words with the legitimate traders when you finally decide you have found a souvenir you actually want to buy. As much as no visit to Marrakesh is complete without a visit to the Souks, it is always a relief when you escape them back onto the main square (Djamaa El Fna), where although the competition for your wallet does not exactly die down, the space at least allows you to walk around and away from the calls of the dried fruit sellers.
Understanding the local culture allows you to approach your travel with the confidence you need to avoid being the victim of crime or being constantly ripped off. During our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop we examine your destination(s) and the culture-shock you are likely to experience. We examine the best way to deal with unwanted attention and traders demanding extortionately high prices for their wares and how to haggle effectively but without causing offence or resorting to aggression or rudeness, that will only end up costing you more. We also examine travel and personal safety when you find yourself in these wonderful but potentially dangerous locations.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com Image – ©Peter Mayhew
Title – Summit Mt Toubkal
Date – June 2007
Location – Mt Toukbal - Morocco
Set your sights high; don’t allow yourself to be defeated; realise your dreams; and make it happen. There should be nothing that is beyond us, nothing that is insurmountable but ourselves.
Mount Toubkal in Morocco is the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains, the highest point in North Africa and quite a challenge. However it is perfectly achievable with a little preparation and a little effort. The key is to understand the level of preparation needed and the precautions that need to be taken.
You can certainly climb this mountain without a guide and we saw several groups doing just that; we also met several of those groups more than once when they had taken a wrong turning and had to double back on themselves. Needless to say we felt a little smug when they asked our guide for directions. The question you ask yourself, was their experience better than ours, was their achievement greater?
Reaching the summit is an achievement for anyone who makes it, there are not short cuts, no other way then under your own steam. The only comparison you should make is with yourself, not with others. Achievements during travel are inherently personal, it’s not a competition and to make it one simply adds to the already inherent dangers of travel.
So back to the question, was their experience or achievement greater? We hired a local guide, who gave us an insight into Moroccan life we would not have otherwise got; he encouraged us every step of the way when we were weary (although to be fair it was really ‘I’ rather then ‘we’ who were weary…); he pointed out sights along the way; he highlighted dangers; he showed us the ‘easiest’ way up the mountain; he arranged for a donkey to carry our packs; he arranged the overnight mountain refuge; he took our picture at the summit; and he got us all the way back down again; most importantly he was a genuine friendly man, earning an honest wage to provide for his family.
At Beyond The Blue we provide you with all the advice and guidance you require for your planned travel experience. Through our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop we prepare you to travel safely and confidently wherever in the world your trip takes you, be that the highest mountain or 20m below sea level.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
Title – Lioness
Date – April 2007
Location - Tanzania
This photograph of a wild lioness was taken from the safety of a vehicle, but it certainly still sends a shiver down the spine of anyone who understands even the basic inherent danger these animals pose to all they come across; be that antelope or humans. Beauty and the beast all rolled into one.
Understanding the dangers around you will allow you to reduce the risks you face when so far away from home. Beyond The Blue understands that for those people who lack experience of world travel there can be a lack of understanding of the dangers that are out there and complacency can step in very quickly.
Most people when on safari in Africa feel completely safe in the vehicle in which they are travelling and there is no real fear of the dangers just outside your window and this complacency can get you into serious difficulties.
Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop is designed to help individuals assess risk on every step of their way; through dynamic risk assessments, we help candidates to appreciate the importance of the decisions they make as they travel. When we cross the road we carry our a dynamic risk assessment by looking left and right, when in the heart of the Serengeti there are a few more considerations to keep in mind.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Philipp Mayhew
Title – Wildebeest
Date – April 2007
Location - Tanzania
The Wildebeest or Gnu as it is also known, is one of Africa’s best known antelope. Found throughout the easterly and southern part of the continent it roams the woodlands and open plains of the region in large herds to protect itself and others of the group from predators.
The annual migration of the wildebeest in Kenya and Tanzania sees some 1.4 Million wildebeest join other herbivores as they travel over 1800 miles in order to stay in areas that provide adequate grazing. This Migration is certainly one of the best known of all the animal migrations that take place on almost every continent. But time has had an effect on the numbers involved. If 1.4 million seems to be a large number then consider the sight that would have existed before Africa was ‘colonised’, when tens of millions of these animals would have taken part in this spectacle.
Beyond The Blue was set up to help prepare individuals for the latest phenomenon, the migration of people all over the world as they seek to explore new locations and new experiences. Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop can help you to enjoy your trip with the knowledge to do so safely and with confidence.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Philipp Mayhew
Title – Road Block
Date – December 2006
Location - Antarctica
Sometimes you have to know when to give up. There are many times you will come across obstacles that can be overcome but sometimes you just have to know when to cut your losses and run. Remembering that anything you leave behind unseen can be revisited another day.
Fortunately the captain of this ship knows exactly how far and hard he can push the ship and his expertise will ensure a safe return from Antarctica to South America where the cruise started. No Casino or Swimming pool on this cruise though, this is hard terrain and the seas can get very rough, your small cabin with its basic amenities will have to suffice, but if you ever feel claustrophobic, just step onto deck.
Beyond The Blue runs workshops to help you gain the skills you will need to navigate your travel experience. Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop guides those attending through all the planning stages and the various mazes that will face you on arrival and well into your trip itself. The experience of our instructors enables them to put all your questions into context allowing you to understand some of the pitfalls, without the need to actually experience them yourself.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – © Heather Spalton
