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Post by serrakunda on Apr 10, 2015 22:41:32 GMT
So we are here in Marrakech. Boy zonked out and snoring away. Already threatened to turn him into camel burgers.
Glad I decided to come a day early so he can settle down a bit. Easy day tomorrow. Will throw him in the pool while I drink mint tea. Have to persuade him that we haven't come all this way to eat at the McDonald's opposite the hotel.
Afternoon we have coach trip through the mountains to our next stop where we meet the rest of the group.
T
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Post by serrakunda on Apr 11, 2015 20:19:56 GMT
Day 1 autism Central in downtown Marrakech. Great fun. Chucked him in the (cold) swimming pool which helped long, slightly scary, bus journey across High Atlas Mountains. Very beautiful, snow on the mountain tops, must be a very life up here. Meet the group tomorrow, off into the desert, no wifi on camels  |
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Post by larsti on Apr 12, 2015 16:18:12 GMT
sounds fantastic!
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Post by serrakunda on Apr 15, 2015 21:33:34 GMT
Greetings from somewhere in the Sahara. We survived the camel trek, two nights under canvas, third had to be abandoned due to raging sand storm. Also rained,a first for me in the desert. Tomorrow we cross the High Atlas mountains back to Marrakech for the last two nights |
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Post by corkwing on Apr 16, 2015 19:26:48 GMT
Serrakunda - you turn up in the desert and it rains! That just tickles me!
Hope the sandstorm didn't cause too much distress.
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Post by serrakunda on Apr 16, 2015 23:02:09 GMT
Corkwing, I have been to many deserts and its my first experience of rain. Have been in two sandstorms before. Gets very windy and the sand gets everywhere. We were in a fixed camp on the small holding of one of the guides. Had to abandon the tents and shelter in the house and ended up having a lovely evening, 11 Moroccan children and the group's three playing cards, dancing, generally running riot.
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Post by moo on Apr 17, 2015 7:06:00 GMT
Wow sounds both idyllic & wonderfully memorable.... bet Simba is having a ball..... sooo envious..... making me think if our favourite film Hidalgo.... some amazing sandstorms in that too....
Enjoy serrakunda..... never ridden a camel xxx
X moo xx
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Post by serrakunda on Apr 18, 2015 22:53:32 GMT
So we are home. Simba has had a wonderful time. We were with one other family, with two children, one girl G, age 9 and a boy M, 11 on the trip so perfect for simba. They got on really well together and had a super time. Simba thought the camel trek was amazing and enjoyed the desert camping, and surprisingly the visits to the kasbahs and old cities. There were pools in the hotels we stayed in so that was great. We had some lovely walks in the evenings and great opportunities to play with local children. It was everything I'd hoped for him.
Me? I'd always dreamed of taking my child on a trip like this. I did enjoy it, but it was hard work. Spending so much time with a 'normal' family just emphasised Simba's differences and how much I have to have in place to keep him safe and reasonsbly regulated. When we got to the desert camp, I immediately gave him a set of instructions about what he could and couldn't do and what was safe, and made him repeat the 'rules' several times. There was nothing particularly harmful, but I know he wouldn't have the sense to avoid certain things, like not rolling down a sand dune with rocks or big prickly bushes at the bottom, and not losing sight of the tents. The other kids were just let go. And if course Simba I got totally obsessed with them so making sure he didnt crowd them was hard. And to be honest the girl was was a right pain, really screechy, shouty, demanding, something of a 'performer' and constantly waving a selfie stick in my face. Had to point out to her eventually that not everyone wants a camera shoved in their face every five minutes.
But I had some lovely special moments with my boy, watching the sun set sitting at the top of a huge sand dune, star gazing, dinner on a terrace overlooking the market square in Marrakech with all the lights and sounds of drums and snake charmers, crossing a river on stepping stones, seeing him get the hang of haggling
Overall a success, and I will do it again.
And all six fish are still alive after a week with a food block.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2015 10:09:44 GMT
Sounds FAB Serrakunda. I loooooooove your sense of adventure and that fact that you never go for the easy option of somewhere more obvious with a childrens camp to offload Simba. You are building aaaammmmmazzzing memories for Simba and I can see him when he is an adult, telling his children about his amazing mum and the fab adventures he had with you. Camel trekking in a Morrocan dessert or Butlins holiday camp? I know which I would chose.  Start planning your next adventure, i can't wait to see where you go. Ooooh and some camel pics please when you get a mo. |
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Post by moo on Apr 19, 2015 13:14:23 GMT
Ooohhh amazing serrakunda... jmk is right simba will have the greatest time recounting his memories of adventure hols with his amazing mum xxx I can picture it now xxx
Have told the boys.... they are very very jealous.... skweek " ohh wow mummy simba is soooo brave.... camels chew funny... wasn't he worried that his camel would eat him when he got hungry"...  Don't you just love the imagination.... you would never believe this conversation took place in the middle of our herd out at grass in the field.... when I pointed out that the cows are vegetarian & camels prolly were too not even a flicker!!  & again later he pipes up again "I still think simba is really cool & brave mummy"!?! 
Good to see you both home having had a blast xx
Xx moo x
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Post by chotimonkey on Apr 19, 2015 14:39:29 GMT
Oh god I'm jealous!!!! I've left the country twice in three years, I used to be away all the time... Loved reading about the wonderful things you and simba have done. What an amazing trip to do!! You are an swesome mum!
It's slightly different but I relate to you feeling the difference sometimes. For me it's about volume of children and the amount of things you have to hold in your head about 2 toddlers and one preschooler and the amount of literal stuff you hold in your hands...have a lot of friends with one child... It is not the same!!!
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Post by corkwing on Apr 20, 2015 5:56:26 GMT
Brilliant!
I've been doing a course on the science of happiness. That reckons that experiences are SO much better at building long term happiness than things.
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Post by serrakunda on Apr 20, 2015 8:52:14 GMT
Oohh that sounds fascinating Corkwing
I agree, this trip was all about experiences, particularly meeting new people and experiencing different cultures. We stayed three days with a Berber family. We had no common language, the Berber children did not speak French or Arabic but the international language of pointing and kicking a football goes a long way. Simba did very well with things like the food, squatty loos, the call to prayer, bartering, the markets. All so very different to the UK. I'm very proud of him and he has gained so much from it.
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Don't you just love the imagination.... you would never believe this conversation took place in the middle of our herd out at grass in the field.... when I pointed out that the cows are vegetarian & camels prolly were too not even a flicker!! 
& again later he pipes up again "I still think simba is really cool & brave mummy"!?! 
