4-5 April 2023, Tiglatine, 7.55km
Hotel Ait Barka el Borj R361.54 [DH200]

The wind off the mountains whispers of snow. It is great to cycle in, cooling one's body on long sweaty climbs, but icy to be still in. I am sitting in my bed under a heavy blanket, wearing a long-sleeve vest, my fleece and sarong, hoping for a return of warmth.
We left Touama in clear comfortable weather, but ended our cycle day in cold cloudy weather. We had planned 22km to Zerkten, but instead called it quits at a whopping (insert drum roll) 8km. Because we climbed switch-back roads averaging 4kph, because a hotel beckoned, because we are in no rush, because why not?
At an open tourist restaurant, we breakfasted on Berber omelette, kept company by French cyclist Jerome who works at a private beach resort east of Monaco and whose mom has lived in Taroudant (Morocco) for 20 years.
On a couple of occasions when someone has asked about our destination and we have answered "Ouarzazate", they have nodded and said "Ah, le mountain". Our breakfast venue host simply shook his hand in that limp-fingered gesture that means "now you're in trouble". (It is possible we have bitten off more than we can chew!)
Charl reached our hotel a little ahead of me. By the time I reached him, he had been joined by a young couple we had chatted to briefly over dinner in Marrakech. They had told us they would be renting a car to travel to Ouarzazate, and we had asked that they not run us over if they saw us on the road. When they passed us today, they made a U-turn and came back to say hi. She was born in Russia but is of Azerbaijan origin. He is Belgian. They met working for the same IT company and now live and work in Cyprus.
When one changes beds and bathrooms on an almost daily basis, one develops strategies to insert some comfort into one's day. Charl showers first and presents me with a "shower report" to insert comfort into mine. This has more permutations in budget accommodation than you might imagine. Is the water scalding, hot or tepid? Which of the two unmarked taps (in today's case both taps are coloured blue) delivers hot? Is the floor dangerously slippery? Does the water drain properly or must one take care not to flood the room? Once in Turkey, our bathroom sported a hot water tap on the left-hand wall and a cold water tap on the right. From each tap a hose drooped across the tiny room to a hook that held two shower heads. The one hose literally drooped across the loo and had to be lifted out the way if you wished to sit. It was impossible to get a proper mix of water - one side of the shower was hot, the other cold.
We have ordered a poulet and legume (chicken and veg) tagine for dinner. It will only be served at 8pm as our host is breaking Ramadan at around 7pm.
A good day. Let us see what tomorrow brings.
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It was icy cold and misty when we awoke. An excellent excuse for a rest day.