I wake up very early, and as I peak out of my tent I soon realise that while the route was not on my map, it is almost a Moroccan super-highway. Every couple of minutes or so there is a donkey or a mule coming past. The serenity and calmness of the people is literally written on their faces, and that mood cannot help but spill over to me.

I set off early, and what follows is a route that leads me to a 100 river crossings in the most beautiful of valleys. I cannot judge what it would be like when flooding, but on a day like today this must be one of the most beautiful stretches in Morocco. It is the combination of wonderful riding conditions in nature that inspires, people and donkeys included.

Check out in the video the lonely donkey that is going to work all by itself – what a protestant work ethic.

In the valley I stop at a little town and it does not take long before I am surrounded by a horde of kids taking great interest with big curious eyes of space invader spiff, his bike, and the video equipment, as I need to recharge and transfer the footage to a computer.

In Amezri I help a guy who has a wound on his hand. After putting new bandages on it, I also donate my tube of Betadine to him (you can never have enough Ibuprufene and Betadine to share). He in turn invites me to his house. With my limited knowledge of Arabic, Berber and French, such invitations often become long and drawn out, and therefore more often than not I decline invitations. However, I follow this invitation and his family treats me to a wonderful tea and lunch of mutton skewers,  freshly prepared just for me. The hospitality is truly humbling.

I make a mental note of travelling in my own country, South Africa, in the same way – without the prejudices and preconceptions that come from having grown up there.

Onwards I press since I want to arrive in daylight with my favourite Berber family. The route takes me over the mountains of Tamezrit and the plains of Aït-Toumert, and finally into the beautiful gorge that leads to Amesker. Unfortunately I arrive just as it is getting dark.

I feel as much as I anticipated being back, the family is happy to see me return. Unlike before, when I was a guest, now they treat me as one of their own. They are visibly happy about the printed pictures I have brought them from the first part of the trip, and the kids elated about their new football.