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Hi guys,

I've attached a few photos from last week below - I don't know if this is the right place but it seems as good as any. I've tried to leave out all the moving pictures of the floor.

It was good to walk with you all - a really good week. Shall maybe see a few of you again some time.

All the best.

James

14 staff and 20 cadets from 1344 Cardiff Squadron, Air Training Corps, have just returned from their first overseas adventurous training expedition in the Atlas Mountains, Morocco. The Atlas Mountains are a mountain range across a northern stretch of Africa extending about 2,400 km (1,500 miles) through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.  The expedition lasted a week and included a day in Marakkech before being transported to Oukaimeden at 8,600 feet in the Atlas Mountains to begin trekking.

I haven’t been to Africa before so wasn’t sure what to expect, we were camping so I was quite worried about that aspect as well. I needn’t have bothered as the accommodation was wonderful and much better than expected all very clean and comfortable. The locals were very friendly and all wanted to chat to you and find out where you were from. We stayed in 3 different places and the diversity of each was like having 3 different holidays.  Firstly by the lake at Naivasha with Hippos keeping you awake in the night.  We saw such a variety of birds.

Last week (2 April 2011) I returned from my third trip to Egypt’s Valley in which I visited Luxor, Aswan and a number of temples in between. In many people’s minds Egypt is synonymous with history and the ancient Egyptians but cruising down the Nile made me realise that Egypt is a stunningly beautiful land too with the verdant green banks, pulsing with village life, palm trees and crop cultivation set against the yellow of the ever present hills and desert beyond.