Speaker 1 (1)
Section two.
Speaker 1 (2)
You will hear a radio interview about an expedition across the Atura Mountains.
Speaker 1 (3)
First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15.
Speaker 1 (4)
Now listen carefully to the interview and answer questions 11 to 15.
Speaker 2 (5)
Our dream came true in 1995 when, over ninety six days of the spring and summer, an expedition of four men undertook what they believed to have been the first and only complete end to end crossing of Morocco's Atora Mountains.
Speaker 2 (6)
I talked to Charles Owen, the leader of the expedition group, about the trip.
Speaker 2 (7)
Charles, how much planning went on beforehand?
Speaker 3 (8)
Um, well, as you know, I run these walking trips across the mountains for tourists.
Speaker 3 (9)
And over the years, I've collected maps and other data to prepare what I call a route book for this trip.
Speaker 3 (10)
And this book basically shows the route across the mountains that we took.
Speaker 2 (11)
You actually broke records while you were out there, didn't you?
Speaker 3 (13)
It was 900 miles in total, and we managed to climb 32 peaks that were over 3,000 meters high, including Tubekal, which is, of course, the highest in North Africa.
Speaker 3 (15)
Uh, we weren't actually out to make a name for ourselves.
Speaker 3 (16)
It just happened, really.
Speaker 2 (17)
What was the weather like?
Speaker 3 (18)
Oh, it got us right from day one.
Speaker 3 (19)
And we were pretty taken aback, really, to find that it rained on quite a number of days.
Speaker 3 (20)
And so we were forced to start replanning our route almost from the outset.
Speaker 3 (21)
One of the obvious problems is the heavy snow which blocks the mountain passes.
Speaker 3 (23)
So you have to make considerable detours.
Speaker 3 (24)
When we were on the way to Imilchil, for example, the snow forced us into a northern bypass, which was new to us.
Speaker 3 (25)
But anyway, either way, we would have been rewarded because, well, we fell upon amazing high meadows, huge gorges, and wonderful snow capped mountains.
Speaker 3 (26)
The scenery was as fine as any we saw on the trip, and that was how it was every time.
Speaker 3 (27)
Having to take another pass was never a disappointment.
Speaker 1 (28)
You now have some time to look at questions 16 to 20.
Speaker 1 (29)
Now listen to the rest of the interview and answer questions 16 to 20.
Speaker 2 (30)
It was in many ways a social trip, wasn't it?
Speaker 3 (33)
We'd arranged to meet up with friends at various points on the journey.
Speaker 3 (34)
I mean, this was actually one of the purposes of the trip.
Speaker 3 (35)
And we managed to keep all these dates, which, well, it's amazing really considering the detours we made.
Speaker 3 (36)
Um, an old friend acted as a sort of transport organizer for everyone, and the hotel alley in Marrakesh was a good social base.
Speaker 3 (37)
I'd really recommend it, although I can't remember who runs it.
Speaker 3 (38)
Anyway, groups of friends actually joined us for three week stints, and others just linked up with us.
Speaker 3 (39)
Some whom we haven't met before the trip at all tagged on for short bursts, people from the area who just came along for the ride.
Speaker 3 (40)
But outside the major visitor areas like Tutkal, we only met one other group of travelers like ourselves in the whole ninety six days.
Speaker 2 (41)
Were there any bad moments?
Speaker 3 (42)
Um, well, we took two, I must say, long suffering donkeys with us to help transport water and tents and things.
Speaker 3 (43)
I suppose if we were to do it all again, we'd probably hire donkeys along the way.
Speaker 3 (45)
Taza and Tamri, as we called them, after the last places in the trip, well, they made quite a unique journey between them.
Speaker 3 (46)
And, well but it was continuously demanding for them.
Speaker 3 (47)
On both the really high summits, they took diversions that were quite out of character, and I can only assume that it must have been due to tiredness.
Speaker 2 (48)
Well, thank you.
Speaker 2 (49)
And Charles has put together a video about this journey and continues to lead groups to the Atora Mountains.
Speaker 2 (50)
So if you want further information
Speaker 1 (51)
That is the end of section two.
Speaker 1 (52)
You will now have half a minute to check your answers.
Speaker 1 (53)
Now turn to section three.
