Wrapping up my Trip to Morocco

It’s now time to do a wrap up on my fall trip to Morocco. In a last hurrah, both Gimpy and I have deemed this as our last “big” trip together. Over the years we’ve been fortunate enough to do embark on some amazing adventures. So we ensure we put an exclamation mark on our time travelling together! If you’ve spent anytime to read through the trip, Thank You! If you haven’t and want to, you can find the whole trip here. Let’s Go!

Top 3 Highlights

Highlight #1: Sahara Desert Sunset

Our afternoon evening camel ride into the Sahara Desert is easily my number one highlight on this trip. While riding a camel and being in the desert are things I’ve done before on other trips. There is something about this experience that stands out for me. While we didn’t travel super far into the desert. We did travel far enough that when we did stop there is this small feeling of being “alone” in the dessert. There’s an eerie silence and calm to it. If we weren’t with our guides I’m sure it’d be slightly disconcerting, but add in the setting sun and being amongst friends makes for a truly memorable way to spend an evening.

Highlight #2:  Marrakech Riad

After a week of  go go go driving around Morocco and trying to see as much as we can. Gimpy and I made a booking at a traditional Riad in Marrakech. We figure that having a comfortable place to stay after a busy tour schedule is just what the doctor ordered. While we knew the accommodation would be nice we didn’t expect it to be as pretty as it was. Upon checking in we were amazed at how well appointed and elegant it is! Initially we intended to head out during the day to explore Marrakech. However after getting comfortable in this Riad we instead spend a fair bit of our time simply relaxing and enjoying the confines of this beautiful location. So for the surprise and comfort factor this becomes my second highlight!

Highlight #3: Flying JAL First Class

Ever since getting into the travel reward points game a few years ago. There are some aspirational flights that I have on my list to check off. For a long time the JAL First class flight was somewhat elusive as it never worked within my travel schedule. Thankfully, this time I’m able to get onboard it on my way home. While it’s a roundabout way to get home, it was certainly worth it. Both the ground and air experience are top notch. Add an amazing culinary experience, spacious pods and you have a memorable highlight and a great way to end this trip!

Favourite Meal

For my favourite meal, I’m going to go with our rooftop dining experience at our Riad. While the food is relatively similar to a lot of the food we had on our tour. The environment and setting of the dinner itself is what makes it a favourite. The riad itself is already a highlight of mine and on its roof is this lovely terrace that “overlooks” other rooftops in the medina of Marrakech. Being evening, Gimpy and I were able to have a tasty traditional Moroccan meal at sunset. Adding to the ambiance is the hustle and bustle of the busy medina streets down below. This is also our final proper meal in Morocco and very elegantly ends our time in this country.

If I could change the itinerary…

While the main purpose of this trip is Morocco. I did add some additional legs to the tail end in order to fly the JAL first class flight. This included a few days in Bahrain before taking a series of red eye flights to position myself for that flight. Originally I wanted to visit Oman since there’s a lot of cultural interest for me. However, I couldn’t make it work and eventually “settled” on visiting Bahrain. This is nothing against Bahrain. In its own right its a lovely place to visit. However, I don’t think I needed to spend that much time there. I could easily have flown onward to Japan a few days earlier. Which is the other change. I ended up flying an overnight red eye from Bahrain to Bangkok. Then spend a day in Bangkok before another overnight red eye to Tokyo and spending the day before my JAL flight. While everything worked out, it’s a pretty exhausting way to travel. By the time I get home I hadn’t slept in a stationary bed for three days.

Ultimately I think I would either fly directly to Japan from Morocco and settle down for a few days there before the flight. Or not add the extra legs and go home after our Morocco trip.

What surprised me?

A week before our trip to Morocco. The country experienced a relatively large earthquake near Marrakech. It was a pretty big news item with lots of reporting about the severe damage to infrastructure and sadly a high death toll. Gimpy and I had a lot of questions about whether or not it was still wise for us to proceed with the trip. We firstly didn’t want to be a burden on Morocco’s infrastructure and didn’t want to be seen as “disaster tourists”. We inquired with G Adventures and our accommodations to check if visiting is still ok. In all cases we receive the thumbs up and so Gimpy and I make the decision to go.

It turns out that everything is normal and the only impact is some attractions are closed for minor repairs. While in Marrakech we did notice a few buildings with damage, but life is pretty much normal there. It’s a far cry from the “doom and gloom” that a lot of media outlets portrayed. Don’t get me wrong, there are areas that were heavily impacted by the earthquake. But they are in far more rural areas and my heart does go out to the people affected. I’m just surprised at the contrast between the media portrayal and the reality on the ground.

One memorable story from this trip

I think this story actually happens before our trip even begins. Originally Gimpy and I had our flights booked from Vancouver to Montreal to Casablanca. However, the day before our trip we receive notification from Air Canada that our flight to Montreal will be delayed giving us only an hour to connect in Montreal. While the connection is doable it doesn’t give us a lot of time or wiggle room. With some nerves we accept the changes with hopes that everything goes smoothly in the morning. Upon waking up, I check on the flight and realize that there is no way we’ll make the connection in Montreal. The inbound plane taking us to Montreal is further delayed by several hours. So proactively I call Air Canada and am fortunate enough to get our flights changed. We now fly from Vancouver to London then onward to Casablanca. The cool thing about this new itinerary is I’m now able to try out Air Canada’s Signature suite in YVR. It’s an opportunity I didn’t think I would get anytime soon. So while the flight disruption is not welcome, the alternative itinerary and new bonus was.

Did I pack appropriately?

Since most of my destinations are in warmer climates, I do think packing for this trip worked out well. However, near the tail end of our tour both Gimpy and I ended up catching a small cold. While most of the time I pack a small first aid kit along with some Tylenol and allergy medication. I don’t really pack anything for illness. Thankfully, Gimpy had a few items to help with symptoms which I leeched off of until we were both better. I think in the future I’ll throw in a few extra meds for that just in case. With the way the world is nowadays you never know what bugs are floating around planes, trains or busses.

Regrets?

I think I regret not planning my time in Bahrain better. Bahrain itself is not very big but there is still a fair amount to do. I did intend for my travel pace in Bahrain to be a bit slower but there were days I felt a bit ill prepared during my time there. I had a list of things to do, but not a lot of details about when and how to do it. So, my visit could have been more efficient and I could have looked into eateries a little more closely. Because of this I didn’t end up eating at too many interesting places and I do think it was probably a missed opportunity.

Advice for people considering similar trips/destinations?

Morocco is awesome. If you’ve not been, its certainly worth a visit. However, it can be a bit overwhelming especially if you haven’t been to Middle Eastern/Northern African destinations before. So I think the main advice to give is to either familiarize yourself with the local cultures and customs or if you’re so inclined, find a local guide. People in the Middle East are incredibly warm, welcoming and hospitable. However, I have found that the way they do business can be perceived as aggressive and intimidating. And I think that’s the perception many walk away with if they have these encounters in the markets or shops. I think separating the way they do business with the way they welcome visitors is an important distinction and one I find has helped me better understand these wonderful destinations. While this applies to most countries in the region, it is certainly true of Morocco as well.

Final thoughts?

Morocco isn’t at the top of my travel list but It’s pleasantly surprising how much I enjoyed my visit to this country. Initially my main reference to this place is through the classic movie Casablanca. There aren’t too many “noteworthy” landmarks to check off. But the overall appreciation for the people, culture and environment are key. From the unique shops in each city’s medina. To the beautiful mosques that symbolizes the countries dedication to their religion. And to the ingenuity of people generations ago to plant palm trees that would eventually provide shade so that future generations could have agriculture. Wandering through the souks you can see this as a place that captures that mysticism that stories like “Aladdin” are based on.

On another note, in some ways this is a bittersweet trip for me. My long time travel buddy, Gimpy and I have decided to make this our final “big adventure”. And rightfully so, as she chooses to explore new and wonderful places with her husband Legend! Throughout the years we have travelled to multiple continents, checked off lifetime bucket list items and experienced a great deal of what the world has to offer. We have witnessed natural wonders, tasted weird and wacky food, and even been caught in a torrential downpour or two. Sometimes the best way to get to know someone is when you travel with them. The way they deal with successes, stress, setbacks, or anything travelling throws at you tells a lot about a person. It’s through these experiences that we have become not only great travel partners but lifelong friends! So with that, I just want to wish a heartfelt THANK YOU to Gimpy for exploring the world with me for the better part of the past decade! I’m sure we will still take smaller trips together. But having Morocco as our “last hurrah”, It couldn’t have gone any better!

And with that we wrap up another wonderful trip. The common sentiment is appreciation and its no different this time. I am extremely fortunate to be able to travel and explore this wonderful world. I continue to feel a great sense of gratitude and remind myself never to take it for granted. And with these positive thoughts we will look forward to the next time I can adventure to another new part of the world.