Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Morocco Musings















Hello Travel Coach fans! Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but I was "busy" experiencing the trip of a lifetime (well, at least in my life so far) to Morocco. I'm happy to report that GAP Adventures/Intrepid Travel did a FANTASTIC job of shuttling nine of us between all the splendors of Morocco. Everyone from Jackie Garrity, the Gap Group Tour supervisor, to Summer Davis, our fearless tour leader in Morocco, did everything they could to make sure our 15-day trip was as memorable as possible. And boy, did Morocco deliver.

It'd be difficult to name a "favorite" part of the trip, but many top experiences stand out in my mind. Like being pounded, scrubbed, and drowned into submission by an old Moroccan man at a local hammam (steam bath). Or riding camels out into the Sahara, climbing 30-story-high dunes as the sun set, and sleeping outside under a full moon (I've never experienced such quiet and peacefulness in my life). Or getting lost in the crazy, narrow alleyways of the souk (marketplace) in Fez, gaping a towering piles of spices, severed camel heads, and salespeople hawking everything you can imagine. Or maybe it was our stunning hotel, Riad Mimouna, we treated ourselves to in Essaouira. From the beaches, to the mountains, to the desert, Morocco constantly surprised and delighted me with its variety of sights, smells, sounds, and experiences. It's a trip I'd recommend to everyone! We'll certainly have trouble topping it next year.

For a photo essay of our trip in Morocco, be sure to visit my online album of the trip.