Sunday 6th October – Tuesday 8th October 2019

While being in the Sahara is a dream come true, unfortunately we had to leave at some stage so why not do it under a blanket of stars!! The 5.30am BOTB meant brekkie and loading back onto the bus before the sun peaked out and while the stars were out in full force. Unfortunately my iPhone is only so good and doesn’t capture the grandure of stars so this is as good as it gets!!

Having been awake since 3am for no apparent reason, our long bus ride back to Marrakech was mostly snoozing and Netflix. So here’s a picture of my Berber omelette for lunch and I’m gonna skip right onto Marrakech!!

Back in Marrakech we were checked into the same hotel with a pool which I knew this time I wouldn’t miss out on. For the last time this tour, we were BOTB and again into the main square of Marrakech. This time I knew all about the evil cobras and managed to not even look their way!

Abdul showed us around the markets, talking passionately as he does however we were all pretty exhausted, tired from sitting on a bus doing nothing so when it was time for dinner we all followed Abdul to some place where not a single person ordered a tagine, we were most certainly all tagined out!! After dinner it was back to the hotel where it dawned on us that it was the last night as a group so of course we needed a last group pic and time to farewell all our new friends.

You’d of thought it would have been a big night but with early flights for some and the rest of us knackered, we all agreed a last day hanging by the pool would be the best kind of farewell. And, unfortunately at this stage I was as sick AF, the last few days had seen us, one after another, fall sick with some kind of Moroccan cold that creates enough snot to fill the Sahara. The next morning I wasn’t feeling much better so took it easy with a lay in, til 9 cos that’s late now, then enjoyed the buffet brekkie with the others around the pool. While Kyles and a few others who hadn’t caught the bug were energetic and headed back to the market for some shopping, I was more than happy to hang poolside, mop up my snot and enjoy some vitamin D. Ok so there were a few gins too…

Upon Kyles return I was more energetic, or ginned up enough to jump into the gorgeous pool, careful not to spread snot and germs. Never thought a swim with a cold could make you feel better but definitely going to try that in the future! With the afternoon coming to a close, those of us left, we’d been losing people to their home base as the day wore on, headed to the roof to watch our last sunset over Morocco. It was beautiful but at the same time bittersweet, some trips you don’t want to end and this was one of them! And who knew the roof at this place would have been an amazing place to party, ugh!

Kyles and I had decided to stay somewhere more central to the Médina of Marrakech so along with Aleesha, we bid our group farewell, hoping it wouldn’t be the last time we see those amazing people. Into a somewhat dubious taxi, we headed for our riad, since figuring out what one was and hearing we could stay there, we knew we had to. Aleesha dropped us off and headed to hers around the corner. And when I say dropped us off, we literally jumped out on a street corner that was supposedly the location of our riad and looked around in horror, had we been duped by booking.com? Does this riad actually exist??? To our relief, we found our riad door tucked away in an alley and once again entered into a space we did not expect. A beautiful and old but modern riad, complete with an open roof in the centre. Having booked one on the cheaper side due to a lack of cashola, this place was beyond expectation!!

Quick showers and we wandered out into the Médina of Marrakech looking for food, anything but a tagine. Being tired and indecisive we looked to the advice of a local who got chatting to us, and funnily enough within in 5 seconds flat was questioning us as to why we weren’t married!! He meant no insult, to Moroccans it’s confusing how you could be in your 30s and not married, for both men and women. Taking his advice we found a rooftop terrace with an epic view and yummers food, yes it may have been a tourist trap but who cares! The stork on a rooftop a stones throw away gave Kyles the heeby jeebys, she doesn’t like birds but luckily this one was as tired as us and hardly moved a muscle.

Needless to say I was ready for an early night on account of being a sicky and Kylie kindly obliged. The next day, our last in Morocco, we were greeted by one of the most impressive breakfasts, in that you sit at a table and within a jiffy it’s filled with all types of deliciousness, more than 2 people could possibly eat. Well, I could have eaten it all had I not been sick!!!

Having Aleesha staying around the corner we did a quick stop at what I think was a pharmacy for cold and flu tablets then met up to explore the market and finally do some shopping for more than bathes and gin. If you’ve travelled to south east Asia, like Bali, you know half the fun is the bartering. Although, I don’t find it fun but in this case, being sick and broke I was a hard arse and more than happy to walk away if they didn’t agree to my tightarse price, which worked surprisingly well!! Who knew not caring could actually work in your favour?!? A summer dress, salt n pepper set and door knocker later I was pretty damn impressed with my purchases. Having an epic Moroccan sandwich with chicken, liver, capsicum and who the hell knows what else was also amongst one of my better purchases. Wish I had a pic to show you just how good it was!!! In addition to shopping and stuffing our faces, our must do for the day was a hammam, a Turkish spa where they steam you, scrub you, massage you and leave you feeling amazing, apparently! We’d found one earlier amongst the crazy in the markets and made our way back for what was one hell of an experience. In our bathes we robed up and waited on comfy deck chairs with warm tea, not really knowing what to expect. Then it started, we showered then were into the hot steam room, from where one by one we were pulled out and scrubbed all over with horse hair mits (!?!) and lathered in some kind of muddy gel. I’d seen it around the markets, guess that’s what it’s for. Here’s a pic of it from our very first day!!

Lathered up we were then back in the steam room, which at first meant an avalanche of snot for me but then a clear head finally. Once again pulled out one by one, we were laid down and unexpectantly had cold water thrown over us to wash the muddy gel off. Yikes! Yes our skin felt amazing afterwards but wowsers that cold water was a shock!! It was then back into our robes and waiting on our deck chairs while there was the awkwardness as to whether we were supposed to tip the ladies that had just scrubbed off our gunk. The signs said not to so we didn’t, much to their dismay. Breaking the awkwardness, we were led up to the massage area for half hour massages that were bloody good. Yes there were certain areas like my chebs that hadn’t been massaged by another woman before but it was done in a professional way so all good. Unfortunately that’s where the hammam experience ended, we dressed and were once again back in the markets, with these smiles of absolute relaxation on our faces!!!

Unfortunately our time in Morocco was coming to an end, after farewelling the gorgeous Aleesha we made our way to the airport. During the whole time in Morocco, it was obvious they loved their King, there were pictures of him everywhere. It wasn’t until we were going through customs that it dawned on me who he looked like, Lewis Litt from Suits!! Knew the face looked familiar! What do you think??

It was while waiting for our flight I thought I’d better translate the packet of my cold and flu tablets just to be sure what I was taking. You can imagine my surprise to read to was taking anas. Yep, anas. Monkey anas I think. Along with some extract of liver and heart. No real help, all herbs and anus. In the bin they went.

It was certainly sad to leave Morocco, while I went in not knowing what to expect, it was better than anything I could have imagined and I left with memories and friendships I would cherish for a lifetime. As well as a cold that not even anas could help!