Getting Here

It's a bit after 10 p.m. when we arrive at the Marrakech airport. Since you can't exchange dollars (or any currency, for that matter) for dirhams outside of Morocco, we quickly change a few bills before heading out to the taxi queue. We're immediately descended upon my several drivers who offer rides and miraculously squeeze our bags into a tres petit taxi. It's such a cliche the way we get handled and then ripped off immediately - the ride from the airport to our hotel in Gueliz is meant to be about 60dh and we happily hand over 200dh. We check into the Hotel Tachfine in the French district of Marrakech. It is May 31st, we’ve got a reservation for three nights and are planning to live in Morocco for a year. The why and how of that will come later.

We departed from LA nearly 24 hours ago after a ride to the airport in a swanky limo provided sweetly by the girls of Clifford PR. Virgin Atlantic takes us to London, where we change to Royal Air Maroc. Here things get a little silly: First, we’re charged over $200 to bring all our luggage, which would have been included if we’d flown directly from the US, but somehow when you change airlines in London, the luggage allowance drops, and there you go. Second, security measures become alamingly lax. When I set off the metal detector, the guard shrugs and points - it was probably my belt. When we transfer off and then back on to the same plane in Casablanca to continue to Marrakech, the lady asks for our transfer tickets and then waves us on distractedly when we don’t have them.

We descend onto the tarmac in Morocco and cross to the airport under a crescent moon. We’d have taken a picture to show you, but our camera was buried in one of eight bags.

The taxi whisks us across town past cafes and hoards of motor scooters, and we’re both surprised that we’re actually getting by with our mediocre French (thanks to Romain and Fanny for the lessons!)

Now a refreshing Casablanca Beer at the hotel bar, followed by some contraband Camembert and and cured meats that someone felt compelled to bring as a travel snack. After an exhausting day on the road, bed.