Aside from booking the first few nights at a small cheap "hotel", I made no pre-arranged plans for this trip. I wanted to stay open for anything. I knew that a camp out in the Sahara Desert could be a possibility, or I could manage a trip to Essaouira, one of the towns bordering the Atlantic Ocean. I did know that I wanted to be more than a tourist, or rather, be a real tourist. I wanted to truly tour the country with the time I had. I wanted to have a real experience.
When I travel, I don't go somewhere to pay lots of money in order to have the same amenities I have at home. I don't seek out hotels with A/C, a swimming pool and that boasts a great "continental breakfast".
I'm not interested in living at a hotel and then pretending like I've been somewhere new and exciting.
During the small amount of time I committed to researching Morocco prior to arriving I learned that Marrakesh is one, if not the most, popular city in this world for tourism. So I mentally prepared for crowds of people- probably Europeans, because let's be honest, not many Americans travel abroad these days. I also prepared for being approached by many vendors out on the streets. I am a genuine and giving person and I knew this would probably be the hardest thing for me. To see people in their native land, who live in poverty, who are begging for the masses of rich tourists to please buy whatever kind of small cheap trinket they have. It's heart-wrenching.
So I arrive. I'm in a city that is intensely populated with motorbikes and dusty, sandy air. It took roughly 6 hours until I developed a nasty sore throat. It felt like I was swallowing shards of glass each time I tried to drink water. But luckily after a few days it began to subside. It took me 1 day in Marrakesh to realize that I was not exactly a fan. The crowds of tourists and constantly busy streets with begging vendors posted up every 10 feet down the line was enough for me to want to get a move on and find out what real Moroccan culture was like, I had a feeling this wasn't it.
Looking for a cheap ride to anywhere more remote led me to the doorway of a "Saharan Excursions" travel agent. I told the man I wanted to reserve a spot on a tour bus that would take me to Ouarzazate. I only wanted to get dropped off there, wasn't interested in a round-trip ticket. He was extremely friendly yet taken aback at my request. He agreed and he even gave me his email, cell number and full name in case I needed a ride back at some point.
Very early the next morning I met the man at a parking lot where other tourists where waiting. Soon enough we packed up the tour van and Marrakesh was disappearing behind me. On this 4 hour drive I met a group of 4 spritely older Vietnamese ladies, a young woman from Ireland and a man from Venezuela who didn't much like talking about his countries economic problems (I often think about him now after seeing the poor poor state that Venezuela is in right now.)
Our drive takes us right through the Atlas Mountains. I was not expecting that. Those views were amazing. I've been to Colorado a good amount of times in my life, but seeing that mountain range was very memorable to me. I saw many small communities tucked in the nooks and crannies of the mountain range and I couldn't help but imagine what life was like for those people. Hard work, simple, subject to the daily changing weather that mountains often have, tight-knit- all come to mind. There's always a part of me that envies that kind of life. To be able to wake up to THAT view every day? What a great reminder of the beauty of this earth and all that God's created for us. I think it would make it all worth it.
Our driver stops a couple times to let us get some photos. He has an ulterior motive. What's REALLY happening is that he stops at pre-determined locations where more vendors are set up, they're a team. You see, when you're a tourist, you're really like a lost little kid, not knowing any better, and your guide wants to bring you to all the candy stores before returning you home to your mom. I swear one man was selling prunes and the one next to him was selling a photoshoot with a catatonic lizard. I was glad I was heading further past the mountains.
As a tour group we visit Ait Benhaddou, an extremely old and historic system of structures. To walk in a place that you know has been around for thousands of years, is a truly humbling experience. The place was extremely hot and exposed to the sun. I totally get why they completely cover themselves from head to toe.
We finally arrive in Ouarzazate where I learn that this is home to a very famous movie studio. This is where they film many scenes for movies like "Lawrence of Arabia", "The Gladiator", and even "Game of Thrones". (OMG Game of Thrones, that one got me excited.)
It's now time for the tour van to return back to Marrakesh and I remind the bus driver to drop me off near the other cheap hotel I booked. The looks on the faces of the others on the van when they realized I would not be returning to a super fancy hotel in Marrakesh... it was like I was walking off the plank into shark infested waters. I smiled, said my goodbyes and began my next adventure.
Check out Part 2 here: @heiditravels/14-days-in-north-africa-part-2