Trip of a Lifetime
The day for our 3 day trip to the Sahara desert had finally come. We were up by 6:45, ready to check out at 7 and meet our group at 7:15, as the tour company had advised us. We met a guy out the front of our hotel who walked us to the meeting point where a few others were waiting. Apparently it rains one day every May in Morocco and unfortunately today was the day. I had expected that we may a cool night in the desert so had packed a couple of jumpers in easy access. Thank goodness, as we certainly needed them.
The anticipation of getting on the road grew stronger and stronger until we had waited over an hour on the side of the road and made no progress. You know when you do trips in Bali and everyone says the people are on ‘Bali time’, that doesn’t even compare to ‘Moroccan time’. After waiting about an hour and a half with no communication we finally got told to pile into this big van. As the last two people on the bus, and with no two seats together, we were asked to pile into the front of the van with the driver. Turned out to be the best seat in the house, especially to prevent motion sickness as we twist and turn through the Atlas Mountains!
We managed to fall asleep for an hour or so before waking up at a cafe on the roadside. We grabbed our selves a coffee, as did most of the bus before piling back in again. We drove around the Atlas Mountains, enjoying the incredible views from the car before we pulled over on the side of the road to be able to enjoy them in person. They were really really beautiful however the wind had picked up by now, making it quite cold.
We continued on with the long drive, probably another two hours before arriving at Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou. Ait-Ben-Haddou is a castle like fortification between the Sahara and Marrakech which is made from entirely clay, hay and wood. It is obviously famous for its beauty and its Moroccan earthen clay architecture however it is also now incredibly famous for its role in films. GOT and Gladiator have both been filmed there, as well as many others, and while we were there they were constructing a new set for Galdiator 2!
We spent an hour with a local guide going through the Ait-Ben-Haddou before being taken to a local restaurant. We’d been told when we booked the tour that we could eat anywhere however it seems the local guides encourage you to go to specific restaurants. We were originally going to suck it up however when we saw the set menu prices of $23 EACH we almost died. We worked up the courage to ask if we could eat elsewhere and meet back up with the group later, which the guide was actually okay with. We headed 100m down the road where we grabbed a kebab burrito and a kebab sandwich for just $14 combined, still expensive for Morocco however much cheaper than the set menu.
We later met up with the group and continued on our way. We drove a short trip to Atlas Studios, the worlds largest film studio. A combination of leaving Marrakech (very) late, and having too much time at the Ait-Ben-Haddou, we didn’t have time to go in however got to have a good look from the outside.
We jumped back in the car for an hour and a half, where I snoozed on and off and Connor enjoyed the scenery before arriving at another roadside cafe opposite the Valley of Roses. Most people grabbed a drink or a snack however we were just happy to stretch our legs. We took a few photos of the Valley of Roses however it appeared to be the wrong season for them as they weren’t really in full bloom.
We had assumed we must have been nearby to our accomodation however when we piled back in the van we were told it would be another 1.5hours to our accomodation - a very big day of driving. We watched a bit of Greys Anatomy while also enjoying the view outside before arriving to our hotel at 8pm.
A very basic hotel in the middle of nowhere, however well and truely enough for just a night. Dinner was planned for 9pm so we headed up to the room to chill and freshen up a bit before hand.
We enjoyed a traditional dinner of pumpkin soup, Chicken and Vegetable Tangine (incredible) and then some fruit afterwards.
We were absolutely exhausted from a big day of travel so were sound asleep by 10pm, ready for not only the Sahara Desert tomorrow, but also Connor’s 26th Birthday!
grace crosbie
277 chapters
1 Feb 2023
Day 103: Marrakesh > Msemrir
May 17, 2023
|
Msemrir, Morocco
The day for our 3 day trip to the Sahara desert had finally come. We were up by 6:45, ready to check out at 7 and meet our group at 7:15, as the tour company had advised us. We met a guy out the front of our hotel who walked us to the meeting point where a few others were waiting. Apparently it rains one day every May in Morocco and unfortunately today was the day. I had expected that we may a cool night in the desert so had packed a couple of jumpers in easy access. Thank goodness, as we certainly needed them.
The anticipation of getting on the road grew stronger and stronger until we had waited over an hour on the side of the road and made no progress. You know when you do trips in Bali and everyone says the people are on ‘Bali time’, that doesn’t even compare to ‘Moroccan time’. After waiting about an hour and a half with no communication we finally got told to pile into this big van. As the last two people on the bus, and with no two seats together, we were asked to pile into the front of the van with the driver. Turned out to be the best seat in the house, especially to prevent motion sickness as we twist and turn through the Atlas Mountains!
We managed to fall asleep for an hour or so before waking up at a cafe on the roadside. We grabbed our selves a coffee, as did most of the bus before piling back in again. We drove around the Atlas Mountains, enjoying the incredible views from the car before we pulled over on the side of the road to be able to enjoy them in person. They were really really beautiful however the wind had picked up by now, making it quite cold.
We continued on with the long drive, probably another two hours before arriving at Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou. Ait-Ben-Haddou is a castle like fortification between the Sahara and Marrakech which is made from entirely clay, hay and wood. It is obviously famous for its beauty and its Moroccan earthen clay architecture however it is also now incredibly famous for its role in films. GOT and Gladiator have both been filmed there, as well as many others, and while we were there they were constructing a new set for Galdiator 2!
We spent an hour with a local guide going through the Ait-Ben-Haddou before being taken to a local restaurant. We’d been told when we booked the tour that we could eat anywhere however it seems the local guides encourage you to go to specific restaurants. We were originally going to suck it up however when we saw the set menu prices of $23 EACH we almost died. We worked up the courage to ask if we could eat elsewhere and meet back up with the group later, which the guide was actually okay with. We headed 100m down the road where we grabbed a kebab burrito and a kebab sandwich for just $14 combined, still expensive for Morocco however much cheaper than the set menu.
We later met up with the group and continued on our way. We drove a short trip to Atlas Studios, the worlds largest film studio. A combination of leaving Marrakech (very) late, and having too much time at the Ait-Ben-Haddou, we didn’t have time to go in however got to have a good look from the outside.
We jumped back in the car for an hour and a half, where I snoozed on and off and Connor enjoyed the scenery before arriving at another roadside cafe opposite the Valley of Roses. Most people grabbed a drink or a snack however we were just happy to stretch our legs. We took a few photos of the Valley of Roses however it appeared to be the wrong season for them as they weren’t really in full bloom.
We had assumed we must have been nearby to our accomodation however when we piled back in the van we were told it would be another 1.5hours to our accomodation - a very big day of driving. We watched a bit of Greys Anatomy while also enjoying the view outside before arriving to our hotel at 8pm.
A very basic hotel in the middle of nowhere, however well and truely enough for just a night. Dinner was planned for 9pm so we headed up to the room to chill and freshen up a bit before hand.
We enjoyed a traditional dinner of pumpkin soup, Chicken and Vegetable Tangine (incredible) and then some fruit afterwards.
We were absolutely exhausted from a big day of travel so were sound asleep by 10pm, ready for not only the Sahara Desert tomorrow, but also Connor’s 26th Birthday!
1.
Trip of a lifetime
2.
The final pack
3.
Transit
4.
Day 1: Stockholm
5.
Day 2: Stockholm - Salen
6.
Day 3: Salen
7.
Day 4: Salen
8.
Day 5: Salen – Stockholm – Kiruna
9.
Day 6: Kiruna
10.
Day 7: Kiruna
11.
Day 8: Kiruna (Abisko)
12.
Day 9: Kiruna
13.
Day 10: Kiruna
14.
Day 11: Kiruna - Stockholm
15.
Day 12: Stockholm
16.
Day 13: Stockholm
17.
Day 14: Stockholm > Copenhagen
18.
Day 15: Copenhagen
19.
Day 16: Copenhagen > Odense
20.
Day 17: Odense
21.
Day 18: Odense > Hamburg
22.
Day 19: Hamburg
23.
Day 20: Hamburg > Amsterdam
24.
Day 21: Amsterdam
25.
Day 22: Amsterdam > Rotterdam
26.
Day 23: Rotterdam
27.
Day 24: Rotterdam > Amsterdam > London
28.
Day 25: London
29.
Day 26: London
30.
Day 27: London
31.
Day 28: London
32.
Day 29: London > Birmingham
33.
Day 30: Birmingham > Sheffield
34.
Day 31: Sheffield
35.
Day 32: Sheffield > Liverpool
36.
Day 33: Manchester
37.
Day 34: Liverpool
38.
Day 35: Liverpool > Newcastle
39.
Day 36: Newcastle > Edinburgh
40.
Day 37: Edinburgh
41.
Day 38: Edinburgh
42.
Day 39: Edinburgh > Aberdeen
43.
Day 40: Aberdeen
44.
Day 41: Aberdeen > Inverness
45.
Day 42: Inverness
46.
Day 43: Inverness > Glasgow
47.
Day 44: Glasgow
48.
Day 45: Glasgow > Belfast
49.
Day 46: Belfast
50.
Day 47: Belfast > Londonderry
51.
Day 48: Londonderry
52.
Day 49: Londonderry
53.
Day 50: Londonderry > Dublin
54.
Day 51: Dublin
55.
Day 52: Dublin > Waterford
56.
Day 53: Waterford
57.
Day 54: Waterford > Galway
58.
Day 55: Galway
59.
Day 56: Galway
60.
Day 57: Galway > Kerry
61.
Day 58: Kerry
62.
Day 59: Kerry > Limerick
63.
Day 60: Limerick
64.
Day 61: Limerick > Cork
65.
Day 62: Cork > Bangor
66.
Day 63: Bangor
67.
Day 64: Bangor > Bath
68.
Day 65: Bath
69.
Day 66: Bristol
70.
Day 67: Bath > Bournemouth
71.
Day 68: Bournemouth
72.
Day 69: Bournemouth
73.
Day 70: Bournemouth > London
74.
Day 71: London
75.
Day 72: London > Celle
76.
Day 73: Celle
77.
Day 74: Celle > Hanover
78.
Day 75: Hanover > Celle
79.
Day 76: Celle
80.
Day 77: Celle
81.
Day 78: Celle
82.
Day 79: Celle
83.
Day 80: Celle > Barcelona
84.
Day 81: Barcelona
85.
Day 82: Barcelona
86.
Day 83: Barcelona > Valencia
87.
Day 84: Valencia
88.
Day 85: Valencia > Madrid > Cordoba
89.
Day 86: Cordoba > Granada
90.
Day 87: Granada
91.
Day 88: Granada > Malaga
92.
Day 89: Malaga
93.
Day 90: Malaga > Seville
94.
Day 91: Seville > Lisbon
95.
Day 92: Lisbon
96.
Day 93: Lisbon > Faro
97.
Day 94: Faro > Albufeira
98.
Day 95: Albufeira > Alvor
99.
Day 96: Alvor > Sagres
100.
Day 97: Sagres > Sines
101.
Day 98: Sines > Alcacer do Sol
102.
Day 99: Alcacer do Sol > Sesimbra
103.
Day 100: Sesimbra > Lisbon > Marrakech
104.
Day 101: Marrakech
105.
Day 102: Marrakech
106.
Day 103: Marrakesh > Msemrir
107.
Day 104: Msemir > Sahara Desert
108.
Day 105: Sahara Desert > Fez
109.
Day 106: Fez
110.
Day 107: Fez
111.
Day 108: Fez > Essaouira
112.
Day 109: Essaouira
113.
Day 110: Essaouira
114.
Day 111: Essaouira
115.
Day 112: Essaouira > Marrakech
116.
Day 113: Marrakech > Fez > Istanbul
117.
Day 114: Istanbul
118.
Day 115: Istanbul > Cappadocia
119.
Day 116: Cappadocia
120.
Day 117: Cappadocia > Antalya
121.
Day 118: Antalya
122.
Day 119: Antalya > Kas
123.
Day 120: Kas
124.
Day 121: Kas
125.
Day 122: Kas > Fethiye
126.
Day 123: Fethiye > Marmaris
127.
Day 124: Marmaris
128.
Day 125: Marmaris > Kusadasi
129.
Day 126: Kusadasi > Samos
130.
Day 127: Samos
131.
Day 128: Samos > Syros
132.
Day 129: Syros
133.
Day 130: Syros > Naxos
134.
Day 131: Naxos
135.
Day 132: Naxos
136.
Day 133: Naxos > Paros
137.
Day 134: Paros
138.
Day 135: Paros > Sifnos
139.
Day 136: Sifnos
140.
Day 137: Sifnos
141.
Day 138: Sifnos > Milos
142.
Day 139: Milos
143.
Day 140: Milos
144.
Day 141: Milos > Ios
145.
Day 142: Ios
146.
Day 143: Ios
147.
Day 144: Ios > Athens
148.
Day 145: Athens
149.
Day 146: Athens
150.
Day 147: Athens > Sarande
151.
Day 148: Sarande
152.
Day 149: Ksamil
153.
Day 150: Sarande > Dhermi
154.
Day 151: Dhermi
155.
Day 152: Dhermi > Tirana
156.
Day 153: Tirana
157.
Day 154: Tirana > Shkoder
158.
Day 155: Shkoder
159.
Day 156: Shkoder > Theth
160.
Day 157: Theth > Valbone
161.
Day 158: Valbone > Shkoder
162.
Day 159: Shkoder > Ulcinj
163.
Day 160: Ulcinj
164.
Day 161: Ulcinj > Budva
165.
Day 162: Budva
166.
Day 163: Kotor
167.
Day 164: Budva
168.
Day 165: Budva > Dubrovnik
169.
Day 166: Dubrovnik
170.
Day 167: Dubrovnik > Mljet
171.
Day 168: Mljet
172.
Day 169: Mljet
173.
Day 170: Mljet > Korcula
174.
Day 171: Korcula
175.
Day 172: Korcula
176.
Day 173: Korcula
177.
Day 174: Korcula > Hvar
178.
Day 175: Hvar
179.
Day 176: Hvar
180.
Day 177: Hvar > Bol
181.
Day 178: Bol
182.
Day 179: Bol > Split > Naples
183.
Day 180: Naples
184.
Day 181: Sorrento
185.
Day 182: Capri
186.
Day 183: Naples
187.
Day 184: Naples
188.
Day 185: Naples
189.
Day 186: Naples
190.
Day 187: Naples > Rome
191.
Day 188: Rome
192.
Day 189: Rome
193.
Day 190: Rome
194.
Day 191: Rome > Florence
195.
Day 192: Florence
196.
Day 193: Florence
197.
Day 194: Pisa
198.
Day 195: Florence > Salerno
199.
Day 196: Salerno – Amalfi Coast
200.
Day 197: Salerno
201.
Day 198: Pompeii
202.
Day 199: Salerno > Taormina
203.
Day 200: Taormina
204.
Day 201: Taormina
205.
Day 202: Taormina
206.
Day 203: Taormina > Cefalu
207.
Day 204: Cefalu
208.
Day 205: Cefalu
209.
Day 206: Cefalu
210.
Day 207: Cefalu > Genova
211.
Day 208: Genova
212.
Day 209: Genova
213.
Day 210: Genova > Menaggio (Lake Como)
214.
Day 211: Menaggio
215.
Day 212: Menaggio
216.
Day 213: Menaggio > Munich
217.
Day 214: Munich
218.
Day 215: Munich > Ulm
219.
Day 216: Ulm
220.
Day 217: Ulm
221.
Day 218: Ulm
222.
Day 219: Ulm
223.
Day 220: Ulm
224.
Day 221: Ulm > Heidelberg
225.
Day 222: Heidelberg
226.
Day 223: Heidelberg > Dusseldorf
227.
Day 224: Cologne
228.
Day 225: Cologne
229.
Day 226: Cologne > Munich
230.
Day 227: Munich
231.
Day 228: Munich
232.
Day 229: Munich > Berlin
233.
Day 230: Berlin
234.
Day 231: Berlin
235.
Day 232: Berlin
236.
Day 233: Berlin > Singapore
237.
ASIA
238.
Day 234: Singapore
239.
Day 235: Singapore
240.
Day 236: Singapore
241.
Day 237: Singapore > Mersing
242.
Day 238: Mersing > Tioman Island (Genting Area)
243.
Day 239: Tioman Island (Genting Area)
244.
Day 240: Tioman Island (Genting area > ABC area)
245.
Day 241: Tioman Island (ABC Area)
246.
Day 242: Tioman Island (ABC Area)
247.
Day 243: Tioman Island > Malacca
248.
Day 244: Malacca
249.
Day 245: Malacca
250.
Day 246: Malacca > Kuala Lumpar
251.
Day 247: Kuala Lumpar
252.
Day 248: Kuala Lumpar
253.
Day 249: Kuala Lumpar > Ipoh
254.
Day 250: Ipoh
255.
Day 251: Ipoh > George Town
256.
Day 252: George Town
257.
Day 253: George Town
258.
Day 254: George Town
259.
Day 255: George Town > Kuala Lumpar
260.
Day 256: Seoul
261.
Day 257: Seoul
262.
Day 258: Seoul
263.
Day 259: Seoul
264.
Day 260: Seoul
265.
Day 261: Seoul > Osaka
266.
Day 262: Osaka
267.
Day 263: Osaka > Hiroshima
268.
Day 264: Hiroshima
269.
Day 265: Hiroshima > Kyoto
270.
Day 266: Kyoto
271.
Day 267: Kyoto > Tokyo
272.
Day 268: Tokyo
273.
Day 269: Tokyo
274.
Day 270: Tokyo
275.
Day 271: Tokyo
276.
Day 272: Tokyo > Brisbane
277.
Final Words
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