I finally got confirmation on my holidays so failing last minute things going wrong the trip to Morocco is all go!!!

Holidays are booked from the last week in October and November….

I am going on this trip with Lou, so you will be hearing, er, reading from her in the not so distant future when she introduces herself. Though since most of you are family and friends you already know who she is anyway.

So stay tuned on this spot particularly late October when the trip starts.

Morocco Airfare

Things are moving along and the airfare to Morocco is nearly finalised…. well except for that paying for it thing! At least it is booked. A lot of options were thrown up in the air but in the end it is the boring option that we have gone for. We are flying into London then jumping from London into Morocco. Still it has been a long time since I have been in London, about 15 years . So the ‘nice’ nights at the end of the trip will be in London.

I upgraded my camera the other week (read brought a new one). I have been tossing up between replacing my SLR with a digital SLR or replacing my old digital compact with a new one. The Digital SLR won. I stuck with a canon since that way I do not have the replace all my lenses as well so can not wait to try it out in Morocco. I went for the 30D. I’ve had a play with it and so far I’m happy with my choice. Still the real test will be in Morocco.

Hmmm….. my savings are going ok….... could be better though. While I’m still on track I kind of have to buckle down and save a little bit extra. That means a tighter budget, sigh…. oh well there are worse things and I’d rather go without now than in Morocco.

Here I was after a hard day at work, relaxing in my jammies enjoying my first glass of red (despite the fact that it is only 5.30pm - hey - it’s Canberra).  I’m thinking to myself that all I am missing is the roaring fire and Hugh Jackman massaging my shoulders…..  sorry got side tracked.  Anyway, I’m sitting here relaxing, when my intrepid housemate and future backpacking team captain decides to throw a curve ball and give me a snap lesson in how to make a journal entry. 

Well after a number of attempts (mainly caused by my total lack of memory when it comes to user names and passwords and the housemate’s assurance - better here than in Morocco) I’m finally in.  And hence this mindless dribble…..!

Our airfares are paid, so the excitement is starting to kick in and as such I am finally up to double figures in page numbers in the Lonely Planet book on Morocco.  Despite my good intentions with pre trip research and organisation, I am realistic enough to know that it is going to be more a case of follow Catherine around and hope I don’t say or do anything that is liable to get me arrested.  So having said that be prepared for my comments on the adventure which will, upon occasion, be found right underneath Cath’s entries and will look something like this…

“What she said!
Lou”

2 months, 8 days, 6 hours, 47 mins.

Not that I’m counting, honest.  Well ok so I am counting.  Trying to use the excuse that the computer is doing it for me really is a little thin.

Some days it seems like there is still such a long time to wait until DD (Departure Day).  Other days the time seems to be flying past.  Time is such a weird thing when you’re on countdown for a trip, or at least I always find it to be so.

There are still a few things to do and organise.  Not that those things will take long the decisions are made it is just the paying for part that hasn’t happened yet still that should start to happen over the next few weeks.

Lou and I finally decided on the Hotel in London for the two nice nights at the end of the trip.  The hotel in Casablanca was decided on weeks ago.  Still the middle and quite frankly the bulk of the trip remains to be seen.  Or to happen.  There are some places that we’d like to see / do like Marrakesh, Fes, the High Atlas and a camel trek besides that it is really a case of landing in Morocco and seeing what happens from there.

2 months, 8 days, 6 hours, 33 minutes….. the countdown continues.

I’ve finally booked the hotel for our first two nights in Casablanca. The trip is starting to be a little bit more real now. Still I will not completely believe it is really happening until I’m on that plane flying across the sky to Morocco.

I’m not sure why but I tend to be somewhat sceptical that the trip is going to actually happen right up until the plane takes off and I leave the country. That does not stop me from getting excited about the trip in fits and starts. I’m over the study thing. At least for now. I just want to be there.

I am hoping that the restrictions regarding flights and what you can and can not take on planes relaxes somewhat before we fly out. No duty free, at least the liquid variety….. but, but, but…. just because the plane we are on touches down in London before we go to Morocco? Sigh. At least I can take a book with me on the plane. When initial reports were suggesting you could not take anything with you as take on luggage except necessary medication you could almost hear my protests. I mean you are kidding me…. not even a book?. That is an exceptionally long time to sit on a plane with nothing to do.

Sorry, got side tracked. I’d still go even if I couldn’t take a book with me on the plane and I never really have brought that much from Duty Free at the airport anyway so that is no great loss.

Back to the hotel. It is booked with breakfast and a airport pickup. Two days of luxury to get over that jet-lag thing and get my feet on the ground and ready to go exploring. I’m not sure why this method works for me, it just does. After a couple of days wallowing in luxury I seem to be ready to go trekking off and explore. Some people seem to be able to go on holidays and spend their entire holidays in places like the place we are staying in on arrival. I’m not one of them. I’m sure it is terribly comfortable but I just start getting board and when you spend the entire trip surrounded and protect by the sheer luxury of the hotel how much of the culture, people and country do you really see or absorb?

Each to his own I guess.