Mes vacances vers le Maroc - entrée 1 de journal intime

My Vacation to Morocco - Diary Entry 1

The Journey

I have arrived in Morocco...I am still experiencing the effects of jet lag, but let me begin to record my travel experiences.

Our flight left from Sacramento at 6:30 AM PST. The flight to Atlanta was a little rough, and there was some concern that the flight from ATL to Barcelona might be delayed due to the storms in the southern US. In fact, as we were sitting in the waiting area, HLN was on the TV stating "Atlanta Underwater!" Luckily, during our 3 hour layover the thunder and lightning stopped and the rain grew light, so we took off only about 1/2 hour late, at about 6:30 PM EST.

The trans-atlantic flight was uneventful, and took just over 9 hours. I was rather disappointed it was dark, as I wanted to have my first glimpse of the Atlantic ocean. The plane was only about 3/4 full, so Samir and I were able to share a row of 3 seats alone, and took alternating cat naps in each other's laps.

The service on Delta/AirFrance was warmly exceptional. Every few hours we were served snacks (biscotti, pretzels, fruit, etc...) or a meal (Dinner: teriyaki chicken, rice, carrots, and a roll; Breakfast: Egg and cheese on an English muffin, fruit), and given soda/water/coffee/tea upon request. We had 4 pillows and 6 blankets!

The best part of this leg of our journey was our individual televisions installed in the seats before us. The headphones provided by the airline were poor, but the ones we brought from home worked beautifully. I watched 2 movies- The Hangover (hilarious!) and Sunshine Cleaning Company (tragically funny). I also watched several episodes of Will & Grace, Friends, The United States of Tara, and a fascinating documentary on Global Warming. It was lovely to be able to choose whatever I wanted to watch, and there were many, many choices.

Upon arrival in Barcelona, things became confusing. Because of our slight delay, we had only an hour to find our connecting flight. The airport is a bit old, and a little dingy. We could not find anyone who would help us very much, and all the signs were in Spanish. We both speak a little Spanish, Samir much more so than I. However, you could tell they knew we were not Spanish, and they thought we were silly and/or stupid. Really made me feel aware of how it feels to be a stranger in a strange land. Food for thought....and fuel for compassion.

At any rate, I am a happy happy girl, because as we went through the gates between the arrival and departure areas, my passport received its very first stamp!!!!

Somehow, with our barely literate Spanish, we followed signs and we found our gate on time to make it onto the airplane for our 1- 1/2 hour flight to Paris/Charles de Gaulle Aeroport. Whew!

Upon arrival in France (yes, you are reading this correctly...in our endeavor to save some money, we went through Barcelona, Spain (nearly next door to Morocco), THEN went North to France, and THEN back south to Morocco. Rookie mistake; and one that will not be repeated. Added hours to the trip...hours NOT worth $600.), things were easier, as Samir is most comfortable with the French language. I, however, am not...so I clung to him! The people were very very sweet, and I will be forever grateful to the nice woman who helped me to order my mochaccino, and count my Euros to pay.

Our layover in Paris was about 2 hours (I acquired passport stamp number two!), and we spent them people watching. Everyone is so chic and fascinating! We were both exhausted, and I was getting on Samir's nerves a bit making comments about the people we saw. Sometimes you just need a girl to be snarky with, and he just wasn't getting it! Sigh...

Finally, it was time to board the plane for the final leg of our journey....after we rode a sloooooowwwww shuttle bus across the tarmac, standing crowded bum-to-elbow with about a zillion of our fellow travellers. Again, I was glad Samir is so thoroughly literate in French-I would have been positively panic-stricken when we walked through the airport gate, down the stairs, crammed into a bus, and driven around what appeared to be a circle for 15 minutes...only to then inexplicably wait inside the bus (sans air conditioning) with the doors closed for another 15 minutes or so, before the doors whooshed open and we climbed up 3 flights of stairs to the entrance of our plane. I felt as if I were on the way to Auschwich or somewhere equally terrifying...

This was a beautiful flight: I could see the Atlantic Ocean, the impossibly blue Mediterranean Sea, and the cities and farms of France and Spain. We enjoyed a lunch of cold chicken, polenta, salad, brie cheese, crackers, baguettes, and a wonderful little apple/cranberry tart. We flew over Gibralter, and then I saw the coast of Africa below me! Amazing....and to think, it was 4 PM in Africa - yet it was only 10 AM home in California.

Casablanca/Mohamed V Aeroport. We went through immigration (another Stamp-Yay me!!), about an hour-long process. I have no idea what transpired, as Samir handled the conversation in Arabic. I was only the giver and recipient of many nods, smiles, and deferential bows.

Then, we walked into the baggage claim area, where about 10 men with carts raced each other to offer us assistance. Samir chose one man with a nice smile, and off we went to the baggage carousel...where our three bags were NOT found. Seriously.

It seems our luggage stayed behind in Gay Paree. Nice. Luckily, we each had brought a carry-on with essentials: a change of underwear, shirts, and pajamas, some meds, and the bare minimum of toiletries (including my makeup and curling iron-WHEW!). Also, our laptops (one for us, one a gift for his dad), camera, and a few books for me.

Then we proceded outside to find Samir's parents. The weather was breezy and cool (think a warm summer evening near the beach in San Diego). His parents grabbed us in hugs and kisses, and Mama held my hand in the car the whole two hour drive to Kenitra.

The drive was exciting, to say the least!!! The posted speed limit in most places seemed to be 120 km...that's roughly 76 mph!!! Imagine how fast we were traveling....I mean, do YOU drive more than the posted speed limit? Whoosh-Zoom! The highway was busy, no one on the road was wearing seatbelts (except me!), and the painted lanes on the road appeared to be merely suggestions; and suggestions not religeously taken, I might add. People on foot and on bicycles and mopeds criss-crossed and went along side the road at random. Surreal! Think: Mr. Toad's Wild Ride come to life!

And, yet, nobody is nervous in the least! No one but me and my white knuckles, that is...lol

More next time...I am going to sleep now, hoping that our luggage arrives tomorrow.