sahara | Round the World on a Budget

delicious tea and coffee on arrival - best ive EVER had

Hey guys! This is a snipit from my mind about my trip to Morocco. I entered it into a Travel Writing Scholarship to be able to win a mentorship with a writer from Rough Guides and go on assignment with him in Singapore, Malaysia and Bali! I know most of my posts are just banter but who knows where this competition could lead me if they think i have what it takes!

Enjoy the sights, smells and raw beauty of Morocco from my mind! Oh and tips/feedback would be great 🙂

Also the photos arent included in the ‘competition’ they are just added for you enjoyment!! 🙂

Seeing the World through Others Eyes – The magnificent life within Morocco

The smell of Tagine filled the room where we lay in the beds of two Moroccan men who had welcomed us into their home which they shared with a large family on the other side of a curtain.

Morocco attracted us for the pure reality of an untouched tourist trail though we discovered much more than a simple destination in this majestic country that intrigued us from the rolling hills of the Atlas Mountains to the utter peacefulness experienced in the middle of the Sahara by camel back.

Arriving in Marrakech we searched the narrow alleyways that descended from the main square into a maze of families cooking in tiny shared rooms they called ‘home’. We followed confusing signs to the Moroccan man’s house all the time receiving confusing stares from the locals. At the end of the alley a small door opened into the lives of a typical Moroccan mid 20’s male living the ‘big city life’. An Arabian prostitute exits one of their rooms in a rush – realising we had arrived a little earlier than expected we stepped outside and played with the many cats that walked the alley.

We left our bags in their bedroom that they kindly insisted we have and then ventured back into the maze as the sun set on a rising chant as the locals sung their echoing prayers into the beautiful, golden sky. When the darkness fell we realised we were the only women in the square. Groups of men stood in circles listening to ancient stories as we watched in awe from the outside of the circle. We were then invited in for a small price of 20 Moroccan ringets. Snakes in wicker baskets and un-obedient monkeys were scattered through the square depicting a scene from my favourite child hood fairy-tale – Aladdin.

Nuts of every flavour and colour laced the sidewalks and poured into the never ending souqs where some of the most friendly people were hiding. Beckoning us into their small shops of natural remedies they showed us clay that when wet turns to red lipstick and substitutes for Viagra for men and women which to the eye just looks like a jar full of sweets.

At day break the echoes of prayers fill the air again and you can’t help to feel a little touched by the heart and soul of Morocco. The rich culture and smells that linger throughout the city from the most hidden parts of the souqs to the open air food markets keeps travellers coming back.

I saw life first hand briefly in the eyes of a Moroccan from sleeping on hand made floors to eating snails off the back of a cart being pulled through the dirt. This is the raw travel experience that really helps you see the world through another’s eyes.