Day 1: Dublin - Marrakech

 I had organized the trip at the beginning of 2022 and done my normal travel prep, googled trips to Morocco.   Decided that as it was unfamiliar territory I would book a tour, but a small group tour and see quite a bit of Morocco.   

I can't remember now how many tours I contacted but the one guide just sounded so accommodating and only wanted €100 deposit for a trip that we cost us €2,100 in total for 10 days.  We emailed each other several times and eventually he contacted me on WhatsApp.  He was so polite with all my stupid questions and really did entertain all my thousands of questions. 

The plan was that he would pick us up on Sunday evening when I flight arrived and take us to our Riad.  Our flight on Ryan air was only getting in at 8:00 p.m. and as it turned out it was delayed (as Ryan air always is) and we only landed and got our baggage by 10:00 p.m. but I let "Hamid" know on whatsApp as I did not want him to wait for hours at the airport. 

The flight as always was not the greatest, but was less than 4 hours and we had Emergency exit seats, so it was good, besides of course the crying babies. 

It was amazing to arrive and walk outside the airport and there was someone standing with a BIG sign with my name on it.  As it happened my daughter was staying home, so I gave her his number just in case.  Wouldn't you know it by the time we arrived she had already called him with some drama that happened at home, but I am not going to go into it.   It stressed out D a bit as it was our first day away from home. 

We got into the luxurious Toyota 4x4 and there was a bottle of water each and a box of biscuits with a beautiful red ribbon around it.   He transported us to the Square in Marrakesh in the old Medina, it is impossible to drive in the Medina as it is so busy with people and the roads are not conducive for cars. 

But fear not, he had organised a man to take our baggage from the car to our Riad and he would see us the next day.   He told me he had organised a local tour guide "Mustafa" to take us and show us around Marrakesh.    

What an eye opener walking to the Riad, there was so much happening in the square, and apparently it is the same 7 days a week.  The locals come out to eat in the square and be entertained. 

After about 15 minutes we reached the Riad down this little alley way of buildings and shops and all I could think was it is so noisy how are we going to sleep tonight.   We stepped inside the Riad and it was so quite, like most Riad's it had a swimming pool in the middle of the reception / dining area and none of the rooms had windows to the outside, but all had air conditioning. 

I don't think we were there long before we both fell into bed and asleep.