Before I get into the wonderful details from my Morocco trip, I wanted to lay out some of the valuable lessons I learned along the way. Few will read this and maybe fewer will listen, but I have to tell you that sometimes you can plan forever and never be ready and other times there just might be someone out there with some helpful advice. I hope mine falls into the latter.
Prior to going on a big trip anywhere but specifically a country where things are very different from what you are used to, there are two or three major items you should thing about. I'll call it Christina's Travel Credo.
1. Are you traveling with others or are you traveling alone. Most of us, myself included, just don't have the cajones to travel abroad by ourselves. It really takes a certain amount of self reliance to do a huge trip by yourself. Really think about if you are outgoing enough to meet people on your own and how you would feel about eating by yourself or having a drink. Now in a country like Morocco, I would say you are never alone, but still, it's a lot easier to meet others when you have a co-pilot. If you can't even have lunch or go to a movie by yourself, then I highly suggest going to point two below.
2. If you are traveling with others, take some time to think about your travel partner. You should be very realistic on your tolerance level because it is highly likely you will be spending a lot of time together and getting to know each others personal habits intimately. There is a huge difference between going out for the night or just hanging out and spending days and nights together. Remember, you still want to be friends when you get back. The key is to find that person or persons (but I wouldn't recommend more than 4 people) that will support you, put up with your melt downs and every other idiosyncracy that will come out. Because they will come out, from the need to hum yourself to sleep to the fact that you constantly need to sanitize all your body parts - oh wait, that's just me.
If you are going somewhere that is truly out of your comfort zone, choose wisely because this could make or break your trip. A truly good travel partner would be the following: not picky, doesn't whine overly much, doesn't complain a lot (some venting is fine of course), and can roll with the punches. Ideally, they have strengths where you don't, like maybe the ability to read a map.
3. Lastly, it's always a good idea to read up a bit about where you are going, but not too much. Sometimes it's good to just let serendipity happen and see where you end up. Part of traveling is not hitting every single section listed in a travel book, but letting yourself get lost and seeing what happens. I would say some of my best adventures have happened when I'm lost. You can meet the best people, discover small gems that you otherwise would have missed. Travel isn't about where you are going, but more about what you find along the way. Open your mind to all types of possibilities and chalk up all those not so ideal situations as just a little more seasoning to your trip.
I actually have more thoughts, but maybe I'll save those for the day that someone would actually pay to hear all my blathering.
Now I will also mention that if you are traveling in a non-Western, maybe less developed country, the following are priceless. What I listed above was more of my credo on traveling, but what is below is more a must have.
1. Travel packs of Kleenex or WetWipes. Seriously, keep these with you at all times. There is a good chance that there is not going to be toilet paper when you go. Hell, there may not even be a toilet, but I'll get into that in another post....lucky you.
2. Bring all the drugs you think you are going to need. I lucked out and didn't need one of the many stomach ailment, oh my God I have to go medicines, but have them just in case. Do you really want to try to find a foreign pharmacy first of all and then when you do, try to pantomime that you have the trots, not so pretty. Bring some Pepto, Immodium, Aspirin, Sunblock, Allergy pills, bring it all. I also highly suggest going to your doctor and getting a prescription for some Cipro. No one wants to get some nasty stomach bug and be down and out for 3 days. Sitting in the hotel bathroom is not my idea of a vacation. Cipro will cure whatever ails you below the belt, enough said there.
3. Try, try, try your best to pack light and expect to recycle your clothes. This is from the woman who just lugged a huge suitcase full of shoes and a carry on bag all across Morocco. I did wear all my clothes but could have removed half my shoes. I say pack less shoes and clothes and pack more underwear.
4. Hand sanitizer is your best friend. Remember the aforementioned Kleenex/WetWipe in number one? Well, if there isn't toilet paper, do you really think there will be soap? Hand sanitizer might be the one barrier that separates you and that Cipro or you doing the hand jive for some pharmacist trying to signal explosive diarrhea. Use it and use it a lot.
This concludes Christina's travel tips. Maybe you think you know it all, but seriously, just a few things can really make a trip into a wonderful adventure.
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