We decided to break up our five month stay in Tunisia with a two week inland side trip to southern Morocco, leaving Milly safely at dock in Monastir. We travelled with another cruising couple from the marina on a guided tour from a company that specializes in moderately priced, adventure style tours geared for young adults, Intrepid Tours. Peter and I are always reluctant to be on tour, being private types, but on several bike tours we have always been very pleasantly surprised by like-minded companions with a local guide and experiences that would be impossible to find travelling as a couple. This was our first bus tour. Even though it was limited to 16, we were still reluctant to picture ourselves as tourists being hustled along in a group.
We arrived at Marrakech airport after a 2-hour luage ride - a 10 (squished) person van that Tunisians most often use for city to city travel; 2 hour ride for about $5 CDN each - to Tunis, a flight to Casablanca, a flight to Marrakech. Already the contrast to Tunisia was apparent. Marrakech airport was huge, bright, clean, modern design. Tunis' wasn't any of that.
Hopping into a taxi well after sunset, we were stunned to see an ultra modern city - at least compared to what we left - with bright lights, European and North American stores, fast food and restaurants mixed with Moroccan, wide palm lined boulevards, smooth paved roads, with no sign of litter. Wow! Couldn't wait to explore in the morning.
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| McDonald's in Arabic. We did not go in! |
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