Frankie's Travels Day 1 Marrakech

So I found my airport transfer and we travelled to the hotel where I met my tour leader who sent me off in a big hurry with the local guide to catch up with the group. So I dropped my bags in my room - threw on a fresh shirt and ran.

I joined them riding in horse drawn carriages. We stopped off at the tombs of a previous dynasty of Morocco and then the Palace of Bahai and I got my first views of the beautiful building designs and carvings and marble tile work that I wanted to see.

One day when I am wealthy, my house will have a beautiful road with a fountain and tiling and trees.

Then we went through the market and visited a herbal pharmacy. Moroccans have a herbal or mineral remedy for everything! And I had my first glass of Mint Tea (another trip objective Tick!)

We stopped at a souk. It was not as exciting as I expected - but this is day 1 so I am open to be impressed again.

The market is busy and packed at easy to get lost in. The store sellers are constantly calling at you and often with rude names Some of the others on tour with me were called Big Feet, Small Breasts and Slow One.

In our free time, I was wandering the market with two others and we were tired so we stopped off for Dh10 mint tea and talked. I really enjoyed this because I got to have a really interesting discussion with someone from Canada and the UK. I am always fascinated by hearing how people from other cultures think.

This first day was a good day for getting to know the group. There are 10 of us. I am the only South African and I thought "Yeah cool! I am the only Saffa! I am interesting" this was a bit of an ego-over-boost on my part because the group has One Canadian, Two English (one originally from Ghana and One originally from Nigeria), One American, One Italian and Four Australians. So we're all pretty unique. So I am not any more special than anyone else here... But we're a proper interesting mix of cultures! (yeah yeah it never is all about me)

Once we made it back to the hotel we had an hour before dinner. And I did the one thing that I had been thinking about for 3 days... I brushed my teeth. Hurrah! It was so good - I brushed my teeth again. (I had looked in the mirror midday and was horrified by my dirty teeth - 2 and a half days of travelling will do that) Then I did the second thing I was dying to do - I had a shower. Second Hurrah!

For dinner I had chicken kebabs with chips and fresh OJ. One of the things I had worried about before the trip was about the food - would it taste funny? Would I have to eat lots of lamb? Would it have a weird middle eastern flavour? So far the food has been simple, tasty and quite deliciously edible. (I had couscous and veggies for lunch) I haven't been adventurous but I am not an adventurous eater anyway.

Finally back at the hotel I trudged up to my room and did the greatest thing all day. I slept... Horizontally... In a bed... Not an aeroplane seat Not a departure lounge chair but a big soft warm bed... And you know I was dead to the world for the next 8 hours. Third Hurrah!