underthesamebluesky

Morocco marks my first trip to Africa and a trip that will be with me for a lifetime. I went with my British boyfriend (I'm American) as Morocco is a relatively affordable holiday getaway for the Brits. Originally we had intended 6 days/5 nights in Marrakech and luckily were advised to spend less time there, opting for a 3 day desert excursion (read about that here: http://www.underthesamebluesky.com/desert-tours-morocco). Marrakech itself is a place you must prepare yourself for so you are not taken by surprise. It is an assault to the senses and can be stressful but certainly rewarding. Understanding the environment you are visiting will drastically help manage expectations and anxiety. We did find the constant hassling to be a bit draining as every corner you turn someone is looking to turn a profit. Our initial attempts to smile and say "no, thank you" we soon realised were not effective and we assumed a much more firm manner of saying no. If you love bartering for goods, Marrakech will be like heaven as everything is negotiable. Never take the first price or the second. Know beforehand what the highest you are willing to pay is and start your bidding beneath that. Biggest challenge for me coming from the states was overvaluing (in the sense that I expected to pay high prices and often didn't start my bidding as low as I could) and only in chatting with other tourists did I learn halfway through our holiday that I wasn't getting the best deals. By end of trip though I managed to snag an incredible deal on a beautiful leather jacket!

Scammers are also abundant and you must be prepared. I've hear tales of restaurant menu prices being changed and when you request the menu again they provided a different one. I didn't have that problem but did encounter a similar situation when asking for a henna tattoo and the entire exchange turned into a debacle in which my boyfriend and I left a "donation" as we were told we could and then got into a heated argument as they tried to charge me 900dirham; we finally left about 80 and walked away. I later heard offers of henna tattoos for 5 dirham and realised I had still been ripped off lol.

All in all every travel experience is one in which we are given an opportunity to grow and expand and Morocco provided a beautiful backdrop for our growth. At times a challenging holiday it was also glorious, moving, genuine and unforgettable. Can find out more about my trip details here: http://www.underthesamebluesky.com/t...s-on-marrakech

MinnBeef

Glad to hear you had a great experience. I am also an American (Male) and spent 16 days in Morocco this past April. My highlights were the Hassan II mosque in Casablanca (an ugly city, but the mosque is stunning); Chefchaouen (so worth the bus ride from Casa to get there) and Fes (where I bought a lovely 5'x7' rug. I probably also overpaid somewhat but the rug is beautiful and that's what's most important). I liked Marrakech but was ready to leave it after 3 days. I also enjoyed a day hike into the Ourika Valley and really liked Essaouria.

Looking forward to reading your more detailed trip report.

Ian

MinnBeef: "I probably also overpaid somewhat"

Of course you did. And we did too. But it was still a bargain & a whole lot of fun as well.

And I agree, our 2 1/2 days in Marrakech was enough & our trip south into the desert was our highlight.

Ian