Morocco

THIS YEAR’S charity hitchhike to Morocco turned out to be an exhilarating excursion, but for the lazier types, flying is an option that should not be overlooked. With deals by Ryanair and Easyjet beginning from £50 each-way, this African endeavour is not out of a student’s price range.  

Fes - Morocco’s third largest city

Fes is a perfect location to start from. The medina’s winding and confusing streets within the old city walls are a 3D picture out of Aladdin, with donkey’s immersed into the crowd and the streets lined with merchants selling their colourful Arabian crafts. Intentionally getting lost in the city is a must, there are so many little nooks and crannies to uncover, beautiful mosaic fountains, bakers hidden in dingy little rooms below street level and potters articulately painting their produce; for those that are not fond of the commercial, this is the place to be.

Once you have tired yourself out among the hectic Moroccans and after a few leather bags scream your name and miracle themselves from hanging on street walls into your proud hands, you won’t be able to ignore the abundance of food absolutely everywhere. Olives, kebabs and French influenced pastries will soon become the focus of all your attention, and you will not be let down. Try a Tagine, the country’s speciality dish offering a tasty variety of vegetables with your choice of succulent meat sizzling in its juices, or order the couscous, which similarly offers aromatic pleasures that descend to the taste buds.

The Tinerhir Oasis

An easy mistake to make in Morocco is staying in one place if you do not have much time; keep moving. My next stop was Tinerhir, where we rented out bikes for under a tenner for the day and cycled in the sweltering heat for three hours to Todra Gorge, an immense cut in a mountain. This was the highlight of my trip; we rode, towed and smoked through little villages, along cliff edges with no boundaries overlooking desert and oasis’, it was spectacular, though nothing compared to the dramatic gorge itself. Upon completion you will be rewarded with an ice-cold stream to paddle in and a juicy Tagine.

Morocco being predominantly Muslim (this is hard to miss as prayer calls drown out all other noises five times a day, every day), alcohol is hard to come by, but it’s not impossible to get. You can buy overpriced beers in some guesthouses and restaurants, or you can hire a car for the day and pass a cash and carry; after a seven day detox, finding dirty ‘dragon’ vodka at £5 a litre was a little overwhelming.

Marrakech - Morocco’s most stylish destination?

My advice would be for everyone to spend a little time in Marrakech, keep it minimal. The shopping is great but the hustle bustle can get too much; everyone wants your money and people get hostile if you decide to not buy from every Mohammed, Hassan and Abu. I was told my mother worked in McDonalds for minimum wage on my first night. By the second night, I’d created a monster who remembered me every time I walked past, screaming every swear word under the sun at me and without fail ended each confrontation with a firm upholding of the middle finger until I was out of sight. Hilarious the first time round, however much less amusing was my return to Marrakech after retreating to the seaside for a couple of days, when he remembered me and the succession of abuse was repeated, summing up my view of the city.
 
Essaouira Beach

Aside from being buried in sand by the torrent of wind whilst sunbathing, the sandy beach of Essaouira offers ultimate relaxation. For a couple of pounds per head, you can rent an apartment and party without disrespecting the culture. Be aware of walking around at night though, there is a strange vibe in this town. We were followed about for a good hour by a crazy man with dreadlocks and protruding teeth, laughing psychotically whilst running circles around us throwing up his hat and running to catch it repeatedly. It was a special moment when the hat landed on a shop roof: game inevitably over. The same man was spotted at a later date strolling around in a mellow every-day manner, hat on head.

Ultimately, Morocco is stunning, accessible and a good laugh: don’t miss out!