After two young women, Maren Ueland and Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, were murdered a couple of weeks ago, one could patently say, “No, women travellers are not safe in Morocco.” But earlier in December Grace Millane was murdered while travelling alone in New Zealand. None of us would conclude on that basis that New Zealand is …
The last time I wrote, I was in the High Atlas Mountains, battling what I thought was a minor stomach bug. Travellers to Morocco are supposed to avoid the water – which is relatively easy – and any food that you haven’t peeled yourself – which is virtually impossible. Much of the food is fresh, …
This morning I met a young woman named Claudia. She was checking out of our hotel, and I was preparing to sit in the lounge for the day, drinking mint tea while I battle a stomach bug. Claudia reminded me why I travel. She grew up in Switzerland in the 1990s. I grew up in …
Every trip has its highlights. Sometimes the highlight is exactly what was expected. Sometimes it’s the unexpected —even the dreaded —that produces the most delight. So it was with our first experience of a personal guide. Normally, we would avoid having a guide like the plague. We prefer to set our own pace and discover …
Marrakech is at its best early in the morning and at sunset. The blocky red buildings glow against the half-light in the sky. The palm trees and open boulevards give the city a graceful colonial feel. In the heat of the day, Marrakech is a cacophony of noise, smell and sweaty humanity. A bewildering array …