My first trip to Morocco was nine years ago this week. It was only a year after 9-11 and some people thought I was crazy to go to a North African country alone.
And? I couldn't wait to get there.
I chose Morocco for various reasons. Mostly because I wanted - no - I NEEDED to go somewhere very "other". I wanted exotic beauty and I wanted sights and smells as foreign as they come. I needed to get lost in the medina. I needed to steam and scrub away my troubles at the hammam.
I chose the cities I wanted to see by colour. The terra cotta rose of Marrakech. The azure blue of Chefchaouen. The earthy tones of Fes. The sun, sea and sand (yellow, blue and white) of Essaouira.
So I threw everyone else's cautions to the wind and got on a plane. (Well, a couple of them actually.)
Was I worried about being scammed? Mugged? Harrassed? Being in the middle of a terrorist attack? No. I really wasn't. I am glad I didn't travel there with a spirit of fear and suspicion. Then I wouldn't have met the wonderful people I did, nor would I have had the amazing experiences I had.
Is that to say that Morocco is perfect? Absolutely not. If you are a young woman traveling alone, you will get tired of being called "gazelle". You might overpay for some trinkets in the souq if you're not careful. You might even end up with a taxi driver that decides to try take you to his friend's overpriced junk shop before dropping you off at your hotel. Be sure to brush up on your French, learn some Derija and be polite but very firm.
I always tell my friends and family that I feel safer in Morocco than in Canada. Nobody believes me. They just can't figure that out. But then? I took my mother with us on our most recent trip there in March of this year. And she said "I finally get it. I do feel safe here. If you were in trouble and called for help, the whole town would be there to rescue you. It wouldn't be that way at home..."
So what is my advice to women - younger and older - traveling to Morocco solo? Bring your patience and your sense of humour. Don't forget your common sense. Dressing a little more on the modest side doesn't hurt either. Women in Morocco are free to dress as they wish, but I think it's a good idea to respect the faith of 99% of Moroccan people and not dress like you would at a night club at home.
It really is as simple as that. If you have the desire to explore mysterious Morocco, by all means do some good, solid research. Have a plan, but be flexible. It will be a trip you'll never forget.
If anyone has any questions at all about Morocco, don't hesitate to go to my brand new Formspring page. I'll answer them as best as I can.
xo, j~
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