Magical Morocco Travel Diaries: Here’s Looking at You, Kid!

It’s the final week in Morocco! So far, the country has exceeded my expectations, and travelling with Mark has been awesome! Just to recap, we started off with a train ride from Casablanca to Marrakech, where we spent our first three nights. Then, we rented a car and drove to Fes through Aït Benhaddou, Todgha Gorges, Merzouga, and Midelt.

Day 10 & 11: All Day, Fes & The Ride to Chefchaouen

fes1

It rained for most of the time we were in Fes. But that didn’t stop us from seeing the city. Actually, the rain wasn’t even an issue. The major challenge was leaving the riad. It had such a beautiful ambience and our room was gorgeous. We spent the day getting lost in the medina and the souks. I preferred the souks here to the ones in Marrakech but obviously, Marrakech has a lot more going on.

We also visited the very beautiful Merdersa Bou Inania. Having missed out on seeing a similar Merdersa in Marrakech, I was very delighted to see this one.

fes5
…”a beauty beyond reckoning”

As the rain poured harder, we found a nice restaurant to have lunch in. The meal was generally tasty but the pastilla, man, this was so good, it needed its own photo shoot!

fes8

After lunch, we decided to walk around the medina some more before going back to the riad. We came across some kids playing football and asked them for directions to the Grand Mosque. They told us it was closed for the day but gave us directions to where we could get a view of the mosque and the entire medina. We left them to their game but it wasn’t long until we noticed one of them had followed us.

Fes

He told us we were going the wrong way and offered to lead us to the balcony for the view. The view was so-so (I didn’t even see the mosque) but we passed by a rug store which was beautiful. And when it was time to go, yep, you guessed it. He asked Mark for money. I have never seen anyone transform so fast!

He went from this happy, smiling kid who wanted to become a doctor and hated girls to this mean-looking adult trapped in a child’s body. I think Mark handed him 10DH (about a dollar) before he stopped following us around.

Fes Medina

The next day, we took a bus to Chefchaouen. We missed out on the scenery because we got motion sickness pills and slept throughout the ride. I remember Mark asking the pharmacist if they were non-drowsy and she saying ‘no’ but those things knocked us out!

Day 12: Picture Perfect in Chefchaouen

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Ah, Chefchaouen! The final major part of our trip. Mark was very excited to be here. Finally, he could get those ‘slay pictures’ he always wanted for the ‘gram!

Mark Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen

I was ONLY here to walk around, hike mountains and …. err.. enjoy the scenery? Yep, that’s what I was here to do.

chairs after
Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil

We spent 2 nights in the city, which I think was just enough time to see and do everything we wanted to do. We hiked to the Spanish Mosque, walked around the medina, visited a Kasbah, ate more Tajine and drank more mint tea. And then, we took a bus to Tangier and a taxi to Asilah.

Day 13 & 14: Asilah

Asilah Morocco beautiful beach

By the time we got to Asilah, all we wanted to do was eat, sleep and repeat! And this was pretty much what we did. On arrival, we checked into our hotel, settled in for a bit then went to the beach to watch the sunset. I think Mark’s favourite room was the one in Fes but the one in Asilah was mine.

We watched the sunrise at the beach the next day too. Walked through a very dull medina, had more tajine, had more mint tea and just enjoyed being in the city, while considering whether or not to stay one more night.

asilah2

Many online forums I read said to skip Casablanca. ‘It’s not worth visiting, not even for an overnight stay’. We contemplated going to Casablanca the same day we were to fly out. Even though I wanted, so badly, to stay in Asilah, I just couldn’t help worrying about what would happen if things went wrong.

I’m used to services breaking down so I kept thinking ‘What if the trains don’t work or they get delayed?’ Then we’d miss our flights and I have read that Royal Air Maroc isn’t the best airline you want to miss a flight on. Anyway, we booked to stay in an Airbnb apartment and left for Casablanca via train the next morning.

Day 15 & 16: Asilah to Casablanca, Casablanca & Flight Back Home 🙁

Casablanca Mosque

Nothing went wrong. The train didn’t break down. It showed up on time, we got first-class tickets and we were the only ones in our berth the entire ride. Our Airbnb apartment was pretty cool too. It had a view of the Hassan II Mosque and our host was quite nice. Dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant that evening was also very good.

The next morning, we took a walk along the corniche, stopping briefly at the impressive Hassan II Mosque. On our way back, it began to rain. A couple who had come to have a picnic saw us walking back and gave us a ride in their car. They took us right to our next stop, Rick’s Cafe, where we had lunch before heading to the train station and the airport later on.

cas1

I’m so glad we got to spend some time in Casablanca. We had a good time here. While I agree that other cities have more interesting things to do in them, I think Casablanca is worth an overnight stay.

And so, like our trip, this series has come to an end. You can catch up with the first three posts by clicking on the links below;

The Beginning…

Marrakech

Sand & Snow!

Thanks for following this series. Here’s looking at you, kids!

casa6

37 comments

  1. I watched the vlog on this trip a while back but only realized today I hadn’t read the blog post. Honestly don’t know why it crossed my mind today of all days but this post is making me re consider all my travel plans for the year, pack my bags and go to Morocco.. Everything about this trip is sooooo beautiful, the pictures, the stories, the experiences… I was going to ask for a cost break down but saw your response to other of such questions. I honestly was beginning to forget why I started travelling till this post, the excitement of discovering new places is back. Well done Amarachi. All I need now is a “Mark” as a travel buddy to help slay on the pictures & video shots haha.. he really did an amazing job.

    Ps: Malaria kits.. Lmao. You really are the most romantic.

    1. Hey Seun, thanks for your lovely comment and yaay to getting your mojo back! Can’t wait to see all the exciting places you begin to discover again.. Good photographers make the best travel buddies! Mark has set the standard for picture taking and now, I can’t go below that! So much pressure, haha

  2. Caught up with the trip in one sitting. Whew. What a trip. You guys had such a good time. We need a cost breakdown please!

  3. Yay I’m finally caught up on the series! Thanks for sharing in full detail. I find it hard to summarize a long trip in 1 or 2 posts so I love that you broke it down so you could share in more detail. We all went to Morocco together!

    Shout out to Mark for the great pics, I’m now reassessing my travel buddies by their photography skills 😉

  4. Amarachi ooo! This series and the pictures are too tempting. I wanna travel like you when I grow up ! #dazall!
    Mark is the real MVP I must say.
    Keep updating us, we love your travel stories 😊😍😍

  5. With my hand under my jaw, I smiled all through as I read. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Everything was perfect.

    By the way, that your white dress in the desert concept is ‘bae’ raised to power 10…lol.

    1. I’m glad you enjoyed reading it 🙂 thanks for your comments and I’m looking forward to hearing about your own trip too.

      PS: Mark is going to be both amused and confused by this comment, haha!

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Aesthetically pleasing spaces in Kenya 🍂🦒
Aesthetically pleasing spaces in Kenya 🍂🦒
16 hours ago
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Kenya had dropped the paid ETA requirement for most Africans, including Nigerians. 💃🏾🎉

And in celebration of that, I'm sharing some of my favourite places to include in your Kenyan holiday itinerary!

Will you be visiting or have you been to any of these places?
Kenya had dropped the paid ETA requirement for most Africans, including Nigerians. 💃🏾🎉 And in celebration of that, I'm sharing some of my favourite places to include in your Kenyan holiday itinerary! Will you be visiting or have you been to any of these places?
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When I stumbled upon The Hildana Lodge, I couldn't be happier. Luckily, they had availability for the exact dates I wanted, a resident's rate, and no single supplement!

I stayed here for 2 nights but could have easily stayed longer! This place is magical, and I can't wait to return! ✨️
This lodge in Taita-Taveta was such a great last-minute find for me! ___________________ I needed a quick break from Nairobi and thought to visit Diani and Tsavo. While finding accommodation in Diani was fairly easy, I struggled to find a place that fit my schedule, budget, and preference in the Voi/Tsavo area. When I stumbled upon The Hildana Lodge, I couldn't be happier. Luckily, they had availability for the exact dates I wanted, a resident's rate, and no single supplement! I stayed here for 2 nights but could have easily stayed longer! This place is magical, and I can't wait to return! ✨️
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As someone who enjoys travelling and pursuing a fulfilling career, I don't believe that you have to give up one for the other. ✈️🍂✨️

You can maintain a healthy travel life without forfeiting a career you love, and here's one of the best ways to do so ⤵️

Taking advantage of public holidays, combined with your vacation days. For example, there's a public holiday coming up next month.

It'll be a 2-day holiday, and if you take only 2 days off work, you'll get 6 vacation days! - perfect for this "Beach and Bush" holiday in Kenya! 🐚🐘🌊

Work-life balance is key, so find ways to do the things that are important to you now that you can!💙
As someone who enjoys travelling and pursuing a fulfilling career, I don't believe that you have to give up one for the other. ✈️🍂✨️ You can maintain a healthy travel life without forfeiting a career you love, and here's one of the best ways to do so ⤵️ Taking advantage of public holidays, combined with your vacation days. For example, there's a public holiday coming up next month. It'll be a 2-day holiday, and if you take only 2 days off work, you'll get 6 vacation days! - perfect for this "Beach and Bush" holiday in Kenya! 🐚🐘🌊 Work-life balance is key, so find ways to do the things that are important to you now that you can!💙
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Weekends in Kenya that look like this! 🐘💙🦒

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Here's what you can expect when you ride the premium class train from Nairobi to Mombasa and vice versa 🚅

It's a slow but scenic ride to the coast, but I love it and rather prefer it to flying. ✨️

PS: If you want great views of Tsavo National Park as you pass through (Nairobi > Mombasa), sit on the left side of the train (i.e., even numbered seats)

But be aware that some seats have partial window views. Seats 26, 21, 25, 15, and 6 are great!(Nairobi > Mombasa)

Seat on the opposite side on the Mombasa > Nairobi train. I couldn't keep track of all the good seats on this train 🥹.

The train also has a first and economy class coach, which are significantly cheaper than premium class. And once you're back in Nairobi, all "premium services end" 🤭😋

Have you gone on this train before? What was your experience like? 💬

Are team train 🚆 or flight ✈️?
Here's what you can expect when you ride the premium class train from Nairobi to Mombasa and vice versa 🚅 It's a slow but scenic ride to the coast, but I love it and rather prefer it to flying. ✨️ PS: If you want great views of Tsavo National Park as you pass through (Nairobi > Mombasa), sit on the left side of the train (i.e., even numbered seats) But be aware that some seats have partial window views. Seats 26, 21, 25, 15, and 6 are great!(Nairobi > Mombasa) Seat on the opposite side on the Mombasa > Nairobi train. I couldn't keep track of all the good seats on this train 🥹. The train also has a first and economy class coach, which are significantly cheaper than premium class. And once you're back in Nairobi, all "premium services end" 🤭😋 Have you gone on this train before? What was your experience like? 💬 Are team train 🚆 or flight ✈️?
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The most relaxing staycation ever! Coastal vibes in Diani Beach and a wonderful safari in Taita-Taveta county! 🐚🐘

This trip was so easy to plan and embark upon from Nairobi. I travelled by rail from Nairobi to Mombasa and then to Diani. 🌊

On my return leg, I stopped in Voi and transferred to a super gorgeous lodge, where I spent the weekend enjoying massages, spotting elephants 🐘 and giraffes 🦒, and just having a swell and relaxing time!

Sharing details on my blog and IG stories!✨️
The most relaxing staycation ever! Coastal vibes in Diani Beach and a wonderful safari in Taita-Taveta county! 🐚🐘 This trip was so easy to plan and embark upon from Nairobi. I travelled by rail from Nairobi to Mombasa and then to Diani. 🌊 On my return leg, I stopped in Voi and transferred to a super gorgeous lodge, where I spent the weekend enjoying massages, spotting elephants 🐘 and giraffes 🦒, and just having a swell and relaxing time! Sharing details on my blog and IG stories!✨️
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The Best of Both Worlds! 🥰

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I'll be sharing all about this experience in my next blog post on www.travelwithapen.com -  what to expect from this train ride, the best seats for unobstructed views and elephant sightings in Tsavo National Park, and notable changes in the journey from Nairobi to Mombasa and Diani!

#diani #dianibeachkenya #sgr #railtravel #tsavo #tembeakenya
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Bougainvillea in full bloom in Nairobi 🌸, always a highlight of our strolls!
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