Day 8 — Grandma Got Into the Balloon, and Morocco Looked Better From the Sky
There are certain moments when you look at your elderly mother, look at the side of a hot air balloon basket, and think, “This may be where the adventure gets…
Day 7 — Marrakech Gave Us Tombs, Markets, and the Great Moroccan Laundry Mission
There is a point in every long family trip when clean laundry becomes more exciting than historic monuments.I am not proud of this.But I am honest.By the time we reached…
Day 6 — Ait Ben Haddou Looked Like a Movie Set Because It Basically Was
There are some places that feel ancient.There are some places that feel cinematic.And then there is Ait Ben Haddou, which somehow manages to look like both an archaeological site and…
Day 5 — Sunrise in the Sahara, Dune Bashing, and the Hotel Pool Nobody Asked For
There are few things that will get me out of bed early on vacation.A flight, unfortunately.A buffet breakfast with good pastries, possibly.A sunrise over the Sahara Desert, absolutely.After our cloudy,…
Day 4 — The Sahara Was Supposed to Give Us a Sunset. It Gave Us Camels and Rain Instead
There are many ways to prepare for an eight-hour drive through the Atlas Mountains.Sleep well.Pack snacks.Use the bathroom whenever possible.And never underestimate the emotional power of knowing that camels are…
Day 3 — Fes Tried to Lose Us in 9,000 Streets and Then Handed Us Mint
There is a special kind of confidence you feel before entering a medieval medina with more than 9,000 winding streets.It is completely undeserved.You look at your guide, your family, and…
Day 2 — The Road to Fes Started With Romans, Couscous, and Children Being Volunteered for Things
There is something wonderfully dangerous about waking up on the second day of a trip and believing you have adjusted.You have not.Your body still thinks it belongs in another time…
Day 1 — Casablanca Tried to Welcome Us With Trains, Tiny Taxis, and a Police Escort
There is a dangerous moment at the beginning of every family trip when everyone is still optimistic.The bags have wheels. The children are still speaking to each other. Grandma is…