Spring Break 2007

Where to begin? The 10 days of my spring break were absolutely unbelievable; I don't think any words or pictures will quite explain them. This was a true life experience. I don't want to say it changed my life but it did something. I feel like I am more aware of what I'm capable of, of what I can do even in the most foreign situations. These travels have been truly remarkable, once in a lifetime really. It's absurd that I'm only 20 years old and can check off some of those things on the 'life to-do' list. This trip was everything: stressful and peaceful, comfortable and very uncomfortable, mundane and exotic. In short, the best and worst of travel. So I willgive you a day by day account og it all. This isn't everything because there's too much to remember but it will be long. You're going to love it though.

N.B. At times I may have knowingly placed myself in potentially dangerous situations. Don't do that. I am safe and well because I am hardcore and rugged but you might not be so lucky. Also, to my parents, I'm sorry if any of this worries you. I won't do it again...or I probably will but not tell you til after it's done.

Day 1
Esther, Molly, Ashly and I left Rome Thursday evening to fly to Madrid. So far so good. Upong getting to Madrid we didn't know what bus station we needed to be at to get to Sevilla. So we went to one but that was wrong and then we got to Estacion del Sur which was right but we had missed the last bus that night. So we were stuck in the bus station at 1 AM with nowhere to go. Then we got kicked out of the bus station because it was closing. So we found a little bus shelter on the street and spent the night there. Maybe that was dangerous but there was another group of backpackers across the street. I like to think we were both keeping an eye on the other group to make sure they were safe. But maybe not. Anyway, I stayed awake the whole time because that was important to do. It got pretty cold but we played cards and talked and I thought it was a grand adventure. And now I can sleep on streets anytime I want.

Day 2 Friday
They opened the station again at 5 or 6 in the morning so we went back in, along with all the homeless people and other rugged travelers. We had to wait for another few hours for the bus but that was ok. I began to dust off my Spanish skills and rock the Spanish lisp. I know, you are jealous. So we rode the bus for 6 hours and arrive in Sevilla in the early afternoon. There Esther's friend Tommy met us and helped us get settled. He's studying there for the semester and he's really nice and awesome so it was a great intro to the city. We stayed in a cool little hostel not far from the center of town. Also we met a girl who was from the Iowa City area. She and a friend were biking thgough Spain. But she had to cut her trip short because she had to go home and start training for the Olympics. She's a triathlete. That's when I decided I needed a better story than 'Spring Break!' But I never came up with a believable one. We had lunch and walked around a bit and generally relaxed. There was a little fair going on to celebrate the three cultures that settled Sevilla so we got to see a lot of handcrafted goods and such. That night we had tapas and Tommy took us to a flamenco show. It was amazing; the dancer was very intense and the singer and guitarrist were great. Then some other couples got up and danced the sevillanas. It was a lot of fun because it was at a place that was more local and authentic. We went to bed pretty early that night because we were all exhausted.

Day 3 Saturday
Molly, Ashly, and I woke up early to get our bus tickets to the port town of Algeciras. Then we went to the cathedral (biggest in Europe) and climbed up La Giralda (bell tower) to get a spectacular view of Sevilla. It was beautiful, sunny, warm, and friendly. Kind of touristy but that's ok. We also saw Christopher Columbus's tomb. Then we met up with Tommy and Esther for lunch. He took us to this awesome place for bocadillos (sandwiches) and beer. Delicious. Walked around Sevilla more, saw some good street performers and musicians. Then Tommy and Esther left to go to a concert and we just hung out arounde the city. Had some sangria by the river and took it easy. We were in for some serious travel so we decided to relax while we could. Then that night we got on another bus and headed off to Algeciras.

Day 4 Sunday
We arrived in Algeciras around midnight and with nowhere to stay because our plans had changed just before we left Rome and we hadn't expected to be there for the night. But we decided we could be on the streets again because we had already succesfully done it in Madrid. But Algeciras isn't quite the same and was a little darker and scarier. Fortunately just by walking a block or two from the bus station we found a cheap hostel that was decent. After all, we only needed beds. We woke up early to get a ferry, managing to just catch to 9 o'clock. The ferry port was very crowded with Moroccans going back and a large group of elderly South Americans on tour. There was also another group of backpackers; they were far more rugged though and Polish. The ferry was awesome. It was the super fast ferry so it only took an hour to an hour and a half. But it wasn't exactly smooth and walking around was hard. I talked to the Polish people a bit more and began to befriend them. The main one who spoke English said he thought I was Polish at first but then saw that I had a North Face bag so he knew I was American. But the Polish like North Face and Americans so it was ok. And now I know I could maybe pass for Polish. Anyway, it turned out that they were also going to the train station in Tanger (the Moroccan port) so we tagged along with them. We hiked from the port to the station, with a few wrong turns but nothing too bad. We got there in time to catch the 11 o'clock train to Marrakech but didn't have dirhams (the Moroccan currency) and the atm rejected me at first so then we missed that train. The next one was at 1 though so we just hung out with the Polish people at the station. And this is when I made a Moroccan friend. I was just sitting quietly and a young woman sat down next to me with her mom. Apparently despite my somewhat disheveled appearance, she thought I looked friendly so she began to talk to me. Unfortunately I don't know Arabic or French and her English was very limited but we managed ok. I think. She's a student in Tangier but was going to visit her grandparents in Sidi Kasem, where we had to change trains. So she basically made it her mission to be my best friend. We sat in the same compartment along with two other Moroccans. Hanane, my new friend, was really happy to talk to me so we passed the time having conversations though we may having been talking about different things. She kept telling me to come to her house and she would make me dinner but I had to decline because there wasn't enough time. But she gave me her number and address anyway and told me to call or write. I gave her my address at home so she could write and practice English. So, if a letter from Morocco comes for me, it's from her. Anyway, the train ride was long and very hot but the countryside was gorgeous. At Sidi Kasem, we said good bye to Hanane and her mom and got on another train to go to Marrakech. Moroccan transportation is a little different though. Basically, however many people you can fit on the train, get to ride. We weren't totally aware of this though so we didn't storm the train like everyone else. We did get on but there were no seats and it was entirely packed, all the aisles, the places where two cars connect, everywhere. So we ended up just standing for a long time although we were all in different places. It was maybe a little uncomfortable but an amazing experience and I absolutely loved it. I was jammed into this train car with all Moroccans, who spoke no English, and the train door was broken so we could see everything just flying by. Everytime we stopped, people would push on and off and everybody would get jostled about. It was very colorful and animated. We had to change trains again at Casa Voyageurs. Molly and Ashly had found seats on the previous train and made friends with some Moroccan men. I looked surly though so they didn't talk to me but I was ok with that. Anyway these guys waited with us til our next train but we managed to get rid of them once on the train. This train wasn't as crowded because it was getting to be late but we still had to stand for awhile. A little girl walked by me holding two chicks, one was dyed red and the other blue. I don't know why. A group of young men drummed on the side of the train and sang songs too. They liked Ashly and talked hip-hop and rap with her, sort of. Eventually we found seats and I sat next to Nabil. He's a student in Marrakech and he spoke the best English of anyone we had met thus far. He was also very clearly gay so I didn't have to worry about him being a creeper. He was eally nice and offered to give us a ride to our riad (hotel) but then his cousin didn't pick him up so he got us a taxi. And of course taxi drivers are notorious for trying to scam tourists so even though Nabil had negotiated a set price before we left, when we got dropped off the driver demanded twice that. Molly and Ashly were very put off by that but all we had to do was pay him what had been agreed and tell him no more. The driver got all dramatic and huffy but that's how they do. Then he just left so it was ok. The streets of Marrakech are very narrow and small though so we had to walk a ways to actually get to our riad. Despite some helpful directions by a little old man, we got lost. And Marrakech late at night is dark and a little scary. There was garbage and stray cats and we were lost. It's then that I began to really wonder what I had gotten myself into. But a nice couple who spoke some English guided us and we made it ok. We basically just collapsed into bed because we had to be up early the next morning to meet our guide for the camel trek.

And this is where I will leave off for now. More to come for sure. Unfortunately as I write this, I realize it doesn't nearly as exciting as it actually was. Or stressful for that matter. But you'll just have to believe me. And when I talk about this trip to you, because I will mention it all the time, maybe you'll get to hear some better details and all.