Postcard from Fes

So here I am in Fes Morrocco. Let me apologise up front for the poor spelling and formatting on this post as this keyboard has me puzzled with the keys in a rather different layout.

Life is good. I am feeling very over stimulated after a morning in the local madina (old city). It was like a trip back to biblical times. Crowds of people, narrow streets, street sellers roasting chicpeas and nuts, donkeys as the only form of travel, beggars, sellers, places of worship and all kinds of characters keen to interact with our group. Wow.

Life here is so different as one would expect. I hardly know where to start.

We arrived in Spain last Thursday after a 36 hour trip without any luggage to 40 something degree heat - it was not the best start, but things got better very quickly. Our tour group is 43 people from mainly Australia and the US and mainly people in their 40s to 60s. We are almost the youngest, but are fitting in well with most.

Spain was beautiful, just what I expected a European country to be like. Great food, friendly people and rich history. We travelled through Toledo, Granada and Costa de Sol in the first few days.

Today is our first full day in Morrocco and for me it is the highlight so far. It reminds me alot of my various trips through Asia yet also makes me feel I am time travelling back to another time thousands of years ago.

The poverty contrasted with the classy hotel we are staying in is confronting. It is interesting to see the way different members of our group deal with it. Some are doing their best to ignore it, others seem overwhelmed and are reluctant to leave the oasis of our poor and overpriced resteraunts, sme can not stop complaining about the smell, others are taking it all in, others giving money away...... I am not sure how I am processing it.

Tomorrow we move on to Marrakesh which we have been told is amazing too. V is keen to pick up a tea set and some local hand crafts, the markets promise to be an experience and a half.

Got to run now, looking forward to sharing more soon, especially some of the photos I am taking. Will try and update soon.