When the opportunity came along to visit Morocco with Wanderlust Voyages, I thought “sure, why not?”. It was never on my radar of places that "I need to go" but the trip looked cool and I am all about exploring new destinations. I had no idea of the impact this place would actually have on me. Morocco made me feel completely out of my element and I loved it. There were times that it was stressful, chaotic and simply just overloaded my senses but as I sit here writing this I’m literally crying because I miss it so much.

With heavy influences from Africa, Spain and France there is a wide diversity in the people, the spoken languages (multilingual Moroccans will put you to shame), the architecture and landscapes which are filled with snow capped mountains, beautiful deserts and maze like Medina’s where sensory overload is an understatement.

In Morocco, most mosques are off limits to non-muslims. One of the few exceptions is the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca. It sits above the Atlantic Ocean and is a beautiful sight.

We made our way to Rabat which a had a cute modern metro feel in downtown with coffee (good luck trying to get dairy free creamer) and chocolate shops.

During the rest of our stays we stayed in a riad in Fes called La Maison Bleue . Where the beds are heated, which is really nice when it's chilly. Shelly and I set the temps to high because we were frozen and woke up thinking we were on fire! So they really work! We really wanted another shot on those heated beds at the desert camp! Just saying.

No worries if you're looking to be pampered after all the exploring, I have to say Morocco had some seriously bougie places to stay, play (including award winning golf and casinos), spa (hammam is on my to do list next time around) , eat and shop. Moroccans have succeeded in finding a perfect balance in preserving their cultural heritage while being a forward thinking modern society with every convenience.

Our first dinner was in “Old Rabat” where we had dinner in a riad, which is a traditional Moroccan home and a must see, if not stay in Morocco. It is characterized with an inner courtyard or garden as its central element of the building. We visited many riads over the coming days and each time it was like we found our own splendid treasure from the architectural details, historical elements and lush gardens.

Following the Islamic principle of privacy and inward reflection, there will be very little giving away its secret treasures outwardly, it will be inside where you will find its beauty. Walking in an alleyway in the Medina you could pass a palace thinking it was just a simple doorway in a wall.

At a restaurant called Dar Rbatia is where we got our first taste of Moroccan cuisine. Pastilla (B'stilla), Tagine chicken, Zaalooke salad and our soon to be favorite beverage Moroccan Tea. We couldn’t seem to get enough of this warm, sugary, minty treat. We probably drank our weight in it. There is even an art to pouring it. Apparently the higher the tea pot is held from the glass the better! We took an amazing cooking class to learn how to make the tea, Zaalooke salad and Tagine chicken at La Maison Arabe.

Stopping in Meknes for a winery tour and tasting at Les Celliers de Meknes. (we may have bought a few ….. or maybe 6 bottles each for the road) Shukran! (Thank you!)

Medina’s are the historic hearts of Moroccan cities. We explored Medina's in both Fes and Marrakech, which are both UNESCO World Heritage sites. Part market, part shopping center, part residential. In the winding narrow alleyways you’ll be surrounded by gorgeous leather bags, intoxicating spices, colorful rugs, ornate metal lamps, and enticing delicacies like dates, olives, figs and oranges and with lots of bargaining to be had.

If you hear someone yelling "balak", watch out! You run the risk of being run over by a donkey cart or motorbike. It’s recommended you find a guide your first time, as it can be overwhelming and you can definitely get swindled. Morocco felt very safe as you're unlikely to be in any real physical danger but as you would traveling anywhere in the world you'd want to stay vigilant to petty crime.

With the volume of people and sheer abundance, I was struck at how remarkably clean the Medina's were, especially walking thru the fish markets. Our local grocery stores that are supposedly sanitary still can have that “fishy” smell and there was absolutely none of that….the tannery…that was another story (bring mint to stuff up your nostrils, especially summertime.....yes, mint...up the nose..seriously).

Artisan work is taken very seriously and often passed on over generations. From baker to table maker the pride in craftsmanship is evident.

This being my first opportunity to visit a Muslim country, I had never before experienced a call to prayer. I am not a religious person but there was something beautiful and peaceful about the melodic call 5 times per day. It reminded me of my yoga meditation where you stop for a few deep cleansing breaths and to re-center yourself multiple times per day. It gave me a deeper understanding as to why the people there seem so at peace and open.

We spent A LOT of time driving through the low, middle and high parts of the range. (Bring Dramamine if you’re prone to motion sickness) Put simply, if you want to see the country, plan on spending a good amount of time on the road. The variety of terrain and villages we visited was amazing. The largest population of people that live here are Berber (Amazigh -free people), a North African culture with influences that goes back thousands of years including a blending of southern Europe during a Roman rule. Each village offered a completely different feel.

A pitstop to visit with Macaque monkeys in Azrou was an unexpected delight. These monkey’s were just roaming freely and very accustomed to visitors, so accustomed in fact, this guy tried to give Shelly a kiss!

Morocco is known for it's rose water and argan oil. We made stops along the way to buy some locally made items and support the local economy and women cooperatives. Needless to say we smelled fantastic!

A stop in Khamlia Village we were treated to Moroccan tea and some musical entertainment from the Gnawa tribe which are a people who’s ancestors were originally from areas of Africa like Sudan, Mali and Niger that were forced to move across the Sahara as part of the worldwide slave trade. Shackled as they crossed the desert, they sang to soothe and found mindfulness in the rhythmic chanting and clanking. Centuries later their direct descendants now play this spiritual music as a tribute to their culture and homeland.

Along the Algerian border, families live the migrant lifestyle of a nomad, following their animals in search of water and food. We were warmly welcomed with Moroccan tea and dates by a family in their camp. I was entranced by the joy and strength of these people living this impressive yet harsh lifestyle, cementing further my thoughts that you really don’t need very many things to live and be happy.

One of the highlights that I was really looking forward to was riding a camel to Golden Camp, our glamping spot in the Sahara. Because how effin cool is that?!! Turns out riding a camel for 90 minutes is pretty uncomfortable and give you a much deeper and unpleasant understanding of “camel toe”😳. However, there’s an eerie silence in the desert when the sun sets and the wind dies down where you feel a great sense of peace and connection to the universe. The beautiful color of the desert up close at sunset, riding with a group of a people in complete silence with this strong feeling that we were all connected. A place where the enormity of that very special moment in time is so overwhelming that your heart aches each time you think of it.

Morocco, 10 days was not enough ....you've left me wanting so much more.

- Lily Rosko, Lime Time Travel