Pictures: I Know Y'all Want to See Pictures

 

Four Places in One Week

 Wow. Just wow. What a week this has been. As you know from my last post, we had to switch hostels because they overbooked. Let me take you through the journey of our sleeping quarters this past week, my friends:

Bed Square and a hotel that I cannot remember the name: Overbooked and no room at the Inn

You basically know the deal with this one. They often get overbooked by Hostelworld, "so thank you for booking with us, but you must leave." This new room: hard-as-heck beds and a bathroom smell that would make any garbage man (or woman) gag. We were jet-lagged, though, so no big deal.

Another hotel (and no, I don't remember this name either)

Was this a step up? Absolutely. Soft bed, lovely smelling bathroom. But wait--let me tell you about the music. Each night we stayed there, there was a beautiful (but loud) African band playing upstairs. I want you to imagine horse clattering and loud bellowing...for three hours. Sigh, no sleep here.

Workaway stay--free apartment in Casablanca!

Part of our mission this year is to use our services for good. What are our services, you ask? Well teaching, of course! So, we signed up for three weeks volunteering our English-speaking mouths for Moroccans learning English. Basically, we just need to chat with them a few times a day. It's lovely--at least for the one day we did it.

Harim, our lovely host, showed us our apartment right next to the school. What did it entail, you ask? Well, three mattresses, some suspect sheets, and two pillows. Oh, and a lot of dirt. Needless to say, we didn't sleep well last night. 

Thankfully, Harim thought we would be better off in El Jadida (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Jadida), so we packed our bags and left at 8:00 a.m. this morning to drive to this city. This drive only took 4 hours because Harim had to do some errands: new neon lights for his pool and some new steel gates for his farm. Sigh. Travel--a beautiful blend of seeing new sights, nostalgia, and waiting....endless waiting.

Another free apartment in El Jadida

We have arrived to a better living situation (see below picture), and with a little soap, some scrubbing, and some reorganization, we can see ourselves finally staying put for the next three weeks (we have tickets out to Senegal on the 20th of September).

Whew. What a week and so many lessons learned. It's as if we haven't traveled before and all the things we knew vanished from our jet-lagged and tired brains. We'll get there, though. Thankfully, El Jadida is a port city, so there is some familiarity--palm trees and ocean breeze. Oh, and it's sardine season...have mercy!

Morocco or Bust!

We have arrived, dear followers! After one car, two planes, one train, one taxi, and one wandering around a purposely confusing old city (https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/cultural-space-of-jemaa-el-fna-square-00014), we arrived with a big sigh to our BOOKED hostel.

Unfortunately, the hostel overbooked us, but "No worries, my friend. We have another place for you." So, one short walk and one lesser quality hostel room, we got to set our backpacks down. After walking around for a bit and promising Sila we would come back for the famous night market (we didn't come back--promises broken: 1), we settled onto our hard beds and pretended we wouldn't fall asleep at 7:00 p.m. (we did). The beds might be the hardest surface I have ever slept on (other than a floor or bench). Thankfully, the Griffins like hard beds and a dark place.  

Today is another day, though, and we're feeling good. We saw a famous tomb (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saadian_Tombs), got some tea, and figured out our game plan for the next few days (we're staying...just in a new space).

That's it for now. I'm trying to figure out Sila's "education" for this week and help him navigate his first blog post: https://worldstories2022.blogspot.com/. If you know of good websites, games, and educational activities, post them below!

Ugh. Here is my first post! Griffins take off again.

Okay, friends. Here is my first f-ing post! Yes, I procrastinated, and no, I didn't forget about putting you all on my blog-distribution list. The truth of the matter is that I have been busy. So.very.busy.

Those who know me well know about my lists. I have lists for everything, and for the last two weeks, I have had a daily list that is insane in the membrane. Want to know what tomorrow's list looks like (the day BEFORE we leave)? Well, here it is!

And, if you're able to click on and enlarge it, you'll see some surprising last-minute stuff. Get visa photos? Really? We waited until the day before to get something so important? Yup, we did because in addition to all the lists, we have also been having fun. Pool parties, friend gatherings, music weekend with MAD Libs/Nicole/Monica, and dinner and dancing with the Riveras and Tucks.

Anyway, I digress. Most of you know that Conan, Sila, and I are (in theory) going around the world in the next 8-9 months. However, we know nothing about our trip other than the first two nights hotel. That's how we roll. So my reference to "in theory" means we have no idea where we'll actually go. We could end up never leaving Africa. Or, we could end up camping on Antartica. All are real possibilities.

So for those who don't know, we're starting in Morocco. We'll spend about a month there, and then there is talk about a quick trip to Europe before going deeper in Africa. 

So, I finally ripped the bandaid off. My first post is written. It's short, but it's where I'm at right now. I have another one in mind, so who knows when that will be written. I plan to make a blog-writing schedule. I'll have to put it on my next to-do list, though!

Well, I'm signing off. Wish us all good travel luck. We'll be thinking of you all. Let us know you're reading about our adventures, and come out and visit if you get a wild hair up your butt!!