Before I Went vs. After I Went

Before Morocco, I Thought...

• I'd need a ton of cash.

• Marrakech would be my favorite city.

• Google Maps would get me everywhere.

After Morocco, Here's What I'd Tell You

💧 Buy water whenever you can. Morocco is way drier than I expected, especially in the desert. Also, don't brush your teeth with sink water. We used bottled water the entire trip, even for our toothbrushes.

🧻 Throw some wet wipes and hand sanitizer in your bag. You'll thank yourself later. Not every restroom is stocked the way you're probably used to.

💵 Carry cash. I honestly used cash almost the entire trip. ATMs aren't hard to find, but it's nice not having to stop every time you want to grab something.

🏍️ Look up before stepping into an alley. The medinas aren't just for people. Motorcycles, bikes, and donkeys all use the same paths. I almost got clipped a couple of times walking out of our riad.

🛍️ Leave room in your suitcase. Seriously. I was sitting on mine trying to get it to close after buying artwork, ceramics, and way too many souvenirs.

📶 Download Google Maps before you go. It still gets confused sometimes in the medinas, but it was much more reliable than Apple Maps for us.

🥾 Wear the comfy shoes. Nobody cares what you're wearing when you've walked 20,000 steps. Lightweight clothes are a lifesaver too because it gets hot.

🤝 Learn two words: "Salam" and "Shukran." That's hello and thank you. People genuinely appreciated the effort, even if that was all we knew.

🕐 Don't panic if you're "lost." Some of our favorite memories came from wandering down random streets or stopping somewhere we never planned on visiting.