Thankfully my bout with food poisoning appears to be on its way out and about time. Two days of not eating, ~102 degree fever, and unpleasant digestive patters was enough for me.
Celebrated last night by getting a cheeseburger but unfortunately was just not up the task. It is Morocco after all, but I figured since it was a touristy place I would luck out. Not so much. The bun was too mushy, and the burger lacked burgerness. I blame the French influence. C'est la vie.
Last night bought a ton of water to start rehydrating with. The more and more I drank, the more and more I sweated. I had lost close to 10 pounds in the two days and was beginning to look like I did in high school, but amazingly filled out back to normal within about 5 liters of water.
At the hostel have been some really cool kids. A bunch from Australia and a few Americans and others from here and there. We stayed up late last night talking and this was tremendously good just for my spirits. Two days of nothing has quite a devastating effect on myself especially when I like to be so social and on-the-go.
Today was another lazy day. I haven't been too outgoing as the digestive organs are a bit feisty from time to time but walked for a good ways in the 100+ degree heat to the bus/train station. Tomorrow I'm off to Chefchaouen (look it up!) but it'll be a long trip out there.
As for now, more just hanging out. Sun is about to go down so I can enjoy Marrakech one last night.
Oh, and discoverd the secret to traveling in Morocco, going commando!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Food poisoning sucks.
Well, I've definitely had better days before. As a fallout from the escargot incident, I spend nearly all day yesterday with a high fever and visiting the bathroom every hour or so. Not fun at all. At one point debated going to the hospital, but figured I'd try a pharmacy instead. Amazing how pharmacies in the third world are so much more convenient than in the US. Walk right in, get prescription drugs for about 8 dollars. They seem to be working alright, although I'm taking double the recommended dose at the moment to get the bowels to solidify up. Whatever works, I'm tired of the bathroom.
Fever cleared up a bit last night and is only slightly higher right now. Spent nearly all night going to the bathroom though. Felt bad for my roommates but they were quite in with Morocco's number one export (hash) so said it didn't bother them all that much. Today have been doing much better. Going to try and find a place to watch the US.Brazil soccer game tonight, if I'm feeling better. (side note, just found the ' key which is thrilling considering I've been using CTRL V this entire time, foreign keyboards, always a challenge).
Wish I had more interesting things to write, but that'll have to wait til later. Unfortunately am going to pass up Fes, which I was really looking forward to, but that'll have to wait till another time. Chefchaouen is next, probably headed there on Tuesday. Then Tetuan. Need to get some diving in.
Fever cleared up a bit last night and is only slightly higher right now. Spent nearly all night going to the bathroom though. Felt bad for my roommates but they were quite in with Morocco's number one export (hash) so said it didn't bother them all that much. Today have been doing much better. Going to try and find a place to watch the US.Brazil soccer game tonight, if I'm feeling better. (side note, just found the ' key which is thrilling considering I've been using CTRL V this entire time, foreign keyboards, always a challenge).
Wish I had more interesting things to write, but that'll have to wait til later. Unfortunately am going to pass up Fes, which I was really looking forward to, but that'll have to wait till another time. Chefchaouen is next, probably headed there on Tuesday. Then Tetuan. Need to get some diving in.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Michael Jackson
Also, interesting side note...
Everyone knows Michael Jackson. Have heard many Moroccans talk about him, and Mohammed (the guy I met last night) said his sister had stayed in tonight crying.
King of Pop indeed.
Everyone knows Michael Jackson. Have heard many Moroccans talk about him, and Mohammed (the guy I met last night) said his sister had stayed in tonight crying.
King of Pop indeed.
Moroccan snails were a bad choice...
So anyone who has seen Anchorman knows the scene in which Will Ferrell drinks milk and then proclaims "Milk was a baaaaad choice". That's how I feel about the escargot now. Had it last night, don't think it's agreeing with me. Actually I know it isn't agreeing with me. So today is a day for staying in bed, and close to the bathroom.
Still having a great time though. Had a marriage proposal last night from a Moroccan girl and met a pretty cool Berber guy who took me around so he could practice his English. Hopefully try and meet up with him again tonight, he said he'd teach me Arabic? If I'm feeling well that is.
Still having a great time though. Had a marriage proposal last night from a Moroccan girl and met a pretty cool Berber guy who took me around so he could practice his English. Hopefully try and meet up with him again tonight, he said he'd teach me Arabic? If I'm feeling well that is.
Friday, June 26, 2009
I love the third world...
It is so amazing to be back traveling in a grungy, exotic, and vibrant country again. This is exactly what I had missed since finishing up my Asia travels last summer. Dont get me wrong, Europe is great, but Morocco has a buzz to it that you just cant get in more developed countries.
(Also, for the record, this will be a punctuationless post, cant figure it out on this keyboard)
So after a quiet last night in Paris, left early the next morning for CDG airport. Very easy to do, and customs and security went by fast. The flight itself was a bit of a pain, seated right near a very spoiled couple Moroccan kids who insisted on pouting and crying the entire time. But had the opportunity to speak to a very cute French girl seated next to me so all was good there.
Upon arriving in the airport and changing money out, went for a cab. At first, offered 20 euro for a ride to the center of the city but saw a sign saying no more than 50 dihram, which is about 6 US dollars. Of course I said bullshit in the nicest way possible, walked off, and found someone to take me for 5 euro. Ah, the joy of bargaining.
Dropped off near the center square in Marrakech and its down the rabbit hole all over again. Walked through the square amidst orange juice vendors (delicious), henna tattooists, and snake charmers into the back alleys of Marrakech to find my hostel. Despite the complicated directions, it was quite easy to find. And a fabulous hostel, exactly what I needed. Ive been feeling quite sick lately, I think a mixture of dehydration, cold, bronchitis, food poisoning, swine flu, and of course leprosy. Took a nap and later went out for a walk, ignoring the many offers for -hashish-, -good market-, and the multitude of other things. Many of the street propositioners will ask in French, then move on to English. Ive decided to become Spanish while in the streets, and while my Spanish will not fool any native Spaniard, its enough to get the salesmen off. Went back to the hostel for a bit of a nap and rest in front of the fan.
Last night, after having not eaten in about 24 hours, went out to find something to eat. The square had transformed into a labrynth of street restaurants, snake charmers, street performers, and vendors of all kinds of groovy things. Settled myself down on a table to a plate of sausages, bread, and salsa for a 1.50 american. Then went and had a big bowl of real, authentic escargot, not the French kind, but the big, juicy, see the horns on the head kind for another dollar. Finished off with a little OJ. Figured Id go rest up some more until it got cold but my nap lasted until this morning. Feeling a bit better now, gonna go find some water and see the city. My friend Anna from Cal recommended I look up this taxi driver Siad who is supposed to be hilarious so figure Ill try that out.
Much love to all, get a bit homesick at times but absolutely loving it over here. I think Im made to spend the better part of my youth in the developing world.
(Also, for the record, this will be a punctuationless post, cant figure it out on this keyboard)
So after a quiet last night in Paris, left early the next morning for CDG airport. Very easy to do, and customs and security went by fast. The flight itself was a bit of a pain, seated right near a very spoiled couple Moroccan kids who insisted on pouting and crying the entire time. But had the opportunity to speak to a very cute French girl seated next to me so all was good there.
Upon arriving in the airport and changing money out, went for a cab. At first, offered 20 euro for a ride to the center of the city but saw a sign saying no more than 50 dihram, which is about 6 US dollars. Of course I said bullshit in the nicest way possible, walked off, and found someone to take me for 5 euro. Ah, the joy of bargaining.
Dropped off near the center square in Marrakech and its down the rabbit hole all over again. Walked through the square amidst orange juice vendors (delicious), henna tattooists, and snake charmers into the back alleys of Marrakech to find my hostel. Despite the complicated directions, it was quite easy to find. And a fabulous hostel, exactly what I needed. Ive been feeling quite sick lately, I think a mixture of dehydration, cold, bronchitis, food poisoning, swine flu, and of course leprosy. Took a nap and later went out for a walk, ignoring the many offers for -hashish-, -good market-, and the multitude of other things. Many of the street propositioners will ask in French, then move on to English. Ive decided to become Spanish while in the streets, and while my Spanish will not fool any native Spaniard, its enough to get the salesmen off. Went back to the hostel for a bit of a nap and rest in front of the fan.
Last night, after having not eaten in about 24 hours, went out to find something to eat. The square had transformed into a labrynth of street restaurants, snake charmers, street performers, and vendors of all kinds of groovy things. Settled myself down on a table to a plate of sausages, bread, and salsa for a 1.50 american. Then went and had a big bowl of real, authentic escargot, not the French kind, but the big, juicy, see the horns on the head kind for another dollar. Finished off with a little OJ. Figured Id go rest up some more until it got cold but my nap lasted until this morning. Feeling a bit better now, gonna go find some water and see the city. My friend Anna from Cal recommended I look up this taxi driver Siad who is supposed to be hilarious so figure Ill try that out.
Much love to all, get a bit homesick at times but absolutely loving it over here. I think Im made to spend the better part of my youth in the developing world.
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