Newbe mistakes
Whooaaa, newbe travelller issues today. Today, I kinda forgot everything that I learned from my travels.
I got a luggage cart myself (in Madagascar, this can be a near aggressive accomplishment), got my luggage without a problem, and then went to the ATM to get some money.
Problem: I hadn't even looked up the currency conversion. I tried to crane my neck to a sign at a currency conversion place and saw that it was around 8 Dirham per Canadian dollar. Problem: I can't do math in my head.
I took what I thought was enough, I wasn't sure what it would look like outside as far as safety issues (I've only read some sections about carrying money, and in some busier parts, you don't carry much at all. This doesn't apply to the ENTIRE COUNTRY, but I was a little out of it), so I didn't take the usual max that I normally do.
After a few men ask me if I need help, a younger man, dressed in what I would think a taxi driver would wear, asked me if I need a taxi. I tell him yes. Problem: while he's pushing my cart, I pick up that he's not the taxi driver. I have NOTHING to tip him. I always stop at a shop before leaving the airport to get change. All I have on me are the big bills from the ATM.
Problem: Cart-pusher nearly crashes and runs over another pedestrian, whom I later find out is a taxi driver. There were a few seconds where I thought the taxi driver and a goup of other taxi drivers would beat the crap out of my cart pusher. It was one of those LP-screetching moments where everyone else just goes, Oh shit. A bunch of yelling, finally my taxi driver came to the rescue, shooing the others away, dismissing the cart carriers mistake with his hand, and I get in the taxi.
Problem: Cart Pusher asks for money. I apologize over and over again. (In my mind, the 100 Dirham bill I have is like a$20CAD or something. Really it's just over $10, and after he just about got pummeled, I could have been generous. But I wasn't. I just kept apologizing and apologizing).
The airport is about a 30-40 minute drive from the city center where I am staying. My taxi driver was obviously the best because he honked the most and waved his hand the most and yelled the most. :) Normally, I looooovvvee talking to drivers because I can ask questions and find out about the place from their perspective, but the only area where I've done too much reading is being a solo woman traveller in Morocco. So I stayed silent, watched the things around me, and sweat my face off.
I got to the hotel no problem (I was kinda worried about not having a seat belt. Then I was kinda like, where do I think I am?!). Problem: I ASK my taxi driver how much it is. I KNOW how much it is as I saw the tarrifs on a sign at the airport (I love countries that do this). It's like Rule #1 of travelling, always agree to the price before you leave. My taxi driver quotes me a price that was 50 Dirham higher than what the tarif listed at the airport. I pay without arguing, hoping that he'll give a tiny bit to the cart pusher that may or may not still be alive.
I easily check-in to the hotel (and get some change for tipping!!), which is relatively nice. It's supposed to be near quite a few tourist attractions...but I would so, so, so love a day at the beach. There is a Corniche here, but I've found mixed reviews online from tourists, so I'll look into that later.
Friday is a "day off" here, so all of the action will start tomorrow I guess. Which is good for me because I have a mega headache, which seems to happen EVERY single time I fly now.
I have done ZERO touring, ZERO exploring, but I needed to rest and sleep off the headache.
As far as travelling problems go, these are INCREDIBLY minor. I was just taken aback a bit by how unprepared I was and felt, but I guess that's what happens with last minute trips.
I'm kinda nervous!! But excited too, and this vacation couldn't have happened at a better time. Happy to get away and be around two great people that love me. :)
I got a luggage cart myself (in Madagascar, this can be a near aggressive accomplishment), got my luggage without a problem, and then went to the ATM to get some money.
Problem: I hadn't even looked up the currency conversion. I tried to crane my neck to a sign at a currency conversion place and saw that it was around 8 Dirham per Canadian dollar. Problem: I can't do math in my head.
I took what I thought was enough, I wasn't sure what it would look like outside as far as safety issues (I've only read some sections about carrying money, and in some busier parts, you don't carry much at all. This doesn't apply to the ENTIRE COUNTRY, but I was a little out of it), so I didn't take the usual max that I normally do.
After a few men ask me if I need help, a younger man, dressed in what I would think a taxi driver would wear, asked me if I need a taxi. I tell him yes. Problem: while he's pushing my cart, I pick up that he's not the taxi driver. I have NOTHING to tip him. I always stop at a shop before leaving the airport to get change. All I have on me are the big bills from the ATM.
Problem: Cart-pusher nearly crashes and runs over another pedestrian, whom I later find out is a taxi driver. There were a few seconds where I thought the taxi driver and a goup of other taxi drivers would beat the crap out of my cart pusher. It was one of those LP-screetching moments where everyone else just goes, Oh shit. A bunch of yelling, finally my taxi driver came to the rescue, shooing the others away, dismissing the cart carriers mistake with his hand, and I get in the taxi.
Problem: Cart Pusher asks for money. I apologize over and over again. (In my mind, the 100 Dirham bill I have is like a$20CAD or something. Really it's just over $10, and after he just about got pummeled, I could have been generous. But I wasn't. I just kept apologizing and apologizing).
The airport is about a 30-40 minute drive from the city center where I am staying. My taxi driver was obviously the best because he honked the most and waved his hand the most and yelled the most. :) Normally, I looooovvvee talking to drivers because I can ask questions and find out about the place from their perspective, but the only area where I've done too much reading is being a solo woman traveller in Morocco. So I stayed silent, watched the things around me, and sweat my face off.
I got to the hotel no problem (I was kinda worried about not having a seat belt. Then I was kinda like, where do I think I am?!). Problem: I ASK my taxi driver how much it is. I KNOW how much it is as I saw the tarrifs on a sign at the airport (I love countries that do this). It's like Rule #1 of travelling, always agree to the price before you leave. My taxi driver quotes me a price that was 50 Dirham higher than what the tarif listed at the airport. I pay without arguing, hoping that he'll give a tiny bit to the cart pusher that may or may not still be alive.
I easily check-in to the hotel (and get some change for tipping!!), which is relatively nice. It's supposed to be near quite a few tourist attractions...but I would so, so, so love a day at the beach. There is a Corniche here, but I've found mixed reviews online from tourists, so I'll look into that later.
Friday is a "day off" here, so all of the action will start tomorrow I guess. Which is good for me because I have a mega headache, which seems to happen EVERY single time I fly now.
I have done ZERO touring, ZERO exploring, but I needed to rest and sleep off the headache.
As far as travelling problems go, these are INCREDIBLY minor. I was just taken aback a bit by how unprepared I was and felt, but I guess that's what happens with last minute trips.
I'm kinda nervous!! But excited too, and this vacation couldn't have happened at a better time. Happy to get away and be around two great people that love me. :)
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