Be a traveller, not just a tourist. 3:02 am

Wont type long. Neither will i have proper sentences with an arabic keyboard here in Fes, Morooco. In an internet cafe sipping sweet Moroccan mint tea (shaay); too sweet in my view. In a local neighbourhood in the Ville Nouvea quarter in Fes.

tough, but learning the ways of maroc
It was initially tough to get my head around being in Morocco; in Tanger, I got cornered to give a man all my coins, a hussler that followed me for a good 15 minutes, loads of people trying to invite you to go somewhere, kids not being the most innocent (I reckon more bold & persistent as husslers); just to get my tip, 2 boys kicked each other just to ensure they got the lion share of my tip.

But I learnt and am slowly learning; to fend off husslers with drawn out stories, to say firmly no to kid-husslers; to jay-walk where there are no road dividers, that nothing is free, to accept the hussling is a way of life for tourists and learn to live with it, to take in the sights and yet be alert of my surroundings, to learn that every single Moroccan stares at me for my skin colour and being alone (i swear even the moroccan cats stare too!), my few words of Arabic with the right guttorals to be asked many ti,e if i were Muslim...

Yet I still have much to learn; about the history, culture and people of this captivating country. For the few Moroccan people I conversed with, and understood, I still cannot fully understand their strong sense of national pride. And I still havent fully learnt to say no to eloquent shopkeepers who are amazing salesmen; simply amazing enough to blow a whole in my pocket.If I had the chance, I will want to better appreciate and understand how this deeply re'ligious and family-centred people put both God, family and survival at the centre of their lives.

As for me, this time travelling alone has not been easy, but I know it is an experience I will draw on and not forget. One of the most important things is learning to live beyond your comfort zone. Not that Ive never done it before, but this time its coupled with the reality of doing it alone and not being able to turn to anyone and bitch to get it off the chest. One has to internalise and convince yourself that you can survive this and yet not emerge bitter or resentful, and enjoy the ride even if its bumpy. I think the hard part is not surviving it, but rather still enjoying the experience and not emerge caked in cynicism.

guidebook fantasies or the magic of travel
Perhaps its still early days for this optimism. But I sense it all moving upward (including my credit card debt!). Perhaps the guidebooks overdo the magic and fantasy of Morocco; that is easy to do on hindsight and when you are a wide-eyed westerner. I dont think I would use magical to describe it so far, but I will tell you its eye-opening, captivating, foreign and humbling; it is always hu,bling, for me, to stand before a different civilisation and culture and seek to merely have a little peek into its essence.

That is the magic, not of Morocco alone, but of traveling; opening not just the senses but the heart to the possibilities of the many other cultures that share this earth. Travel is that instrument to this enlightenment, well beyond the other limited means of the TV, books and googlemaps that we are starting to get too comfortable with. If finances and sensibilties permit, go be a traveller. Experience the magic.

Be a traveller, not just a tourist.

Uncle T

latest interview 12:31 am

courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/peacecorrespondent/2387720139/

interviewer: where are you heading off to this Easter break?

mr interviewed: i'm off to morocco this evening.

interviewer: with whom may i ask?

mr interviewed: alone...no with my pen and camera actually (laughs lightly).

interviewer: i see. won't you be bored, traveling alone? What are you looking forward to then?

mr interviewed: no i don't think i will be bored. there is so much to explore; a whole history and peoples to take in. i am looking forward to finding myself in the sights, smell and sounds of the medinas, and to capture as much of the culture on camera and on paper.

interviewer: ah...quite a romantic traveler i reckon (smiles pessimistically).

mr interviewed: perhaps. but more like a regular dude trying rediscover himself and find a little something to hang on to and savour for a lifetime.

interviewer: well then. since you're all romantic about travel, let me pose a challenge to you. (pauses to swallow). bring me back a story; get someone in morocco to tell you a story and come back to tell it to me.

mr interviewed: (pauses and contemplates) ok. i will do my best, and you have my word...i will do my best.

courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/neiljs/806087919/

Uncle T

along the ridgelines of daffodils-hill 5:46 pm

Harmony on the ridgelines
I was walking along the ridge-line, with daffodils finally pushing their way beyond the once snow-covered slope just beyond my window. I stood there, overlooking an Easter-deserted campus, and a little farther to the hills of Kenilworth. The harmony of the gently-warming sun and the graciously-temperate breeze made me smile and nostalgic; I am already missing all this before I even leave this country in months.

As I tread the supple grass on the ridge, I thought about yesterday. It was a nice day, a lovely day.

| daffodils-hill |
@Hurst | Uni of Warwick

A nice yesterday
From waiting for the early morning bus, then the bus ride into school and the long-forgotten bus-ride conversations with random acquaintances we bump into; playing a splendid day of floorball tournament (one of my best), scoring a goal that I will remember for a long time; to Liverpool showing so much character against United (the good result is a bonus); then lazing in my room after the fatigue of physical exertion, finally finishing off with lovely company for the Benjamin-Button movie.

As I said, a nice day; there are many things we can and ought to be thankful for. So its my solo trip across Morocco up next. Nice.

a show of character@old trafford | epl match

| traveling alone |
@Tottenham Court Rd | London

Uncle T