Note: Ma’a as-salaama is the pronunciation for the word “goodbye” in Arabic (based on a lazy Google search)

Morocco was unlike any place I had visited before. As much as I loved exploring the natural beauty and learning about the Moroccan culture, I was somewhat relieved when I finally boarded the ferry to Spain. Traveling in Morocco was difficult. The aggressive vendors, the scammers and the constant chaos had taken its toll on me. Arriving in Tarifa, Spain was like traveling to a different world. I’ll never forget my time in Morocco, even if it wasn’t as relaxing as a week at the beach.

Some of my favorite things I experienced were:

• Drinking incredible fresh-squeezed orange juice everyday
• Observing building after building with intricate tile and woodwork
• Walking among the merchants, musical performers and snake charmers in the Jemaa el-Fnaa
• Relaxing in the calm, coastal town of Essaouira
• Spending the night under the stars in the Sahara Desert
• Exploring the visually-stunning city of Ait Benhaddou
• Hiking up to the Spanish Mosque in Chefchaouen and getting great views of the city below

I went everywhere I planned to go in Morocco, but since it is larger than California, there was too much to see and do in one trip. If I went back to Morocco, I’d also like to do the following:

• Visit Meknes, the former capital city
• Spend more time on the western coast, including in the city of Agadir
• Go hiking in the High Atlas Mountains and visit some of the mountain villages
• Explore Todgha Gorge
• Return to Marrakech to see some of the things I missed, such as the Bahia Palace
• Visit Rabat and Chellah