I can’t believe it…I will finally fly to Morocco tomorrow! I really can’t believe that I’m going still. Some things in life seem surreal, and this is one of those moments. I’m not exactly sure how I got so lucky. All I know is that I’m trusting a woman (we only went out 4 or 5 times) to host me and plan my entire trip. Although I did buy a Moroccan travel guidebook, I decided to almost completely ignore it since my native friend will do all the planning. I know it might seem strange but I completely trust that I will have a great adventure. When I mention this to my work colleagues as well as random people I strike up a conversation with, they think I’m kind of crazy for staying with and trusting an almost complete stranger. Perhaps I’m a little crazy but it’s a good kind of crazy. It’s just that I can’t pass up a travel adventure! To add to my “craziness,” the brother of the woman I’m staying with (he lives in Chicago) asked me some time ago if I had room in my luggage. Sure, I said. He asked me if I would take some type of massage padding for a chair which is a present for his dad. Ok. Well, the next thing I know, when I saw the size of it, I got a little upset. The thing is much bigger and heavier than I thought. In fact, it doesn’t even fit in my usual large luggage. Damn. I felt like the guy tricked me into taking it because now, I must pay $100.00 for the extra baggage fee. I struggled for a week on what to do, along with the reasons why this problem was presented to me as I never, ever, before took more than the one allowed baggage. I didn’t want to tell the guy that I couldn’t take it, especially because he introduced me to his sister who will be hosting me. So after assuming that I would find a box large enough at work to bring home, I had no luck. I would have to go buy a box at Staples or some office supply store. But then in my head I pictured myself struggling to maneuver the damn box at the train station when I would have to take the stairs, along with my large luggage, my purse, and another carry on bag. I tried to stuff the chair padding in my smaller luggage thinking it would just be easier to take since it has wheels, but the damn thing wouldn’t fit, either. Then I remembered the luggage I took to Turkey which I decided to throw away at some point but which I was currently using as a storage unit. Yes. It fit perfectly! After this success I felt like a light bulb went on inside my head. A year ago when I was coming back from Rome, my luggage was over the weight limit so I had to open my luggage and unpack a few things to put in my carry on bag. I was embarrassed then as my underwear and bras were on top where others saw them as I was hurriedly unpacking and repacking my bag by the sidelines. I bought too many souvenirs in Rome, especially books, which weighed too much, bringing me over the 50 lb. weight limit guidelines. So my lightbulb moment was the fact that now I have plenty of room in my extra luggage to bring back souvenirs as I intend to shop ’til I drop! And since I was going to throw away the luggage, I can leave it in Morocco if I end up not buying enough to warrant an extra luggage as well as the extra fee. There. Problem solved.
As I spent today doing last minute errands for my Morocco trip, I ended up in a travel store. They didn’t have what I really came to get–a travel scale–but I did buy a new adapter and some luggage tags. And I finally bought my first airplane pillow in the shape of a watermelon which immediately makes me happy and smile! Truth be told that the salesman was from…Morocco.
I am getting ready for bed now and I’m looking outside my window with a gorgeous full moon shining down on me. I will sleep well, for sure. A new adventure is waiting for me in the morning…
Sleeping on the plane will be more FUN
with this watermelon pillow!
