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James ByrneJames Byrne
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traveled in 6 countries Read more
  • TravelerMorocco

    Fes

    January 3 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    After another mammoth day of travel, we were ready for our day to explore in Fes. We were met by our guide Momo (Mohammed) at 10am and proceeded to explore the old medina of Fes, the oldest city in Morocco. We explored the traditional artisan factory and watched the incredible talent of the artists, and were guided through the different parts of the souk (market). These streets were even more narrow and crowded, and we were happy to be able to follow a local through the maze of alleys.
    In the afternoon we visited the gold stores and the traditional tannery, seeing the full process from animal skins to leather goods. The tannery has been the same for hundreds of years and this was very interesting to see. We were also given a bunch of mint each to hold in front of our noses, which helped to stave off the occasional wave of smell which would assault you. After our fiercest haggle battle to date, we bought some camel leather goods and went off to our rooftop dinner.
    There were certainly a few deals being made for where our business was going, they certainly know how to hustle in the souks. Testament to how lovely the Moroccan people are however, our guide stuck around from 10am to 10pm, coming back from dinner to ensure we got taxis to and from our restaurant home.    Read more

  • TravelerMorocco

    Merzouga Day 2

    January 3 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    With the sun not rising till 8:20am, we woke up to temperatures of 2 degrees (not much warmth kept in by the tents). We were so cold it felt like we were at the snow, but was then strange to see when the sun rose it a dry desert landscape and beautiful blue sky. We had missed this in London.
    Our guide Hasan then led us on one of the most interesting tours I’ve been on to date. A local of the area, we started off by again hitting the dunes in a 4wd with pace and purpose, really getting that heart rate up, before heading over to the tents of the nearby Nomadic people. We learnt about the culture of the indigenous Berber people, amazed at the use of different plants and animals and the resourcefulness of the people there. They have a bamboo tent which is surprisingly cool (jokingly called the Berber fridge), which is vital in summer for when the heat reaches 54 degrees. A world apart. We walked around the “black desert” (volcanic” and met some people mining rocks for kohl and mascara, before seeing a number of incredibly intact fossils that would all be in museums in the West.
    We then jumped on quad bikes for an hour ride back through the dunes back to camp. Driving through the Sahara like this was very special, particularly given the laid-back approach to health and safety. Incredible fun.
    We finished off the day with a camel ride to the top of some nearby dunes to watch the sunset. I think this was everyone’s favourite day.    Read more

  • TravelerMorocco

    Merzouga Day 1

    January 3 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Our drive to the desert began with a 5am wake-up for be on the road at 6am. Our first stop was at Ait Benhaddou, a fortified village on the caravan route from Marrakech to the Sahara. A very cool town, the scene for many movies like Gladiator and Game of Thrones.
    After a kebab lunch we stopped off for a walk through the impressive Todgha Gorge before finishing our 9 hour drive in Merzouga. This is one of the towns on the northern edge of the Sahara desert. To take us to the camp we were met by a guide in a Toyota Landcruiser, who then delivered an adrenaline filled 15 minutes driving into the dunes. The driver was very much enjoying our reactions to some pretty wild driving. He informed us that the best modes of transport out in the desert are Moroccan camels and Japanese camels (Toyotas). He got some good laughs at that.
    Arriving at camp, we donned some hooded robes to stave off the absolute freezing desert cold. After dinner we were invited to join in some Berber whiskey (mint or honey tea) and join the drum circle around the fire. We were pretty all pretty exhausted from the travel and keen for a sleep.    Read more

  • TravelerMorocco

    Marrakech Day 3

    January 3 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Day 3 saw a split, with the gals off to a women’s cooking glass to understand Moroccan cuisine and using the tajine (traditional slow cooker). The boys headed out to the Jemaa el-Fnaa main square, getting involved in some haggling and checking out the monkeys and snakes on offer for pictures. The streets are narrow with a million smells and different stalls, dodging the donkeys as well as the motorbikes that would fly down the alleys.
    We reunited with the girls for a rooftop lunch to soak in the sun, drinking every fresh juice imaginable. We explored the Ben Youssef university before heading to La Trattoria for dinner. Being a European touristy restaurant, this was the first time we saw alcohol being served (and took full advantage).    Read more

  • TravelerMorocco

    Marrakech Day 2

    January 3 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    We set about exploring Marrakech with a guided tour from Youssef, seeing the main sights of the city and the towers and mosques marking the start of the Arabic dynasties. Some beautiful architecture in the Saadian tombs and Bahia palace, all veyr geometric and patterned. Very interestingly, the lack of animals or humans in any art is due to Islamic law, as Allah is the only “creator”.
    One of the highlights of our trip, we spent the afternoon at Les Bains de Marrakech, getting a 3 hour traditional hammam massage. Scrubbed, oiled and cocooned in mud – an interesting experience we left feeling absolutely glorious.
    We retired to our Riad for another unbelievable Moroccan meal with plenty of bread, vegetables and fresh fruits.    Read more

  • TravelerMorocco

    Marrakech Day 1

    January 3 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Arrival into Morocco was as big a change of culture as expected. The tone was set by the storm of taxis waiting at the airport and a 2 hour chaotic wait to get through airport security. Arrived at our riad (traditional upmarket Moroccan house with a courtyard) to some absolutely beautiful lamb cooked by our housekeeper Fatima.Read more

  • Lisbon
    1
    Day 2

    Day 2

    October 7, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Starting the day with another very cheap meal (portugese eggs) we beaded out to west of Lisbon to Sintra. A steep incline and a lot of sweat later we got a glance at the Pena Palace. Wow. A fairytale looking castle of multiple colours and styles. Having visited many European castles this year, the beauty of this was still a shock.

    We made our way over to the Quinta Regaliera, a beautiful manor estate, more recently famous for its initiation well & underground tunnels - big culty vibes but very cool. Another excellent dinner (couldnt get enough of the iberian pork) and we were off. Sintra exceeding expectations. We had a tough time waiting for a much delayed flight, only made better by watching Portugal beat Fiji in a huge upset. Think us and the English fellas near us were the only ones in all of Lisbon airport to really care. Getting back home ar 3:30am was brutal, only made better by the amazing weekend away    Read more

  • Lisbon
    Day 1

    Day 1

    October 6, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    With only a weekend to explore we started early. 8:30 booking at a well known brunch place. Probably too early, but great food

    We then went off to walking tour to explore the city which was great. Lisbon is a beautiful city, incredible architecture and history. The last taste of european summer (30 degrees), as well as a few too many portugese tarts (pasteis de nata) saw the spirits pretty high. We visited the old and new monuments at Belem, finishing off with dinner and a few local red wines. Minus getting stuck in a tiny lift at 1am, a top SaturdayRead more

  • Loch Lomond - Scotland
    Day 2

    Stirling

    July 16, 2023 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    As we waited our morning coffee we got to witness some local Highland games in action! Some sort of swimming activity in the loch accompanied by some bagpipes.

    We had a great tour of Stirling castle by a guide with a brilliant accent. The castle looks over the most famous Scottish battlegrounds, accompanied with reminders of what you can cannot trust from Braveheart.Read more

  • Loch Lomond - Scotland
    Day 1

    Loch Lomond

    July 15, 2023 in Scotland ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    We woke up this morning in our airbnb overlooking the shores of the beautiful Loch Lomond. With a typically rainy Scottish welcome, we drove down the Ayrshire coast to Culzean castle, ancestral home to the Kennedys. Incredible architecture and a view of the coast, the castle also boasts the largest collection of used muskets in the UK, mostly fired in the Napoleonic war. 

    In addition to the coast the castle had lovely grounds to explore, housing deer as well as some super impressive 16 point stags! Majestic without even trying.

    Heading back north lunched at the Smoking Goat in Ayr, finishing our day with a relaxing hot tub session and a 10pm sunset    Read more

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