It Didn’t Make My Tangier Insta Story

Today I was supposed to be off for a day trip to the blue medina of Chefchaouen. Alas, I had a bad sleep, woke up sweaty from the humidity, and still felt queasy. Was it the healthy lunch from yesterday, the ham and cheese roll, or a lack of water that got me feeling rubbish? I don’t know what it was, but the idea of driving two hours each way feeling sick didn’t seem like fun. I cancelled my 9am pick-up, managed a few mouthfuls of food at breakfast, and went back to sleep—hoping to feel better later in the day.

My anxiety doesn’t help me when I get sick travelling. Where did I get sick? Why am I sick? How long is it going to last? What will I miss out on? Will it get worse? These questions all fill my mind, often resulting in frantic Googling for a diagnosis and cure. Doctor Google is never your friend—it always goes worst-case scenario. I felt myself escalating, so I opened the Calm app for a meditation, then fell asleep to an episode of *Fawlty Towers*. Old UK comedy is strangely calming for me.

Waking again around midday, I decided I needed food. I wasn’t hungry, but I knew not eating would only make me feel worse. I’d researched restaurants using *Lonely Planet* before arrival and walked to the nearby Alma Café to get some lunch. The humidity was high and the walk uphill, so I arrived drenched in sweat and needing something to quell the nausea fast.

I’d committed to the pumpkin risotto on the online menu—only to find it wasn’t on the real-life one today. Google fail. I went for the kofta instead, which came with shredded carrot and quinoa. Despite the nausea, the food went down a treat—washed down with a mint and lemon lemonade. Mint lemonade is my new favourite drink—these dry countries really know how to make a refreshing mocktail.

Maybe it’s just a lack of food making me feel off? Or is it anxiety itself making me queasy?

Lunch done, the urge to go back to the hotel and rest was strong. An anxious morning had zapped my energy, leaving me in a low mood. While I wanted to explore the old city, my mood didn’t want me to go. A clash of FOMO and the desire to sleep played out in my mind. I decided to push myself just a little. Let’s walk five minutes along the beach—it’s flat and reassuring. So off I went.

As I walked, the buildings weren’t that interesting to look at, which made it harder to build motivation to keep going. But in the not-so-far distance, I could see the medina. I convinced myself to just walk to the base of it, then head back for a rest. Arriving at the base, excitement finally took over from the desire to sleep.

Let’s go exploring.Read more