Sand storms and memories

When I woke up, I saw Nadja already sitting on the dune, waiting for the sunrise. I joined her, and we sat in silence, waiting for the sun to appear. This time, it was different. The wind was still howling, and the flying sand clouded the view. By the time the sun finally peeked through, the wind had only gotten stronger.
As we started walking, it felt like we had stepped straight into a sandstorm. The wind, sun, and swirling sand combined to give me a mild headache, but I knew there was no point in fighting it—I just had to accept it. Within minutes, we were completely covered in sand. And I mean completely. I swear I even had sand between my buttcheeks.
We walked on in the storm, and eventually made it back to M'hamid, where we had started the tour three days earlier. It was time to say goodbye to Iahia and the camel driver (or should I say dromedary driver?). We tried our best to shake off some of the sand before getting into the car and beginning the long drive back to Taroudant.

Sitting in the car now, without the constant flood of new impressions, I finally have time to reflect on the past few days. Morocco is so much more than I imagined. It’s not just the coast with surf spots or the iconic dunes with palm oases. It’s vast mountains, endless dry plains, lush green acacia forests, rivers, and hidden oases. But most importantly, it’s the people who live within these landscapes, using what their environment offers and finding joy in the simplest of things.
I kept thinking about the nomads we’d seen, living with what seems like nothing, yet everything at the same time. Their happiness comes from just being, from living a simple life. I felt a small part of that over the past few days—three days without internet, using my phone only to capture photos. Everything slowed down. The constant rush of everyday life faded away, and I soaked in the present moment more fully.
As we drove on, I stared out at the landscape one last time, realizing that some of the deepest memories come from the simplest of experiences. Morocco gave me more than I could have expected, and a little sand in awkward places was a small price to pay for it.Read more