Camels, Chaos & Cocktails - Day One in Marrakesh
- May 22
- 5 min read
Our first D'licious Tours trip took place earlier this month. 12 cakers from across the globe came together in Marrakesh for a trip that would not only bring us closer together, but that would stay in our hearts forever.
It all started in the early hours of a Tuesday morning. For the ten travllers coming from the UK, the adventure started at Gatwick airport at 6am. There is something very exciting about airport mornings when you are heading somewhere completely different from everyday life, and from the moment we all met at the airport in the early hours, it already felt like the start of an adventure. Bleary eyed but excited we dropped off our luggage - which may have looked more like we were emigrating than going for a short week away - and then headed straight to the No1 VIP lounge.
Now, technically, we had been given our own private room at the lounge because we were a large group… but naturally we preferred to believe it was because we looked far too glamorous to be mixed in with the general public. Either that or they wanted to keep us riff-raff out! Either way, prosecco was flowing and suddenly nobody looked quite so tired anymore.
We filled up on breakfast, pastries and enough food to convince ourselves we definitely would not need to buy overpriced airport snacks later, and started filming group videos and taking selfies. By the time we headed to the gate, the excitement had properly kicked in.
Of course, alongside the excitement were a few nervous flyers too, but one thing I loved from the very beginning of this trip was how everyone looked after each other. There was reassurance, hand holding, distractions, snacks being passed around and, naturally, more prosecco once we boarded the plane. Which, medically speaking, I am fairly sure is the official cure for airport nerves.
Four hours flew by and when we landed in Marrakesh, we sailed through customs and passport control far quicker than expected, before meeting our driver, who was waiting to take us to the riad.
The moment we stepped outside the airport, it hit us instantly. Blue skies, glorious warmth and not a single cloud in sight. After gloomy UK weather, it felt amazing.
Driving through Marrakesh was an experience in itself. Modern buildings and busy roads were mixed with horses and carts or camels standing calmly by the roadside. The whole city felt like this incredible blend of traditional and modern life existing side by side.
Then came a culture shock. Our driver dropped us near the riad at the end of a busy market street and suddenly we were thrown straight into the heart of Marrakesh life. It was loud, chaotic, busy and completely fascinating all at once. Market stalls lined the streets packed with food, spices, clothing and souvenirs. Whole animal carcasses hung from hooks while locals busily shopped around them as though it was the most normal thing in the world. Chickens wandered through the streets. Motorbikes somehow squeezed through crowds of people with barely an inch to spare, while donkeys pulled carts of goods, and everywhere you looked there was movement, noise and life.
It was sensory overload and, to be honest, was a bit intimidating to start with, but of course by the end of the week, we felt right at home wandering through the streets by ourselves and dodging the traffic!
Waiting for us as our driver pulled in, was our riad owner Cherif, along with a young man named Mohammed, who we would all completely fall in love with over the course of the trip. They greeted us warmly, took our bags and led us through the bustling market streets towards the riad.
What amazed me most was how suddenly everything changed. We literally turned one corner off the main drag and within seconds the noise disappeared. The chaos faded away and suddenly it was calm, peaceful and silent. It honestly felt like stepping into another world hidden behind the busy streets.
Our riad was tucked down a cute little lane with a gorgeous big door waiting to let us into our new home. When we entered the riad, the only way I can describe it was like walking into Aladdin’s cave. From the outside, you would never imagine what was hidden behind those doors. Inside was this breath-taking open courtyard with a pool in the centre, sunlight pouring down from above and beautiful Moroccan details everywhere you looked. Every room had its own personality and name, with gorgeous décor, balconies overlooking the courtyard and even a rooftop terrace above it all. It felt magical.
Cherif welcomed us with traditional Moroccan Berber tea and biscuits, something that quickly became a regular part of our trip. I don’t think any of us realised quite how much Berber tea we would consume over the next few days.
Our final guests joined us in the afternoon - coming from Italy and the Netherlands - and our group was complete! After unpacking, some of us went in the pool, some lolunged by it, and some headed straight up to the rooftop terrace to soak up some afternoon sunshine and properly take in where we were. And yes… there may have been more prosecco.
That evening we all got dressed up ready for our first night out in Marrakesh. We had booked a beautiful restaurant with entertainment and Mohammed kindly walked us down to our taxi before waving us off into the city.
On the way to the restaurant, we wandered through another little market street and naturally picked up our first few souvenirs of the trip.
When we arrived at the restaurant, we were blown away. The décor was lavish and intricate with beautiful lighting, rich colours and stunning mosaics everywhere. We were served delicious Moroccan dishes while being entertained throughout the evening with traditional music, belly dancers, male dancers and live performances. A few brave souls from our group got up to join in and before long half of us were involved in a conga line weaving around the restaurant. It was one of those nights where everyone was laughing, relaxed and fully embracing the madness of it all.
By the end of the evening, after a very long day of travelling, our hearts and stomachs were completely full. We met our driver once more and headed back through the warm and bustling Marrakesh streets to the riad, ready to finally crawl into bed and recharge before day two’s adventures began.
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