Apologies for not writing any sooner but the last 2 weeks have been such that I would like to have the capability of rewinding them and starting again. But seems as I am not Dr Who I shall just have to say it as it happened. It started with the car going into the garage for some repairs in order to get it's MOT certificate. So in order to get to work Mr. P took me on the back of the bike. On the return journey whilst travelling through the town centre a car went into us and drove off. Fortunately, we discovered later, a witness observed the whole incident and recorded the car registration number. There was a horrible moment when I saw Mr P just lying on the road with the bike on top of him and he wasn't moving. But to my relief he started talking and moving a little. In seconds we were surrounded by people and cars stopped all offering help and phoning 999. They were all so very kind and sadly I can't thank them as I have no idea who they were. To abbreviate the story we were taken to A & E. Mr.P had lots of nasty cuts, gashes, bruises and bruised ribs. For myself I sustained a dislocated collarbone, which was and still is to a lesser degree painful. Mrs A and hubby kindly took us home, except Mr P had to ride the bike back home! Thing is the story should end there but 6 days later we had booked to go to Marrakesh, in order for Mr P to marry some friends. So on the basis that I could not look after myself we both went.
As our flight was due to leave early Thursday morning we had booked to stay at a local hotel where they offered car park facilities whilst away, and a bus that runs every 5 minutes to the hotel. Well the car park ended up being in a different place, the bus running only every half hour and when it came it was full and they wanted to charge us £6 which we didn't have on us at that time(had been told it was free). So at 4.45am, me in a sling, we are walking and wheeling our cases along busy road back to the carpark to get the bus from there! What a sight we must have looked. Stansted was manically busy and it felt as if we were propelled through the place and somehow managed to be on a plane with me saying we are on the right flight? We were. Ok now to Marrakesh.
Having gone through a lengthy customs queue and bought the local currency which is only available once there, we finally emerged into the busy terminal and amazingly the taxi was actually still waiting for us!
The journey was not that far from the airport to the town but oh boy I'm not sure what the rules of the road are other than you stick roughly to the right of the road!
Every where there is traffic, bicycles, motorbikes and pedestrians just all over the road. It's like some crazy dodgem game. But there's not just 1 person riding a bike, not 2, not 3 but up to 4 people on a tiny scooter! All you can hear is the tooting of horns and the taxi swerving to avoid running someone over. Then we go through the walls into what is called the Old City. Outside of the walls is the new city with westernised hotels and shops. The roads become non existent and are full with alley ways, people, bikes and scooters. The driver stops and I'm thinking "oh my word, what have we come to, please don't leave us". He then says he's not taking us any further as the streets are too narrow but he does take my suitcase and we follow him through these streets filled with people selling their wares on upside down crates, dead cats, beggars etc.
Addition added 5.10.12 from a fellow reader as I loved the comment about my appalling grammar:-
" Wow - people selling their wares on upside down crates I can picture, but people selling their wares on dead cats and beggars must have been quite a sight..."
Then to a large dark wooden door which when opened lead us down a dark narrow corridor(again I'm wondering what have we done) and then all of a sudden opens up into the most beautiful courtyard.
Looking at this photograph the corridor looks reasonably light but when you come in from the top end it feels very different.
Below is a view of the courtyard from our bedroom.
The rest of this Thursday was spent recovering from the journey and only planning to go out in the evening to a pre arranged meal in a restaurant in the old town with the rest of the wedding guests. We had arranged to meet the bride and groom at 7pm and we were to follow them through the windy streets to the venue. Unfortunately we didn't get the correct time when we disembarked the plane and so were too late to follow. So we had to make our own way. We tried a taxi but he would only take us so far and then we were left stranded. But never worry there's always plenty of people desperate to earn some money by taking you by foot to your destination. Except our man was rather unhappy with his payment and had a right tantrum, but it was all that we had!
Not the best of pictures but it's rather hard when your right hand is in a sling to take pictures.
Friday was the day of the wedding and as I was on so many painkillers I was well dopey and so we opted to stay in the riad till the afternoon when the wedding was due to take place. One little God moment was that the riad the couple were getting married in was literally next door, so we didn't have far to go or the trouble of trying to find it.
Before the ceremony there was some traditional music and these guys were great and getting the guest involved and dancing.
I loved the way that the pool had all those lovely rose petals scattered on the surface.
Some of the dresses the girls were wearing were fabulous. The bride went to college to study to make wedding dresses and she made lots of friends who now make and sell their own clothes - hence the fab dresses! Oh and the bride made her own dress and the beaded belt! She also made my No.1 daughter's celtic styled wedding dress.
The cute bridesmaids.
The princess and her dad. She's so stunning and so petite.
View of Mr P marrying the lovely couple.
I'm not going to go into details of how and why I was ill as it is too horrible.
Saturday was spent lying in bed in the riad and then come late Saturday evening Mr P became ill too! Sunday morning we attempted to try and go out, in desperation at wanting to see and buy something from the market. I don't know how but we managed to walk to the beginnings of the market and purchased a teapot and glasses, one lovely leather bag for Mr P to use for work and a leather puff.
The man was carrying live chickens!
This was a common site - lots of spices.
Donkeys were a common sight.
The guy in the picture is riding a motorbike and carrying glass/mirrors! Sometimes we saw people with huge poles - 8ft in length on bicycles!
The outdoor barbecue sellers.
We collapsed back at the riad, packed and returned to the airport only to discover that the clocks had gone back over night and we were and hour early. But better that way. Have to say the airport has all the usual seating areas but also has a kind of market area with wonderful comfortable seating to fall sleep on.
It's a shame this area was only in the first part of the terminal and not available once you went through customs.
Couldn't quite make out the woman - wasn't sure if she was waiting to have her hair done!
Of course we had to have some more drama on the way back. Ryan Air herded us onto the plane like we were cattle, having crammed us all in they then announce they can't shut the door because the ladders were stuck and it took them another 50 minutes to sort out the problem. But due to the nature of our illnesses I needed the toilet and had to suffer the humiliation of the air stewardess asking permission down the tannoy if I could use it! Then back in the UK, much later than expected Mr P can't find the carpark ticket, just the paperwork to say we'd paid - thankfully the attendant kindly let us through. Somehow we arrived home at 2.30am instead of around 12:00.
Monday am was a trip to the doctors for a double appointment for both of us and a sick note! Today has been the first day of even feeling somewhat starting to feel normal. I have lost at least 6kg in weight which is a good boost to my new diet regime. So there are some positives to these 2 weeks. And of course it was such a privilege to have managed to be at the wedding. Also being so incapacitated has shown me lots of things I didn't know and I know it will lead me to be a better person and also hopefully better at my job when I eventually return. Next week I shall be receiving some physio which I know will really help my recovery.
Apologies for such a long blog - but I'm either all or nothing!
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