Hey lovelies, how are you doing? I missed writing to you guys. I have been sick, and the sickness didn’t even let me see my computer, how much more typing “hey guys”. A couple of you reached out to check in and that really meant a lot, thank you.
As I write to you, I am in Morocco for holiday or late summer vacation. I typically don’t travel during summer period because most places are crowded with tourist and things are a bit more expensive.
Anyways, I brought out my computer to try and do some office work, but omo, my brain no gree boot, I am so sorry Wale, I really wanted to be employee of the year but alas. Shout to Wale (my line manager) for giving me time off, I was super exhausted and burnt out and he asked me to take some time off though I am not entitled to leave yet. See ee, good salary is good oo but also pray to work in a place where there is empathy, e get why. Wale reads my newsletter and gives me feedback, line manager for work and Travelletters. Wahala for who their line manager name be Femi and not Wale o.
Flight
I flew Royal Air Maroc as this is the only direct flight to Morocco from Nigeria. It is a 4hrs-30mins flight from Lagos. The airline is tight with no leg room and for some reason it felt like we were headed to Ilorin. I kid you not. Flight cost N495k on Wakanow because I booked two weeks prior, I checked the flight for one month away from October and it was N410K at the time but I have a work trip so I couldn’t move it. It is better to book months ahead for cheaper rates.
Royal Air Maroc flight also has no in-flight entertainment, I was so bored that I noticed that Obinna’s beard looks like that of Herbert Macaulay (I have been living with one of the founding fathers of Nigerian nationalism and I didn’t even know, Royal Air Maroc spices, thank you oo).
Visa
Nigerian passport holders living in Nigeria require a visa to Morocco. I got mine within 10 working days. I applied at the embassy in Abuja through a travel agent and paid N125k. Morocco visa is a sticker visa and a great way to build travel history.
Leaving Nigeria to Morocco
I will write about this trip in three or four parts, so I don’t miss out on anything. It was one trip that almost didn’t happen. I was going to join a travel company so I could have meetings with destination management companies in Morocco to bring you cheaper and better deals but that trip was canceled, and I had to plan this as a holiday within two weeks. So, this holiday was put together in two weeks but if you plan ahead a lot of things won’t be as expensive as it was for me.
Moving on, flight time was 5:10am so we flew into Lagos a night before and stayed at Legend Airport Hotel and it cost us N129k for a night. I asked for a discount since we were spending just 6hrs at the hotel. The hotel staff offered to degrade our room for N125k instead and I refused because I didn’t see the benefit. Legend Airport Hotel is 7mins away from the international airport and since we were leaving for 3am the next day, it was safer to stay there. The hotel taxi took us to the airport for N4k.
Dinner at Legend Airport Hotel Lagos
Legend Airport Hotel Lagos
Legend Airport Hotel Lagos
For some reason I thought the flight time was 5:40am and we set the alarm for 2am so we could leave at 3am for the airport. Men and brethren, at 2am, alarm did not ring, and we were still sleeping. For some reason it felt like the sleep wasn’t right because I slept off at around 11pm, how is it that it is not 2am yet. I checked my phone, and it was 2:37am, eweeee. We jumped up and got ready for the airport. We arrived in good time and realized flight time was 5:10 and not 5:40am. Hallelujah!!!
The Royal Air Maroc staff saw that the QRcode on my vaccination card had peeled off, I didn’t even see this earlier. I started to speak English with the airline staff o and I didn’t even have a picture of the vaccination card with the QRcode anywhere. Omo, he finally allowed me to go in his words “the vaccine card is not really serious there if not, I for no allow you”. This is to say, please always check your ticket and travel document days before your trip just to confirm your flight time and your travel document is in order to avoid speaking queen’s English at the airport. The travel document to show at the airport asides your Morocco visa is a return ticket, yellow card, Covid vaccination card ( if fully vaccinated) and a health declaration form.
Immigration in Nigeria was pretty smooth. We got into Casablanca, one of the cities in Morocco by 10am, the queues at passport control was pretty long. Once it got to our turn we didn’t spend more than 20mins at passport control. The immigration officer seemed excited when he saw our passports, “Nigerians from Lagos”?. he asked, we said yes and he proceeded to ask our reason for visit and we said tourism, he kept saying “for business” multiple times, maybe because we both wore glasses and I wore a white shirt, he probably thought we came to sign AFCTA agreement.
Anyways, we picked up our bags and something felt off about mine, Obinna said it looked like someone tampered with it, he had teased me earlier about my box being too big like someone with relocation plans. I unpacked everything just before customs in Casablanca to avoid stories and everything seemed in order.
I will stop here for today and if you have any questions on Morocco or you need the contact of my travel agent, please send an email and I will respond as soon as I can.
I will bring all the juice on Morocco next week, internet here is not so strong.
Until next week
Love
Muna
Just when the story was getting more interesting😩😂.
Enjoy your trip and get well soon too ma'am.
This was an interesting read, a detailed explanation of the experience. Love love it