“Jet lead”
I woke at 0300, like the last few mornings. That’s way too early as my flight only leaves at 1320. I put it down to “jet lead”. Sounds crazy but I seem to have developed a knack of adapting to the time zone of my next longhaul destination several days in advance!
Departure Chaos: Getting to the Airport
From my hotel, I took a petit taxi, driven by a super-hospitable driver, to Casa Voyageur railway station in order to take the train to the airport. I thought I’d catch the train to the airport as I’m familiar with it, having taken it down from the airport into the city. I bought my ticket and waited on the platform along with many locals and foreigners.
Shortly after the scheduled time, no train arrived … but a train did pull up to another platform and paused briefly … no one hopped on or off. Then it just chugged away! As it turned out, that was the train to the airport. No railways officer had made an effort to advise of the change in platform.
As a result, many travellers (both locals and foreigners) were left behind! Rather than risk the next train an hour later, I shared a ride with a couple of ladies from Buenos Aires who had a flight to catch around the same time as mine.
More Departure Chaos: At the Airport
After that fiasco, I wasn’t quite with it. I took me a while to realise after checking-in for my flights to Dubai and Bangkok, that the check-in agent hadn’t returned my electronic ticket (ET) itinerary or given me my baggage receipts (quite important as baggage transfer between flights are rather prone to mishaps).
I had already gone through passport control so couldn’t return to the check-in desk to enquire. I checked with an Emirates staff who radioed to have it brought to me. I enquired a couple of other times with Emirates’ contract ground handlers in the gate area. They were totally unhelpful. They all said I don’t need my ET itinerary as the airline has the details, completely ignoring the fact that some immigration authorities require evidence of return or onward travel before allowing people into the country.
It wasn’t around departure time that another Emirates employee turned up. Yes, the flight was late because other passengers had trouble with various things too. I re-iterated my need for an ET itinerary for immigration purposes. Fortunately, she obligingly went to the landside office and printed one out for me along with duplicate baggage receipts. I waited duly in the gate lounge, making sure I didn’t step on board the plane until I had what I needed.
Thoughts on leaving Morocco
This is the end of my time in Morocco so it is timely to wrap up with some conclusions …
I’ve had mixed response speaking standard Arabic here. I thought it wouldn’t get me very far due to the huge differences in the language but I’ve done well with more educated people. The best reception I’ve had has been when I spoke Arabic.
But conversely the worst treatment has also when I was speaking Arabic. Perhaps by people who spoke only Berber and French. I wonder if they see Arabic as the language of a perceived conqueror-colonialist? But one could say the same of French. Some Berbers say the Arabs look down on them … but it is hard to know who is Arab and who is Berber … the people are very mixed.
Combined with visa hassles (and cost), I don’t think I’ll be in Morocco again in the near future. Some of the sights and experiences can’t be beat. But I’m used to experiencing hospitality when I travel in the Middle East. Here everything seems to be about how much money they can spun and there’s not much hospitality towards foreigners. Countries like Syria and Iran have just as much to offer at much better value, and with genuine warmth and hospitality.
Flight to Dubai
The Airbus A340 was very full. I understand it came from Singapore Airlines second hand but Emirates seemed to have re-decorated it to their detailed specs, right down to their wallpaper on the cabin side-wall panels.
The crew were a little slack, coming round with drinks only once on the 7h50 flight.