Greetings! I'm back from Morocco and am feeling grateful for numerous things that I'm grouping them into five at the moment.
1. Completing my trip to Morocco with wonderful experiences: I visited Rabat, Volubilis, Fez, Marrakesh, and Casablanca. All the sensory stimuli that I expected from Morocco came true. I'm grateful for my good health throughout my trip, the nice weather, reliable Wi-Fi, amazing sights, tasty food, friendly travellers that I met along the way, knowledgeable tour guides, and my knowledge of French language which enables me to read the local signs and feel more comfortable in a foreign land.
2. Returning home safely without flight delay or lost luggage: I had a carry-on suitcase which I checked in on my flights from Casablanca to Frankfurt and Frankfurt to Toronto. I didn't need to check it in but volunteered since both flights were full and cabin space was limited. My flights were on time and my carry-on arrived in Toronto with me. A happy ending!
3. Relishing the familiarity at home: As soon as I landed in Toronto, it felt great to know exactly where everything is, unlike when I landed in Casablanca and everything was foreign. Both experiences made me smile. It was wonderful to travel and to return home. My appreciation for things at home such as drinking clean water from the tap is heightened.
4. Resuming activities that I enjoy: I'm back to use my home computer, the gym, the swimming pool, the library (already put two books on hold), and blogging. I'll be out and about to attend entertainment, art, and social events. The local shops have put up beautiful displays for the holidays and with the temperatures hover around freezing point, I look forward to my daily walks while feeling the festive atmosphere in the city.
5. Planning for my next trip: This is part of #4 above. I'm always grateful for having the capacity to travel. I plan to be home until after New Year's to soak in all the beautiful festivities and precious time with my family and friends. Then I'll go to explore Guatemala in Central America. A new adventure awaits!
What about you? How are things going with you?
Wow! Guatamala next! Welcome home...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jo. It feels great to be home and have something to look forward to.
DeleteBaggage arriving with you is always something to be grateful for :)
ReplyDeleteExactly! Especially when it was a carry-on that I could just take with me. I trusted the baggage handlers in Casablanca, Frankfurt, and Toronto airports :)
DeleteMorocco sounds incredible! And Guatemala? I’m envious of your amazing adventures. What fun. I agree, however, that there is much joy too in returning home. I never appreciate my home as much as when I’ve been away.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kristin, for your comment. Morocco is sensational. I look forward to planning my trip to Guatemala, too. Lots to learn from different countries and cultures.
DeleteI love that feeling of familiarity when I get home from a trip that was so foreign to me as well! I think you appreciate it more when you visit a country where you don't understand the language and can't read any signs. You feel so disconnected from everything, that when you get home you breathe a huge sigh of relief for knowing exactly what everything is. #LifeThisWeek
ReplyDeleteThank you, Katherine, for your insightful comment. You're spot on. It helped that some of the official road signs where I was in Morocco were in Arabic and French, and I can read and understand French.
DeleteWow, this sounds great Natalia! It's always good when your luggage arrives with you. Planning the next trip isn always a must for me to reduce post holiday blues. #lifethisweek
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debbie, for stopping by. Luggage delay or loss can really ruin a trip. A passenger who sat next to me on my flight home had his baggage stolen at the boarding gate.
DeleteWhat an awful thing to have happen! I have shared this post for #mlstl too.
DeleteHe mentioned that fortunately there was just clothes, nothing irreplaceable in his luggage. Thank you for sharing my post.
DeleteAs much as I love to travel and explore, I'm a home girl at heart. So it's always a fabulous thing to be back in my own bed!!
ReplyDeleteXOXO
Jodie
www.jtouchofstyle.com
Thanks, Jodie, for stopping by. I've always had the wanderlust so while I enjoy my own bed, I dream of the next destination :)
DeleteWelcome home and can't wait to read more about Morocco!
ReplyDeleteSSG xxx
Thank you, SSG. Stay tuned for my posts on Morocco :)
DeleteHi, Natalie - I absolutely love and admire how when you finish one holiday, you have already begun planning the next one! I've just returned home from seven weeks away. Like you, I was grateful to travel, and am grateful to be home, I have ironically found myself temporarily looking for things that we do not have (garburator, ice machine, drawers in different places). When I begin looking for the swimming pool I will know that I have completely lost it! :) Welcome home!
ReplyDeleteHi Donna - Welcome home to you, too! I figured I could use my flight time Casablanca-Frankfurt-Toronto and layover time to think about my next trip...Time management is still important even in retirement :)
DeleteOh wow, it sounds like you had a good time! I always have a hard time settling back into "reality" after a vacation.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bethany, for your visit and comment. I like both going away and coming home.
DeleteWow Natalie. I am so curious to read your upcoming posts about Morocco. That must have been such an interesting place to visit. I can talk Rob into travelling with me to Portugal, but I don’t think I could talk him into visiting Morocco.
ReplyDeleteJude
Hi Jude - Morocco is fascinating. I'll have my first post up on Sunday. I did prep myself quite a bit before the trip and knowing French definitely helped.
DeleteI always appreciate home more when I get back from travelling. I think we enjoy the diversity and "otherness" of other cultures and countries, but the familiarity of home is always so cosy and reassuring. Glad you had such a great experience and have more in mind x
ReplyDeleteMLSTL and I've shared on my SM :)
Thanks, Leanne, for hosting MLSTL and sharing on your SM. Although 'there is no place like home', I'm enjoying my 'go-go' years as much as possible.
DeleteI love your post, Natalie! What a fabulous experience visiting Morocco which has been on our bucket list. It is such an exotic place in my mind although we have been a little concerned about safety. You obviously didn't have that problem. I love your #3 the best - relishing the familiarity of home. It is wonderful to have the opportunity to travel to new and unknown destinations but equally wonderful to come home. As Dorothy said: 'There's no place like home'. thank you for sharing your trip and thankful thoughts with us at #MLSTL. Have a beautiful week and I will be sharing on my ST60 & Beyond Facebook page for Thankful Tuesday next week. xx
ReplyDeleteHi Sue - Visiting Morocco was a good kind of sensory stimulation for me. I came prepared and didn't have any issue. Thank you for hosting MLSTL and sharing on your SM.
DeleteGuatamala sounds GREAT! Enjoy the planning. But also enjoy being home. I know just what you mean about coming back to the familiar, and everything nicely in its place just where you expect it! #MLSTL Shared on SM
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jo, for your comment. I started to read about Guatemala and am looking forward to explore the country in January.
DeleteYou are so good to share much of your travels. Just the best. Loved reading this.
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up for #lifethisweek. Next week's optional prompt is Summer Means This. Denyse
Thank you, Denyse, for your kind comment. My pleasure to share my travels. I look forward to your #lifethisweek link up.
DeleteNo delays, and no lost luggage!? Those are things to be very thankful for! Great list a good things.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cherie, for stopping by. It was great that my flights home were both on time and my checked baggage arrived with me, especially when I had a connection in Frankfurt.
DeleteThanks for sharing all of your adventures. Very nice. #MLSTL
ReplyDeleteThank you, Patrick, for stopping by. I enjoy sharing my adventures.
DeleteI loved reading your gratitude list. So much to be thankful for. I'm happy that you had such a good time abroad and that you made it home safely.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Christie, for stopping by. I have so much to be thankful for for sure. Happy Thanksgiving to you!
DeleteGreat post, and am glad you had a wonderful trip. A friend of mine traveled there last year and also had a terrific experience. And, yes, one of the best parts is coming home!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debra, for stopping by. Morocco is quite a country. I hope my upcoming posts and photos capture its uniqueness.
DeleteHi Natalie, I’ve been trying to leave two comments on this post. Could you check your spam and see whether they showed up? They don’t seem to post immediately anymore, which might have to do with me seemingly being unable to use my Google account on my iPad anymore.
ReplyDeleteHi Liesbet, So sorry to hear your previous comments disappeared. I checked my spam and they were not there. Thank you for persevering and leaving this comment to let me know. I haven't changed my blog settings so I'm unsure what can be done to let your comments go through.
DeleteWhile I have a long list of things for which I am grateful, I found myself almost envious of your #3 'return to the familiar'. While I do have a 48ft sailboat to provide me with a modicum of home, I find myself craving for a bit more of the comforts found in the 'everyday'.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lisa, for stopping by. Some everyday comforts are good for our mind and body. Kind of a recharge I think.
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