The road begins
Road to Morocco
Friday April 17, 2026
9:30 a.m.
In the air, United flight 1071
Well, we’re doing it! The international situation is “stable”, whatever that means in modern times. Nukes are not flying, at least, and so the trip is on.
I have prepared my wardrobe as best I can for the hot Moroccan climate and the modesty requirements. No shorts, and apparently long sleeves might be required. I ordered some loose linen pants, and was able to find a couple of pairs which seem to fit the best and am bringing them. I also got a couple of long sleeved linen shirts, which I guess I will wear over my usual t-shirts whenever modesty prohibits the showing of *gasp* arms.
I got a sort of fanny pack, more like just a flat pouch to keep passports and money that I am wearing strapped to my waist.
A big change for me is that I decided not to bring my bigger laptop, the Chromebook. Instead, I am trying to get by with my IPad. I bought a keyboard for it, which comes with a case that holds the iPad too, and so far this is working just fine for me. The case with IPad and keyboard weigh about 1.5 pounds less than the Chromebook, and has smaller dimensions, so it is easier to carry in my backpack. Fingers crossed that I don’t run into any problems trying to upload what I have written onto Livejournal and Inkitt. I’m a little leery of using the Inkitt app to upload and post chapters, but that’s what I’ll be doing for any updates I make.
If I get the chance I might try to write some Just A Hybrid. When will I ever get back to poor neglected Legion? Maybe when I’m finished editing River.
First, I think I will go ahead and update Figuring Out Self Publishing with a new chapter, and also will start the travel blog Road To Morocco. Whether it ends up being particularly interesting to anyone on Inkitt or not, I always try to blog pretty thoroughly on vacations, because if I don’t keep up, it is so easy for all the details to blur together in memory until you’re not sure what you did.
We didn’t try to exchange currency before we left, but apparently we might have the chance to do that at the airport when we arrive.
Steve’s stepmom Marge is the one who arranged this trip and is taking us along, using the same tour company, Thompson, who have done all of the other big family trips: Tanzania, New Zealand, and Greece. And now Morocco! All super exotic places and I doubt we would have ever gotten to any of them without Marge’s adventurous spirit and generosity.
Daniel drove us to the airport and dropped us in front of Terminal 2, and the check in process was smooth and quick. I hadn’t done the online check in thing (duh, I was busy), so we had to go to the agent to get boarding passes and check our bags. Then we went through security which had a fairly short line despite the TSA problems where the partial government shutdown left them without pay for weeks. They have apparently stopped making passengers remove shoes to get through security which was a relief.
Grabbed breakfast sandwiches at a shop in the terminal, boarded the plane, then had to wait on the plane for about an hour while some kind of mechanical issue was repaired, then the mechanics had to send pictures and documents to the main office in Chicago for clearance to depart.
So the flight was late getting off the ground, but we’ll be in plenty of time (presumably) to make our connecting flight at Dulles airport in D.C.
We are meeting Steve’s family there, and all flying together to Casablanca. It’s a red eye flight, leaving D.C. at 9 p.m. and arriving in Morocco at 9 a.m. Then we’re not done yet, we have to transfer to another flight to Marrakesh.
We’ll be met at the airport there and transported to a hotel, then taken to dinner.
It is going to be a loooooooong day. Up before 5 San Diego time, then apparently busy straight through until the next day at bedtime. Will I sleep on the plane at any point? It remains to be seen.
I’d say I’m too old for this, but Marge is in her 80’s and if she can do it, I can do it!
Travel update: Washington Dulles airport, 7 p.m. local time, gate A15.
Our flight landed with about 4 hours until our next flight leaves. We picked up our bags at baggage claim, then had to go to the Royal Air Maroc counter which had quite a long line to check in and check our bags. Then we took the tram back to the terminal, had some dinner at a little Italian restaurant, and are currently waiting for the rest of Steve’s family who lives in the DC area to arrive.
Then across the Atlantic we go!
