I'm definitely not in Kansas anymore! Couldn't stop laughing when I came into my hotel room. I found the light switches, but the lights wouldn't turn on. And the hall lights are motion activated and so they turned off. I couldn't see a thing. Went back to the desk and the bellman/concierge had to show me. The room had a real key and a plastic card attached. The door opened with the key. So there ...is a slot on the wall in which you jam the card into and the lights turn on. Therefore, you can't leave the lights on in the room (the TV either) when you leave with the key. When you pull the card out all the lights go off. Why are so many countries so much greener than the US?
So I had shoved my sleeping bag under the elastic cords on the top of the rolling duffle, and used 2 carabiners to attach it. The 2 pieces somehow got separated and came off the plane as 2 pieces of luggage. Oh where, oh where, have my carabiners gone?
It is definitely difficult when you can't find anyone who speaks English and you need info. I walked around the Casablanca airport following the info sign, but never found the info booth. Well, I found one, but no one was there. I had read that I could take a train part of the way to the hotel. So I bought a ticket at the train station and had to change trains. I found my first English speaker on the train, luckily, because the guy who sold me the ticket told me to change at the 3rd stop. But the girl on the train told me not to count the 1st stop. The train doesn't usually stop there. She got off at the 2nd stop. Then the good thing happened. Two Muslim women who didn't speak any English were sitting by me. They watched me to make sure I got off and insisted on helping me carry my luggage. Then they asked others which track I switch to for the 2nd train. One had a sleeping baby, and although she wasn't going the same way, she gave her baby to her friend to hold, and carried my bag to the correct platform. I was very appreciative. Then I had to get a taxi to the hotel. Some turned me down. I negotiated the price and it turned out to be close enough to walk.
Still don't know exactly what Amanda and I are doing 1 or 2 of the next 4 days. Why can't I book a train ticket in Spain and get the ticket when I board? Rail Europe online says I can't book it because they don't have time to mail it to me. They suggest a date over a week from now. ?????
I meet Amanda at the airport tomorrow afternoon. She is overnighting in Dubai tonight.
So I had shoved my sleeping bag under the elastic cords on the top of the rolling duffle, and used 2 carabiners to attach it. The 2 pieces somehow got separated and came off the plane as 2 pieces of luggage. Oh where, oh where, have my carabiners gone?
It is definitely difficult when you can't find anyone who speaks English and you need info. I walked around the Casablanca airport following the info sign, but never found the info booth. Well, I found one, but no one was there. I had read that I could take a train part of the way to the hotel. So I bought a ticket at the train station and had to change trains. I found my first English speaker on the train, luckily, because the guy who sold me the ticket told me to change at the 3rd stop. But the girl on the train told me not to count the 1st stop. The train doesn't usually stop there. She got off at the 2nd stop. Then the good thing happened. Two Muslim women who didn't speak any English were sitting by me. They watched me to make sure I got off and insisted on helping me carry my luggage. Then they asked others which track I switch to for the 2nd train. One had a sleeping baby, and although she wasn't going the same way, she gave her baby to her friend to hold, and carried my bag to the correct platform. I was very appreciative. Then I had to get a taxi to the hotel. Some turned me down. I negotiated the price and it turned out to be close enough to walk.
Still don't know exactly what Amanda and I are doing 1 or 2 of the next 4 days. Why can't I book a train ticket in Spain and get the ticket when I board? Rail Europe online says I can't book it because they don't have time to mail it to me. They suggest a date over a week from now. ?????
I meet Amanda at the airport tomorrow afternoon. She is overnighting in Dubai tonight.
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