Lil Miss Tanned: Back from Morocco!

Note: This post has LOADS of photos!

Hi guys! If you follow me on Twitter, you will know that I went to Morocco for about 10 days! I had an amazing time! The culture is lovely and most of the people are very friendly and helpful.

I went with my family - July has been an awesome month.. and I hope August is just as good (even though I won't be on holiday lol). We stayed at the Tikida Garden Hotel which is all inclusive (unlimited food and drink). Being a vegetarian, we found very little choice in the food; yes there was lots to eat but it was the same food everyday! I was sick of eating salad, pizza and chips everyday! I would however recommend this hotel if you're not a vegetarian or if you don't have any allergies. 

Everyone in Morocco speaks French and Arabic - unfortunately I have forgotten most of my GCSE French lol so if you're going..make sure you brush up on these languages!

Here are some photos (note: these photos are from my camera, I'm also going to post more photos from my sisters camera at a later date on a different blog post!)

Our lovely hotel.

A lemon tree. How cool?

Tagine, aka a Moroccan cooking pot.

The restaurant.

Morocco is renouned for its gorgeous designs on the ceilings.

My sister and I, posing.

Beautiful Mosque in the Square.

A typical Moroccan shop.

Me with my natural hair!

A Moroccan man using a tagine to cook.

Ouzoud Falls.

I felt like I was in the New Moon film - gorgeous photo!

Me wearing a maxi dress!

Zebra anyone?

My sister and I posing in one of the Gardens in Marrakech.

A camel. We went camel riding - it was so much fun, but my inner thighs were in pain!

Beautiful scenery :)

Moroccan designs are so pretty.

My sister and I went clubbing in Morocco to a club called 'So' - it was awesome!

Moroccan dolls :)

A typical Moroccan outfit. So pretty!

Amazing orange juice! It was soo cheap too! I had one everyday!

The beautiful boat which took us near the Ouzoud waterfall :)

We went on this lovely horse! We got ripped off though!

Souks!

In our hotel - it was truly beautiful.

Tips if you're going to Morocco:

• You can only exchange your money into Moroccan dirrums in Morocco. I would recommend you to only exchange a little bit at a time because you can't exchange back from Moroccan dirrums into pounds/euros/dollars outside of Morocco (legally)! Less is more in this instance!
• If you're going quad biking, camel riding etc. do them in the morning! We did these in the afternoon and my sister and I nearly died of dehydration! The mornings in Morocco are much cooler.. it starts to get hot after 11am and lasts until 6pm!
• People in Morocco will overcharge you - therefore you should haggle. I found Morocco very expensive - but once we haggled we got the price down to something reasonable. Whilst you're haggling, never ever give a price and be prepared to walk away. 9 times out of 10, the shop keeper will run after you and automatically lower the price!
• I was told by many people (people originally from Morocco) that I could wear what I wanted in Morocco. I should have used my common sense - it's best to cover up; not only to respect the nationals but also because of the sweltering heat. 
• If you ever go quad biking - wear clothes that fully cover you and take lots of water.
• Beware of pickpockets! Unfortunately my brother got mugged - his camera was snatched out of his hand. A lot of the residents in Marrakech are very poor, therefore keep all your valuables out of sight! It pays to be vigilant!
• Try the red olives. I am a MASSIVE olive fan - I've never tried a red/pink olive and I'm in love! 
• If you're staying in Marrakech - check out the night life. There's even a Pacha (very expensive to get in!) My sister and I went to SO night lounge - it was free to get in but the drinks were super expensive. A lot of the clubs are free to get in, but make sure you go early!
• Some of the men in Morocco are extremely perverted, and I've heard about people being groped in certain places. Yes covering up helps (sometimes it doesn't) but I did walk with my dad or brother a lot which helped!
• If you're going to Morocco, buy ARGAN oil! Morocco is famous for it. Make sure you buy one from a pharmacy and ask them for a certificate. It is about £20-£30 - try your best to haggle and look for one in a plastic bottle (helps with travelling!) Argan oil is great for your skin and hair.
• I also bought some Black African Soap. The ladies in Morocco have beautiful skin. The black African soap lightened the spots on my forehead (but broke me out near my mouth). It's very cheap (about £2) and great for oily skin!
• The Marrakech airport is the most beautiful airport ever - if you've seen Sex and the City 2 you will recognise it!
• There are a lot of beggars - it's good to help people but beware that they may steal your purse when you get it out!
• You must try the Moroccan whisky (it's mint tea basically) - nice and sweet.
• Everyone in Morocco asks for a tip. We asked some people about finding a certain place and they wanted a tip. Even if you take a photo of the snakes in the Souks, they will charge you! Try not to give a random person your camera because they will ask for money for just taking a photo! 
• I was surprised at the lack of English a lot of the residents knew. Even the staff at the hotel failed to understand me.  It's a good idea to go over some basic French or Arabic phrases!