We recently escaped to Marrakesh for my birthday to enjoy some winter sun. It was excellent, and it was easy to see why Morocco is gaining prominence as an alternative to southern Spain.
The tourist areas were spotless, with no litter or graffiti. The streets were well-planned, lined with evenly spaced trees, and had a visible security presence. Police and militia officers stood at regular intervals, nodding when greeted, and making you feel very safe.
Food prices in the tourist areas were comparable to Seville, though you could eat far cheaper if you went more ‘ethnic.’
As for the weather, you can easily add 4 degrees to the stated temperature for the ‘feels like’ temperature. At 18 degrees, I was comfortable in a T-shirt. At 22 degrees, I could already feel that the English moaning could soon come on to complain about the heat.
But the real magic of the trip wasn’t just the setting. Natasha posted an Instagram story of us being there, and almost immediately, one of her childhood friends, now living in Canada, sent her a message. She and her husband were also in Marrakesh and asked if we wanted to meet up.
We did and had a wonderful evening at the Grand Café de la Poste, a superb restaurant that one of our clients recommended. As we caught up, we realised that it had been 17 years since we had last seen each other in person.
To top it off, she gave me a stock tip to exit my Palantir holding as it was at the top. I followed her advice and sold before it subsequently dropped. That probably saved the equivalent of the holiday cost.
It was a perfect reminder of the power of networks and serendipity. Friends, colleagues, and connections come in and and out of touch during our lives, but the relationships we invest in have a way of paying unexpected dividends, sometimes quite literally.
Oh, and there were quad bikes and camels there, too 😀