Old Morocco Adage: Never Die in a Cheap Hotel

By Debby Merickel

When I left home my roommate was quite sick with something that involved a Doctor’s visit and lots of pills convincing me to take along my bottle of Airborne, the magic elixir created by a school teacher who apparently liked to travel as well.

A long day’s journey into night

It was not a non-stop flight. I ended up going through Los Angeles, Detroit, Amsterdam, Lisbon and then Morocco. With each change of planes I noticed a general soreness invading my muscles, a lack of hunger, a scratchy throat and a very drippy nose.

Arriving in Casablanca, feeling unbelievably terrible

In a few days time I arrived in Casablanca, feeling unbelievably terrible. I managed to exchange money and find the train to take into the city. When I disembarked I was both confused and befuddled. My shivers offered a slight distraction from the throbbing pains that flooded my entire being. I wandered around the station for a few minutes trying to gather a sense of direction and a sense of balance. The anxiety of the moment seemed overwhelming and I forgot my conviction of sticking to public transportation. I hopped in the first taxi I saw and simply gave him the address of my hotel.

Moments later I regretted that decision as he honked at every other cab and put his fingers to his lips with a gesture that implied “Boy, do I have a sucker as my fare…she didn’t ask about the meter, the cost, rien (nothing).”I paid more for that ride than I did for the round-trip train ticket.

Concentrating on not getting run over

The first thing I did at the hotel reception desk was to ask for a map and directions to a Doctor. Unfortunately it was somewhere around the noon hour and most of the city was closed for a few hours. I bravely set forth and think I saw Old Medina, some parks and some buildings. I was in a fog and had to concentrate on not getting run over as I walked across the streets. Traffic was not nearly as difficult as my wandering mind.

Here’s the good news: I was hot-flash free

I looked constantly for a pharmacy or a medical office that was open. A few hours later I went back to the hotel and for a shower and a nap. I was not even able to turn on the faucet. I crawled into bed fully clad with all the clean clothes in my suitcase, the blankets from both beds, and when I was still shivering I attempted to get the curtains down as well. I could not warm up. For the first time in years I was hot flash free for 48 hours.

At my most vulnerable

The next morning I crept out of bed, still too cold to even think about showering and managed to find an open pharmacy with a “consultant” with whom I shared my growing list of physical ailments. He spoke French while I spoke English and I walked out of there with 3 boxes of medicines. Desperate times do call for desperate measures. I just wanted to be well and luckily I had no allergies or intolerance to the choices at hand. I was at my most vulnerable and chose to trust this person with my life.

Looking for Rick’s Café, alas!

The cure was not immediate but I did manage to see the incredible Mosque of Hassan 11 and spend a fruitless three hours looking for Rick’s Cafe. Here’s NOT looking at you, kid, was the axiom of this journey.

By the time I finally arrived home, I was ready to both shower and eat again. Next trip, I will pack a small medical kit with more than just aspirin, Airborne and band-aids. And an important lesson: do you remember how we were told as children to always wear good underwear when we left home just in case we were in an accident? I believe I have a new adage to adhere to in the future as well, never stay in a cheap hotel just in case I die. <<

Debby Merickel is putting the finishing touches on her book– a travelogue called The Misadventures of an Aging Globetrotter. Debby has traveled over 85 countries and 65 of them were after she turned 50, eight years ago. Reach her at Debby@LetLifeIn.com