Organising Lessons from Morocco

I am recently returned from a lovely 16-day trip to Morocco. It was entirely different in many ways to my slow month in Venice. Being a bus tour, we stuck to a tight schedule. Many times it felt rushed, but there were also long drives where we could just sit back and enjoy the scenery go by.

As you may know, I look for organising lessons in my everyday life. My trip to Morocco was no different. My way of organising those lessons was simple. That’s how I like to do most things. KISS – Keep It So Simple. Anyway, I kept a running list in my smartphone notes app.

I’ve already spoken about one insight I gained right at the end of my trip. Watch this video to hear about it. The video is just under 5 minutes but if you’d rather not, here’s how it goes. Basically it boils down to realising that being on a bus tour with 17 strangers is a bit like being in a workplace. You are thrown together with different personalities and foibles, some of which you enjoy, some of which you don’t. Being a bus tour or workplace, you don’t get to choose who those people are. But in my life, I am totally in charge of my daily life, I do get to choose who I spend time with. I get to choose who I work with, and who I don’t. Bliss. The experience hasn’t deterred me. In fact, I’m off on another bus tour later this year and very much looking forward to meeting new people and making new friends again.

This article is a quick summary of those other lessons. I’ll write more in depth on each topic in the coming weeks.

• In Rabat, the capital of Morocco, I was reminded of the value of a green break.
• Our guide, Mustapha, always gave clear communication and let us know his expectations, which enriched our experience.
• We were blessed to join a local family in their tiny home for a home cooked dinner and hospitality. How they managed to fit 20 of us and all the dishes into their home was astonishing.
• I worked on my photo organising routine and it’s paying dividends now.
• I learned not to waste time when the internet was dodgy, which it occasionally was.
• And of course, there were lessons I learned about packing for travel. Even an organiser can make mistakes.

If you have questions about the lessons, or about my time in Morocco, I want to hear them.