1. Morocco is so much like India. Chaotic traffic, exhaust fumes and very friendly proud people.
2. The size of the travel dossier in the hands of a traveller is inversely proportional to the number of trips they take in a year.
3. Apparently I have a Berber face.
4. If twenty is the only number you know in french, then that is the taxi fare from and to all places
5. Amitabh Batchan and Shah Rukh Khan are more popular in Morocco than a lot of Hollywood greats.
6. Crossing streets in the evening requires the skills of an acrobat, juggler and a sizeable medical insurance (much like India).
7. I have a new-found respect for the veil as an all-purpose garment that covers all sorts of sartorial sins
8. Camels like unripe dates. Hold on tight if you pass by a date palm of you might just break your head.
9. Dental care is not a priority for Moroccans, just like it isn't for Indians.
10. Moroccans have a quirky sense of humor which is part of the everyday banter.
11. This is twenty first century. So, if you are a Spaniard or a French person reading this, hang up the colonial mindset already. Just because you have a favorable exchange rate doesn't mean that you can lord it over other people.
12. Atlas mountain is only visible on post cards and not in real life. In real life smog replaces the mountain.
13. Moroccan girls are pretty. Very pretty. And 70% of the population is under 30. And pretty is for sale quite often.
14. Royal Air Maroc doesn't make any announcements in English or apologize for delays. And if you need gate information, you are on your own.
15. Airports are dimly lit like Indian airports. The Marrakech airport looks a lot like Cochin airport.
16. One of the only places in the world I have been to which is NOT crawling with Indian tourists. I think it is too similar to India for the Europe-bound honeymoon types to waste their money on Morocco. I didn't see any Indians when I was there.
17. My only association with Indians in Morocco was a brief experience in rescuing the wife of a former Indian ambassador to Morocco after she locked herself in the bathroom at a party in Delhi.
18. All locals seem to know each other in town. My taxi driver kept chatting with everyone as he drove around.
19. A fool and his money are soon parted. There is a sucker born every minute. Etc, Etc.
20. As an Indian-American, I was treated as an Indian when making chit chat and American when it came down to money:-) I didn't even bother with the Swiss residency thing. As such I was treading in dangerous waters with French.
21. They have enough sense to seperate Americans from the US government. Now, if only the US governement had half as sense.....
22. Freshly squeezed orange juice: 3 Dirhams. Ice made from non-sterile water: 0 Dirhams. Being in the bathroom all night sick: Priceless.
23. Poverty ain't something money can buy. The government needs to invest more in education. And build more back-end manufacturing facilities. Look at Mexico.
24. The man selling assorted herbal potions had a framed picture of the world cup champions.
