Morocco

Since returning from Australia three years ago, my reluctance to take flights has continued to grow. I sensed that after a good few long-haul flights, I’d maxed out my flying allowance for the foreseeable future. So, when my two friends asked if I wanted to go to Morocco, I immediately thought about plane-related emissions and went into guilt mode. I further justified my position with money-saving claims and concerns about annual leave allowance. However, a few weeks later, I found myself in one of those moods where life seemed like something that needed to be grasped; I did a swift U-turn, and told my friends that I was in.

Like most people trying to find a more environmentally friendly path, I often find myself in this grey space, trying to find a balance between being eco-conscious and living life to the full. It’s easy to get trapped in a place of guilt, where your moral superiority is championed but with little else. As in life in general, sustainability perfection is just not an option for us average Joes, and trying to reach it will likely make us unhappy.

So, perhaps unconventionally on a climate blog, I'm not merely confessing to a flight, but celebrating one. This trip was so special. It was full of adventure, fun, food, amazing people, odd people, getting lost, avocado juice, and joy. It gave me back my usual energy for life after the long winter, and reminded me why travelling is so life affirming and important.

In one week, we explored the markets of Marrakesh, filled with spices and bold-coloured ceramics; we scaled the highest mountain in North Africa, donning crampons and carrying ice axes as we went; we (somewhat reluctantly) experienced the Miss Argana pageant in our cheap and cheerful hotel, in which the girl who stole the most people’s shoes won the crown; we saw my wonderful friend Maddy into her 26th year; we surfed on the Moroccan coast; we drank beers and ate olives by the pool; we learnt about Ramadan and got a feel for a culture so very different from our own. Most importantly, I experienced this beautiful place with some of the warmest and most genuine people I’ve met – our guides and companions on the mountain trip, hostel owners, taxi drivers, waiters, and of course, my lovely friends.  

Though I’m not advocating for taking multiple flights every year, and still want to spend much of my holiday time exploring the UK, sometimes a decision has to be made for your own happiness and well-being. Like most things, it’s about finding that balance. This trip was the perfect reminder never to get trapped in that space of environmental guilt where life might start to lose its colour.