Let's begin in Morocco

Colourful souks hidden in the Medinas, glorious sun, sea and sand along the coast and miles and miles of
stark, dry Sahara - Morocco is a country of colour and contrasts, and most certainly adventure.
The glamour of Sex and The City movie and other Hollywood productions has made Morocco very popular,
not with the younger generation but the middle aged people, people who crave adventure in a safe and
scenic environment.
It is not the most exotic, beautiful or even strange location on the globe but Morocco is attractive, mysterious
and full of surprises. In a country where women are expected to cover up on the street but lounge naked in a
hamman, where the call to prayer can be heard from every corner of the land five times a day but prostitution
seems the most popular choice of career at night you can find yourself in rich luxury or in a battle for survival!
Two white (almost see through) Irish ladies headed to this Royal country on the northern tip of Africa for a
ten day trip that took in the pretty coast of Agadir, the relaxing Essauria harbor, confusing Casablanca, the
overwhelming markets of Marrakech and the a night in the Sahara.
In just four hours my friend and I were transported from the Emerald Isle where everything is tinged with
green to a country which at first glance seems dry, barren and infertile. But it wasn't just our physical
surroundings that had changed, two lone females had arrived in a Muslim country, one where the majority of
women are expected to cover up, where men are the dominant species and where royalty rules the land.
For the majority of our holiday we felt we were looking in on this country, we never felt we were experiencing
it, driving through market towns busy with animals and people, horses and carts transporting people, in late
night souks with locals doing their shopping, where you had to search so hard to find a female's set of eyes
and camping out in the Sahara in a camp full of Arab men - we never felt part of the experience, we were
always just looking in.
But we did have an unbelieveable holiday, eleven days full of colourful pictures and memories and some
very colourful experiences. Over my next few posts I will details some of the places we visited, things we did
and stuff we observed during our eleven day meanderings in Morocco.

The two best modes of transport in the desert!

Prepare to be scared

My Top Ten Halloween Movies:

The Shining

Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Stephen King's novel could quite possibly be one of the scariest films of all time. The bone-chilling movie is based in an isolated hotel where Jack Nicholson and his family have moved in as caretakers for the Winter. What follows is a ghostly encounter with a former hotel custodian who murdered his wife and two daughters. The eerie silence of the movie will haunt you long after you've hit the stop button ...

Saw I, II III, IV

"Saw" follows the travails of two men held captive by Jigsaw, a serial killer who presents his victims with a terrible choice. The film delves into darker psychological territory while still maintaining an unhealthy level of gore the Saw series have been termed 'torture porn' - follow Saw II, III and IV for more of the same.

The Silence of the Lambs

Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Hannibal Lecter the Cannibal will scare you into numbness. Not for the weak-hearted - the psychological thriller is a two-hour-long hair raiser about FBI agent Clarice Starling, who tries to gain insight into a murderer's mind by interviewing psychopath Hannibal.
Halloween
A Halloween night turns deadly when a former child murderer escapes from the mental hospital and returns to his small hometown to terrorize a babysitter. Soon her friends start disappearing one by one.

The Grudge
An American nurse living and working in Tokyo is exposed to a mysterious supernatural curse, one that locks a person in a powerful rage before claiming their life and spreading to another victim. Long black hair will never look the same again - there is no hiding from this creature - not even hiding behind the cushion will save you!
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
What sets this movie apart from other slasher films? Perhaps it was Leatherface's human skin mask, or maybe it was the roar of the chainsaw, or it could have been the "based on a true story" line at the beginning.
Night of the Living Dead
This black-and-white film can still disturb you to death. You'll cross your fingers for the group of people who hide in a farmhouse, trying to avoid being killed by the dead who have come back to life.
The Exorcist
You'll know why The Exorcist is the most bloodcurdling movie ever made when you watch the brutal depiction of a 12-year-old girl possessed by an evil spirit as the exorcist tries to save her, sick and scary.
Seven
Shock, nausea, and utter fright, you'll feel it all at the pit of your stomach while watching Seven. The intense psychological drama follows two detectives, played by Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, as they try to catch a maniac who plans to kill seven people, one for each of the seven deadly sins - quite clever.
The Ring
A young journalist must investigate a mysterious videotape which seems to cause the death of anyone in a week of viewing it.This is believed to be the scariest Japanese movie ever made - enough said. 

Here and Now

I love this time of year, Autumn is a picture perfect season.
I am one of those strange people, who like the dark evenings, the frost mornings and cold afternoons. As the leaves turn beautiful colours and fall elegantly to the ground, the air gets a lovely sharp cold and there is nothing better than a walk up a country lane, mountainside or marshy bog with a number of layers on, a woolly hat, scarf and coat with a sheep dog by your side.
Hot stew, soup and tea cuddled up on a couch with someone else - you really cant beat that! It maybe because I am pale with freckles and red hair and this time of year suits me (also my birthday is in October!) or because I'm a lazy cat who loves sleeping and cuddles and ... movie marathons!
I have just finished carving my first pumpkin and although I am not a huge Halloween fan, because it was an event I didn't really celebrate in my childhood, I think it has huge potential. Take away the Americanisation of the festivities I think Ireland should embrace Halloween and celebrate it in it's own unique way - focusing on our very real traditions with the All Hallows Eve. I love the idea of the Virginia Pumpkin Festival in Co Cavan. Fair play to them for doing something fun and different. Imelda May plays there this year - put it on your list of places to be spooked this year!

Come on in

Do you search for adventure, for thrills, for those once in a lifetime moments, those pictures that will last forever when words no longer suffice?

So do I! I think we shall get on very well. 

Here I will write about places and experiences I have visited, things I want to do, plans in the making and all other travel and scramble that come into my mind. Feel free to contact me, leave a comment or just follow.

Buckle up and enjoy the journey!