Africa – The Girl Who Goes

Last Updated on February 10, 2023

Trip Review: Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

santa cruz de tenerife - bell tower feature photo

Iglesia de La Concepción in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Last weekend, I returned from my first official “side trip” of this year — three days in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. My bestie Hanna was there for work, and she had a day off at the end of her stay. Since it was her first time traveling to Europe for work, and I’d never been to the Canary Islands, I impulsively booked a flight to Tenerife to see her for a day. I really didn’t know what to expect even though I had been to Mallorca last year, in Spain’s other group of islands. [Read more…]

Last Updated on September 1, 2023

Visiting Morocco: Expectations vs. Reality

Just a desert country… right?

Going to Morocco for the first time, I knew that it was going to be different from other places I’d visited before. Other than figuring out the dress code and using it as an excuse for a new wardrobe, I didn’t do much research. I relied on what I’ve head from friends and other travelers when setting my expectations. Although of course I keep an open mind, as a usually-solo female traveler, I’m generally extra cautious and I have to somewhat prepare for the worst.

However, the Morocco I experienced was different from the one I expected. If you’re thinking about a visit to Morocco or just want to learn more, here are some of the expectations vs. realities from my trip! [Read more…]

Last Updated on September 1, 2023

8 Things to Know Before Visiting Morocco

Courtyard view of our riad palace in Fez

Morocco! It was never a place I’d thought much about, but since living in Spain, it’s been at the top of my bucket list. Not only is it super close geographically — and therefore, relatively inexpensive — but its cultural history has long been intertwined with Spain’s. I finally got the chance to visit! I highly recommend it, so here are a few things you should know before visiting Morocco. [Read more…]

Last Updated on June 11, 2023

Morocco Trip Review: Fez, Chefchaouen, and Tangier

Matt and I when we first arrived in Chefchaouen, Morocco

Two weeks ago, I set foot on the continent of Africa for the first time. Matt and I arrived in Fez to spend 5 days in Morocco! It’s so close to Spain and I’d really wanted to go for a long time. Since Matt was visiting me, and I felt safer traveling with him, it was the perfect opportunity. I booked our plane tickets and Airbnbs back in March, but other than that, I didn’t make any other plans.

I wasn’t sure what awaited us in Morocco, my first African country — I had some ideas, but I’ll talk about the differences between expectations and reality in a future post. But we ended up having a really amazing time. [Read more…]