As much as I thought this trip wouldn't feel like vacation (what with the work and school and routine), I was wrong about that. Well, at least on the weekends.

On the weekends, when I'm not thinking about Snapbar clients, and the kids aren't complaining about math, and Kirsten isn't thinking about the kids complaining about math...time stand more still.

I think there's something about exploring new places and being in new environments that IS vacation to me.
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This last Sunday, we fit a ton into one day:

• 1.5 drive to Imsouane (that surf town I wrote about in this email)
• Camel riding in the dunes off the Atlantic coast on the way there
• Sand boarding in said dunes after the camel ride
• Laying on the beach watching Gideon surf and the other two play
• Sipping coffee over the bay while reflecting on growing up in Morocco
• Swimming in the Atlantic with Kirsten while getting pummeled by waves
• 1.5 hour drive back to Agadir for dinner
• Perfect sunset over the coast on the way back
• Almost unsuccessful search for a place for dinner seeing it's Ramadan
• Dinner at 9:30pm with kids that are sun-kissed, falling asleep, and (I'll be honest) kinda whiny because of how late we were eating dinner.

All the hallmarks of vacation, tucked into one 14 hour excursion. Photos below.

I've shared highlights in the past few emails because nobody wants to read about my partnership meetings with clients in London or how often Greta melts into the couch when facing a difficult math problem.

But maybe you've been wondering what has the day to day been like?

We're exactly 1 month into the trip and here's a typical weekday:

• 7:30 am: People are waking up. Our early morning routine doesn't exist here because there is no pressure to start the day early necessarily.
• 9:00 am: We've eaten breakfast, read, kids have watched some Youtube, Kirsten and I are maybe on a walk together.
• 9:30 am: I've been getting into work things for a bit, prepping for my day which often extends to 9pm or later. Kids have started school.
• 11:00 am: We're headed to the beach, the souk, some exploring or other midday adventure.
• 12:30 pm: We're eating sandwiches we brought or finding a place to eat our favorite thing for a quick bite: Moroccan 'tacos'​
• 2:30 pm: We're headed home for the day.
• 3:00 pm: Everyone's cleaned up. Kids are back doing school. I'm starting the longer chunk of my work day. (My days often fall into two versions: 6 hours during the day, a couple hours in the evening...or a couple hours during the day and 6+ hours into the evening.)
• 6:30 pm: We're eating dinner (often quickly) between meetings I have in the evening.
• 7:30 pm: Kirsten and the kids are playing games if I'm working, or we're chatting or watching a movie together if I've got a freer evening.
• 9:30 pm: Bed time prep. Time for Kirsten and I to connect about the day. Some late night responses to my team or clients.
• 10:30 pm: ZZZZZZZZZZ

What's next from here?

We've been in Agadir, Morocco, for 1 month. Tomorrow, we leave here and begin our journey north to Spain with some stops along the way:

Agadir ➟ Marrakesh: we'll be taking the bus to Marrakesh and will be staying about 1 hour outside the city with Kirsten's cousin Joey Easley (and his family) who are doing relief work among the berbers of the Atlas mountains.

Marrakesh ➟ Rabat: train to Rabat, the capital of Morocco, where I lived for 3 years after the first 14 years in Agadir. It's also where I met Daniel (Kirsten's cousin) who introduced me to my wife while I was visiting Gig Harbor, the place I now call home.

Rabat ➟ Fez: train to Fez, an ancient city, where we will spend a weekend exploring the old medina and showing the kids some pretty unique things.

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Fez ➟ Tangier: train to Tangier for one night so that we can get the ferry to southern Spain where we begin our next 1 months stay!