Arriving in Morocco, I quickly realised things were a little different from what I had expected. I thought it would feel more foreign, but Casablanca has a lot more western shops than I imagined. Familiar brands sit right next to street vendors and local cafés, and the city feels very modern. It was more than I expected, and if anything that made it even more interesting to explore.

The weather also caught me off guard. I had expected it to be warmer at this time of year, but it was actually quite cool and very windy. I suppose it was never always going to be sunshine, and that is a good lesson to learn on day one.

The highlight of the day was visiting the Hassan II Mosque. It is hard to put into words just how impressive it is. The most amazing fact from the tour was that the whole mosque was built in just six years. When you see the level of detail inside, that is almost impossible to get your head around. Thousands of craftsmen worked on it at the same time, all carving and tiling by hand. It is the kind of thing that makes you stop and just take it in. Day one done, and Morocco has already given me so much to think about.

Anna Lind