Africa

So you've seen the gorgeous pictures of riads and souks on Instagram. You've heard tales of riding camelback over sand dunes and drinking mint tea around a campfire under a sky full of stars. Visions of painted pottery, hand-woven rugs, and ceramic tagines are swirling in your head. You're ready to head to Morocco.

I was right there with you. I did as much research as I could to prepare myself. Because of my research, I did avoid many of the common mistakes. But if I could do it all over again, there are also many things I'd do differently. Here's the advice I'd offer my friends if they were planning a trip to Morocco: