Susan Barlow, Savannah Georgia

An incredible solo adventure through the streets of Morocco

I was 62 when I took a solo trip to Morocco, mostly to see if I still had the confidence to travel on my own. One morning in Marrakech, I got turned around in the souks and followed the sound of drumming, thinking it might lead me back to a main street. Instead, it took me into a small courtyard where a wedding procession was getting ready to start.

Before I could slip away, one of the drummers, who had to be around 14 years old, handed me an extra drum and gave me a little nod. So I stayed. I ended up walking with them through the alleyways, tapping along and hoping I wasn’t completely offbeat.

When we reached the bride’s home, the boy looked at me and said, in perfect English, “You did pretty well.” It was such a simple moment, but it’s the one I still think about, the day a wrong turn gave me a place in someone else’s celebration.