Driving away, I was genuinely surprised by how rapidly the outskirts of Agadir are developing. The massive sprawl heavily reminded Jay of our early days in the Gulf, where entire new neighborhoods seemingly appeared on maps overnight. It seems that education and technology are the primary drivers of this sustained growth across the south.
Once clear of the urban expansion, the journey inland was a perfectly civilized morning drive. We owe that entirely to the A3 motorway. Operating as a modern, four-lane divided highway, it actively keeps the mountain slopes to highly manageable inclines. Slicing straight through the High Atlas, this feat of civil engineering spared the two of us from the old nausea-inducing switchbacks of the national roads. Fittingly, my partner and I traversed this exact mountain stretch on the sixteenth anniversary of its official opening. We had one short break and got into this city station a bit early at 13:00.
Upon arriving in Marrakech, Jay and I grabbed a late lunch near the station to get a feel for the immediate neighborhood. I had booked the Ibis Marrakech Centre Gare for the night. Built in 1990 for pure transit convenience, the property wisely features a courtyard pool to actively counter the inland heat. Taking advantage of the water proved to be an absolute treat after a morning of highway travel. The hotel itself is typical for an Ibis; the rooms are tiny and efficient. However, since the building is just a 10-minute taxi ride from the main Jemaa el-Fnaa square, the two of us will probably go for a final visit to one location on the earth that feels unique but strangely quite personal. Afterall, today's the summer solstice here and the longest day of the year. I know we won't need to rush for the train tomorrow. The station literally could not be any closer.
