First Morning Without Elena

It is the day I knew would eventually come. Elena and I planned to only do the France part together, but wanted to check out Morocco and since we are very flexible, she was able to come and spend a month with me in Africa. Now she is on her way to her original itinerary. I cried at the airport, and all the way home to the hostel from the airport. We both know we'll meet again at the end of the year, but it is still very emotional.

Now I have to figure out how to survive without Elena watching my back. I made it to Rabat this morning--catching the train by 2 minutes. Close but not as close as the transfer back from the airport last night where I jumped onto the train as it already moving.

I'm staying at the Rabat youth hostel for 2 nights until I can go to Casablanca airport for my flight to Senegal. I managed to check in and drop off my bags. Later I'll return and have my first shower in 2 days. Boy, that will be nice. Hosteling is a bit tricky to learn. How do you keep your stuff secure? How can I organize my stuff so I don't spill the contents of my pack all over the bed? These are thinbgs I have to work out. I was a little disorganized because Elena found a person who was staying at the hostel and volunteered me to accompany her to the festival (what festival? I girl from Seattle namede Sara knows because she went). We didn't go to the festival--just talked for a while outside where it was cooler. She had to catch a 4:30 train to the airport so she was rerady for bed anyway.

This morning I started writing in my journal--something I haven't much of lately but will start to do in earnest now. I'm also reading my new Tocqueville book. Well, I better go eat.