Jeff has been on a number of Zoom Vacations tours, and we were thrilled when he was able to join on our recent tour to Morocco. Even better, he is coming with us to Antarctica in February!
Zoom: Which trips have you been on with Zoom vacations?
Jeff: We have been to Argentina, Rio, South Africa, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Cuba, Vietnam, Cambodia, Colombia, and Morocco with Zoom Vacations
Zoom: How was Morocco similar or different from other trips you have been on with us?
Jeff: Morocco 🇲🇦 was different from other Zoom trips because it seemed very exotic and we got to see so much of the country and its different cultural experiences. It was similar to other Zoom trips in that we stayed at amazing hotels and had everything all planned and organized for us. All we had to do was show up and we knew we’d have a great day.
Zoom: In what ways did Morocco inspire you?
Jeff: Morocco inspired me similar to how it has inspired others who travel or lived there (like Yves St. Laurent) .......with color!!! Amazingly colorful places and things throughout the country. From spices, to tiles to flowers and gardens to djellabas.
Zoom: You're a big shopper and you're also a big photographer. Which of these interests took over in Morocco?
Jeff: Both shopping & photography were off the charts in Morocco! I probably took over 1000 pictures. And we shopped so much we had 5 different things shipped home. Lol
Zoom: Speaking of shopping, what were some of the cool things that you bought?
Jeff: What we bought: A beautiful Moroccan lantern and a custom made Fez tile fountain for our lanai, a fossil sculpture from the Sahara desert, a sub-Saharan African mask, a Moroccan rug, and some beautiful Moroccan shirts and a djellaba to lounge around the house in, and some of the best olive oil we’ve ever tasted from Marrakech.
Zoom: What was your favorite aspect of the trip? The hotels? The food? The sites? The history?
Jeff: My favorite aspect of the trip (although the food, the hotels and the history were all spectacular), were the varied sites of Morocco - from grand mosques on the sea to the seemingly endless Sahara desert and from the serene Blue City to the bustling and sometimes chaotic souks and markets of Fez and Marrakech.
Zoom: Our trip included the magical blue city. Did it like it?
Jeff: Chefchaouen was definitely a highlight of this trip with numerous highlights! It’s a photographers dream setting!
Zoom: We also went to the Sahara desert. Is that worth visiting?
Jeff: The Sahara desert was another highlight of the trip! And a definite stop on any trip to Morocco. The early morning camel ride and watching the sunrise over the desert is truly one of those travel experiences that will stay with you for life. And sleeping in the luxury tented camp under the starry sky was truly magical.
Zoom: Would you ever want to go back to Morocco?
Jeff: I would definitely love to go back to Morocco sometime in my life. However if I don’t, I certainly feel like I saw all the highlights on our Zoom trip.
Zoom: You've signed up for our Antarctica trip. What interests you about that tour?
Jeff: Three words. Penguins, Penguins and Penguins. Actually I’ve already been to Antarctica on a larger cruise line many years ago (where you don’t actually get to go off the ship and physically step foot on the White Continent). And that’s the main reason I’m going back with Zoom. To be on a more intimate tour where we actually get to experience Antarctica on foot and visit penguin colonies up close and personal. It’s truly one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. It worth a trip back!!!
Zoom: What do you think the common misperceptions are about Antarctica trips?
Jeff: That it is always super cold (which it is not, many times, especially in their summer, there are beautiful calm sunny days); that you’ll see polar bears (which you won’t because they are only in the Arctic); that it’s boring (which it’s of course not) - for one, it’s another photographers dream setting and I’m looking forward to hiking, snowshoeing and sea kayaking.
Zoom: What would you tell people interested in going to Antarctica?
Jeff: I would tell people interesting in going to Antarctica that it’s an amazingly beautiful place (that’s why I’m going back!) with all kinds of wildlife to experience (not just penguins but various other sea birds, whales, seals, walruses, etc.....) and these things make it a wonderful trip for photographers and naturalists! It’s definitely a place to be checked off every world travelers bucket list (especially if you want to be able to check off all 7 continents). And really can be a life changing experience.
