Things were arranged for my trip from Achill to the Tildi Hotel in Agadir. But I still didn't know where the 'Reunion des Amis d'Iligh' was held and where I was going to stay: Iligh or Tiznit? Of course I didn't know the state Bert and Aisha were in trying to get the Tiznit directorate to pay the bill for the event and once they had conceded, the difficulties they had getting them to confirm it officially. I didn't know than that there wasn't a place yet where the guests would stay and where the event would be held. And this was two days before the guests were supposed to arrive in Tiznit. Whenever I had contact with her Bert had funny stories to tell and didn't seem to take anything seriously. Especially not my worries. She seemed almost callous. When she send me a mail that she, Annie and Aisha were staying in Tiznit in the apartment of Fatima and that I should come there, I flipped. Oh yeah, and I should take a 'petit' taxi from the Tildi to the 'grand' taxi station at 'Abat' and from there I should find a group taxi to Tiznit and the prices were this and that but those were for Moroccans. I decided not to go at all. Fuck the expenses for the train ticket, the flight and the Hotel. What did money mean anyway if the alternative was that I had to schlep with a heavy suitcase and a heavy shoulder bag through busy Agadir. Once in Tiznit where did I have to take a 'petit' taxi to? I saw myself telling the driver: take me to Fatima. She lives somewhere inside the city walls. Which Fatima, he would ask. The Fatima who is such a fantastic cook, I would answer. I decided to write to Aisha and Annie and explain my predicament. They quickly found a solution: a friend of Aisha who lived in Agadir and was coming to the event anyway, would pick me up at the Tildi. So far so good. By the time I arrived at Dublin airport the place had gotten very quiet. The otherwise busy departure hall where travellers check in was deserted. It seemed that my flight was the last one out.
