27th day, may 12th 2023

Midelt Hospital - Casablanca

I woke around 7 a.m. Shortly after, the head nurse came by to give me a shot with antibiotics and an anticoagulant to prevent thrombosis. To my great surprise, the hospital was providing all these medications free of charge, as a little souvenir, they told me. And to top it all off, I was officially “a guest of Morocco”!

I quickly freshened up, and just as I finished, Mustafa, my driver for the transfer to Casablanca, arrived. The hospital director and all the staff came to say their goodbyes, apologising once more for any inconvenience. But what were they talking about? Despite the humble surroundings, their care and attention had been exemplary.

I left my room in a wheelchair. Outside the emergency entrance, a brand-new Mercedes-Benz was waiting to take me on the six-hour journey to Casablanca. The only hitch: no one knew how to load a motorbike onto the truck. In the end, I was the one who manoeuvred my Honda up the ramp. Once securely strapped to the platform, the bike was ready to go.

I wanted to express my heartfelt thanks to the staff, but they refused, saying they were simply doing their duty. What admirable ethics! All the personnel, lined up outside the hospital with the director, waved me off with big smiles. It was a truly emotional farewell.

We followed the truck for a few kilometres before our paths split: the truck headed to Tangier, while we made our way to Casablanca. After a coffee stop, we finally arrived at the Atlas Sky Hotel (https://acollectionhotels.com/en/our-destinations/casablanca/business/atlas-sky-casablanca), just near the airport. Everything was perfectly arranged: wheelchair access, a large room adapted for reduced mobility… though the atmosphere was lively, as the President of Cape Verde was staying there with his entire security team.

I made the most of the accessible facilities to enjoy a well-earned shower. Later, I dined at the hotel restaurant: the meal was decent, nothing spectacular, but by far the most expensive I’ve had on this trip.

I ended the evening watching TV and fell asleep, exhausted but relieved.