My partner and I trekked through the Sahara Desert with his parents. It was the icebreaker we needed.

My partner Sam and I had been living in London for a year and were planning to head back to Australia when he made a suggestion one morning: “Why don’t we invite Mom and Dad to do some traveling with us before we head home?”

Sam had been a good sport and done his fair share of traveling with my family, so I wanted to reciprocate. “Sure, let’s do it,” I replied, feeling a rush of anxiety bubble in my stomach.

Secretly, I wondered how it would go, given the age difference. His parents were 69 and 75, while Sam and I were 31 and 28. We weren’t married back then, and I had only met his folks a handful of times in person.

I was nervous about how they’d handle Morocco, but we had a blast

He made a plan to meet his folks in Amsterdam. From there, they’d do a road trip through the Netherlands, Belgium, and France for a couple of weeks before flying to Morocco, where I was to meet them.

When the big day arrived and I landed in Marrakesh, Sam was waiting for me at the airport. They’d arrived earlier that day.

Marrakesh is a wonderfully vibrant city, but it can be an onslaught to the senses, what with the donkeys cruising around the narrow alleys of the Medina, the snake charmers working their magic, and the strange noises, smells, and crowds.

“How are your mom and dad enjoying Morocco so far?” I asked tentatively. I had insisted on incorporating Morocco into the itinerary, so I was nervous about whether it was “too exotic” for his folks, who were from country Victoria in Australia.

“Well, Mom had a panic attack, but she’s calmed down now,” Sam said. I immediately felt awful and wondered if Morocco had been a mistake.

When we arrived at the riad where we were staying — a traditional Moroccan guesthouse with an interior courtyard — we found Sam’s folks swimming in the pool. His mom seemed totally fine, and I sighed with relief.

Despite my initial concerns, we ended up having the most amazing time with his folks. We explored Marrakesh’s vibrant Medina, historic Jemaa el-Fna square, and the other sites.

We trekked through the Sahara Desert and had amazing conversations

Next, we went on a three-day trip to the Sahara Desert, visiting historical sites like Aït Benhaddou and the Todra Gorge on the way. When his mom wanted to buy a Moroccan rug or a piece of jewelry, I bartered on her behalf. She looked mortified as I haggled with the locals over a couple of dollars, and afterwards, we’d all laugh about how unrelenting I’d been.

At one point on our trip, Sam went down with a stomach bug, and I was so glad his mom was there to help take care of him. I was clueless and didn’t know what to do to comfort him, but she had the knack, as only moms do.

When we arrived at the Sahara Desert, the four of us trekked into the sunset on camels, then sat on the sand dunes and talked about life, dreams, and aspirations. That night, we enjoyed a tagine curry dish under the stars at the Berber camp where we were staying. To this day, it’s one of my favorite experiences we’ve shared together.

The trip was the icebreaker we needed

My in-laws proved to be real troopers on that trip and were great company to travel with. They ate street food and slept in low-budget hostels to accommodate our needs, provided interesting conversation, and were supportive when things got tough.

The trip helped us break the ice and get to know one another on a deeper level. Despite our age difference, we had loads of fun together.

That was 12 years ago, and Sam and I have now been married for a decade. We often reminisce with his parents about that special moment in time, and the lasting memories we made under a Moroccan sun.

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