#ThrowbackThursday with Justin Heckman, Classic Vacations

While working at a Club Med call centre in Paris in 2003, I was invited to accompany a travel agent FAM to Marrakech.

It was my first trip with travel agents, as they would have large scale “mega-FAMs” from time to time, and would invite call-centre reservations agents along.

Club Med had begun to move more upmarket, but there was still a little… wild edge in 2003, especially in Europe. In Marrakech, they had opened a brand new resort in the Palmerae: the rooms and grounds were beautiful, the food was terrific, and the activities were all quintessential Club Med – lots of sports, fun surprises and of course “Crazy Signs” at night.

While on the FAM, we were taken out on an overnight excursion into the Atlas Mountains, where we had the chance to spend one night in a very elegant encampment. We had a beautiful evening under the stars and then headed to bed in our white canvas tents.

The next morning, I was jarred awake in the early hours by a plump fellow in a black spandex suit, covered in feathers, walking between the tents clucking like a chicken. It was probably the strangest alarm clock I ever experienced. I could hear mixes of laughter and confused statements coming from the other tents – some who honestly thought there was a chicken about – but most who recognized that someone was messing with them (the reality was a scary sight to see).

Otherwise it was a wonderful trip, and I remember thinking, “Wow, I am actually being paid to enjoy a resort.”

At the end of the FAM, we all boarded a charter flight back and people started getting a little unruly. We participated in a very enthusiastic safety demonstration (which I think you could only really get away with on a charter flight), where the plane, filled with French and Belgian travel “professionals” would chant along with the attendant’s demonstration.

When she got to the part about the seatbelt, the plane erupted into a crowd-sung “La ceinture, la ceinture”… when she brought up the life vest, it was “le gilet, le gilet,” etc. All followed by a rousing round of applause.

Fortunately, the cabin crew seemed amused and, most importantly, we all got home without needing the life vest.

It was a fun and memorable first FAM trip.