Spring and Summer are on their way, which means the European party season kicks in with a vengeance. It is the sad reality for travellers and locals that this also increases the rate of drink-spiking and the new and imaginative ways it can happen. This doesn’t mean anyone should be paranoid (after all, it kind of kills the fun if you’re constantly watching out for freaks with Roofies in their pocket) but it does mean it’s a good moment for a reminder of what to watch out for.

The good news is that drink spiking methods haven’t really changed much. The bad news is that drink-spiking is still common.

Alcohol is by far the most common drink-spiking substance. It’s not as confusing as it sounds. You order a standard shot and get a little more (three or four times more) than you bargained for. Five or six drinks over the course of an evening and you’re in no position to know where you are or who you’re with. And the kind new friend you’ve made who’s been buying your drinks all night is in a prime position to take advantage. Guys, we’re not just saying ‘take advantage’ as a nice way of talking about date-rape here: Men are almost as commonly victims of drink-spiking too. The motivation may not always be the same (yep, sex with a person who is too out-of-it to really consent) but mugging is the number-one reported summer crime, especially in a social situation. That cutie who has has been hanging out with you all night – and watching your drink while you hit the bathrooms – may be after more than just your good looks and charm.

Roofies are still on the scene. Rohypnol, the good old ‘date-rape’ standard, is in the pockets of plenty of nightclubbers. We know it seems so retro, but it’s still out there. The problem with Roofies is that they leave no trace (at least, not by the time you wake up the next day and start to figure out that last night’s black-out was no normal Saturday night). These are a pretty potent prescription medication and when given in slightly higher-than-normal doses, induce memory loss. This means that if someone has managed to spike your drink with these odourless, tasteless mugger’s friends, you are pretty unlikely to have a clear recollection of the previous night’s events. This doesn’t mean you will find a corner and peacefully pass out – the opposite is more likely: Your inhibitions will drop and you may be faced with not only wondering where your wallet is, but how you ended up on Youtube with a lampshade on your head.

GHB, (or GBH – for Grievous Bodily Harm), is the short version of Gamma-hydroxybutyrate. Although this has a very slightly salty flavour, there is no way you are going to spot it in the average bar drink, unless you are sensitive to the taste of salt. This is one of the bad-boys of the drink-spiking scene: If you’re not used to GHB, you’re going to be hit hard. The only saving grace is that dosages are incredibly hard to gauge (unlike other substances, you can’t really dose GHB by body-weight) so it’s tough to drink-spike with this stuff, and do it effectively. The down side is that if your new frenemy (that’s friend/enenemy) does it well, you are in for a rough ride, a hard come-down and the prospects of being raped, mugged, or both, are pretty high.

The real point here is to trust your instincts. Stay with friends (if there are some around who are not too impaired, even better). Keep your eye on your drinks and try to order them yourselves, even if it seems so easy to let someone else pay your bar tab all night. How big a bar tab is worth your safety, and your dignity? There are a few test-strips in production that will detect the presence of Roofies when dipped in a drink – stay tuned for updates on this – and these may just be the next big accessory. For now, dance, drink, enjoy – but hold on to just enough sense to keep your wits about you.

For the best weekend of the summer, grab a group of friends and rent the best apartments in Marrakech. Go party in Pacha, the biggest club in North-Africa!

Spring is here, and the moment for flimsy clothing and baking in the sun has arrived. Once again women’s magazines feature headlines like “operation bikini” and women start driving themselves crazy about their bodies. But did you know that real curves and leaving a bit to the imagination can really turn a man on? Clearly, the most important thing is feel comfortable in your own skin, but please, do me the favour of being faithful to your form, and don’t turn yourself into a hollow skeleton with nary an inch of flesh left to discover. You’ll see how good it feels when a man catches hold of your waist when there is something to hold on to

¿Fashion Show or Freak Show?
After the Cibeles fashion show in Madrid and the Milan Fashion Fair, controversy broke out about the upsettingly emaciated physique of some of the models. While not a new subject, it broke into the news when one of the designers, Angel Schlesser, dared to say: “I don’t feel like I encourage anorexia. Anorexia is caused by drunk or neglectful mothers”.

In general, commenters were outraged that one could say something so stupid. Some proposed implementation of a law that would regulate the physique of models- who are often required to wear a size 34 even though they measure more than 1.70m, others wondered if the models are meant to represent women or girls, if this is the new sexy, while those affected by anorexia or bulimia left testimonies about their experiences.

The problem with all this is that we miss the point: so much attention is given to the catwalk models´ alarmingly evident ribs and spine, visible collarbones and barely existent bottoms that we hardly notice the designs. It’s no longer a fashion show so much as a parade of unhealthily skinny bodies. Perhaps at bottom lies a secret desire for a woman so skinny she becomes transparent? Because I see nothing more or less than the disappearance of the natural feminine form.

Beauty XXL
To have and to hold, isn’t it best to have a bit of roll to the hips, some junk in the trunk, and perhaps even a bit of belly? If you take a glance, the biggest stars and sex symbols of today, like Monica Bellucci, Penélope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson or Angelina Jolie- don’t bear much resemblance to women who populate the runways.

Beauty is no longer about being stick-thin, rather being luscious, healthy, appetizing and vivacious. Have a form to show off, like the traditional Arabic belly dancers, who proudly exhibit their rounded hips, softly inviting bellies and curvy behinds, because they know exactly the enchanting effect these forms have over men.

¡Long Live Fat!
One of life’s little paradoxes: its been reported that in the future, doctors will be able to prescribe medicines which cause the fat deposits to accumulate in the hips, the place on the body where a little bit of fat can actually prevent such conditions as diabetes. According to scientists at the University of Oxford, fat deposits in the hips, thighs and trunk- though not in the stomach- can help eliminate the bad fatty acids and facilitate the circulation of anti-inflammatory agents which help impede the obstruction of arteries. A bit of extra padding can have numerous benefits, both for your health and your sexual power.

The last word: Better to have the body that inspires hunger than a body that is dying of hunger. Take care of yourself! Take a trip to Morocco, where the women don’t fear their curves, and will inspire you to feel the same. Rent apartments in Marrakech; enjoy the sensuality and sign up for the revolution of feeling comfortable in your own skin.