A touch of Aden

Somaliland is definitely virgin territory for tourism. It took a lot of effort to find any information about anything. And all reviews I found where in the single digits. So not necessarily the most reliable. I found one that seemed promising, since I found them everywhere. But they turned out to be a scam... Fortunately, my credit card company reimbursed me my money...

So I had to fix a tour to Laas Geel and Berbera locally. I had read someone had used the Oriental Hotel to fix the tour, so I opted for that. I walked to the hotel, and told the manager what I wanted. Laas Geel and then on to Berbera for the night. He gave me the rundown. 295 dollars. Excluding the hotel for the night in Berbera.. A stiff price, but apparently not uncommon. It therefore helps to be a small group, sharing the cost.

The next day, I got up early, since the deal was they would come and pick me up at 7. But 7 came and went. And when it passed 7.30, I asked the receptionist to call the hotel and inquire about the pickup. She spoke with him, and after some back and forth, she hung up and said "They will be here shortly". Not a great start. I was starting to get a feel that the manager of the Oriental had forgotten the whole thing. 10 minutes later, a guy arrived in a HiAce... Not exactly the vehicle I was expecting for a trip into the wilderness. But I got in, and we were off into the city center to pick up our guard. For some reason, they demand that foreigners always travel with an armed guard... After waiting half an hour, he came running across the street. The AK-47 thrown over his shoulder. He opened the back door, excused his late arrival and threw the Kalashnikov on the floor between the seats. And after some pleasantries, he laid down on the seat and fell asleep. Didn't seem like there really was a need for an armed guard...

When we arrived at Laas Geel, our driver was getting anxious regarding the road condition. This was definitely 4WD territory. But to his credit, he managed to navigate the HiAce across rocks, cracks, crevasses and all other challenges. Without destroying the car. And after half an hour of jolts, jumps, heart stopping maneuvers and a couple of "carrrunch"-es later, we arrived at the visitor center. Our guard pointed to an old guy sitting on a porch. "Your guide" he said. I got out, and our guard showed me to a room with some pictures and some history of the site. After a short while he came back and waved me to come with him. "I will be your guide" he said. Euuukei. Guess no arrangement had been made here for the guide. I was getting more of the feeling the manager at Oriental had winged everything. And that was obvious on our driver. While driving on the wilderness road, he also spoke, or should I say, screamed, on the phone with the manager of Oriental hotel. He obviously wasn't told the condition of the road. 

The "road"

At least I got to see a camel up close

I was thinking that a HiAce was a terrible choice for this road, but after I had finished the tour, I met a couple of women who had just arrived. In a Toyota Vitz. Their driver must an ace. And then there was a guy in a sedan... How THEY got there, is beyond me...

Our guard with his AK-47

He doubled as a guide

After the tour of Laas Geel, and driving back to the main road, the guard said "and now we go to Berbera and back to Hargeisa". "Noooo" I said. "We go to Berbera, stay for the night and then go back to Hargeisa." He was silent for a moment before talking to the driver. The driver got even more upset. Uh-oh. He picked up his phone, called, and screamed in the phone for the better part of half an hour or so. I asked the guard when he was called for this tour. "This morning". Right. The manager at the Oriental hotel had forgotten all about it, and had scrambled together a tour. Forgetting that I was supposed to stay the night at Berbera. Sigh!

I guess the message I am making is clear. If you should ever come to Hargeisa, avoid using the Oriental hotel to book your tour. I do not like to be stiffed.

As any reader might imagine, I was angry. But I explained to the driver and guard that I was angry at the manager of Oriental Hotel. Not them. They were just thrown into this debacle. And I was the victim. 

The guard offered to show me some of the sights in Berbera. And I thought that since we had gone this far, I might as well see something. The guard had been here before, so he knew the town.

First, we drove down to the beach. As I got out of the car, I gasped. The temperature was high. Very high! The forecast said 44. And with the humid air along the sea, it was opressively hot. I gasped for air and managed to compose myself enough to walk down to the beach. I took my shoes and socks off and wandered into the water. It had a nice temperature. Would have been great to go swimming. But I didn't bring any bathing gear. But at least I could say I have dipped my toes in the Bay of Aden...

Next was the fish market. They drove me into town, the older part. And soon, the unmistakable smell of fish filled my nostrils. I expected an open market, but, I have to admit much to my surprise, the market was actually a lot of shops with the fish stored in freezers. I totally expected the fish to be baking in the sun. But not here. That was satisfying to know. So the guard took me thorugh the market, talked to the shopowners to let me take a look in the freezers. Again, not exactly what I expected, so I just politely took som images and walked on.

Next were some mosques and some "very old buildings". Every building here was apparently very old...

"Very old" building...

..with a local mosque behind it

Newer mosque

We were standing in front of a partially collapsed "very old building" when an old guy in a huge 50s Chevy drove past. He stopped and started speaking perfect English! After the usual "Where are you from? Welcome to Somaliland!", my guard pointed at the "very old" building and the old man nodded. "A very old building. 1903 it was built!" 1903? 1903??? I have rented an apartment in a building from the 1920s... So apparently, I have been living in a "very old" building...

Anyways. After this, we had "seen it all" and we headed back to Hargeisa. It was not the trip I had wanted, but the guard was just trying his best to give me some "value for money". So I do not fault him.

On the way back to Hargeisa, we stopped at a restaurant were the guard offered me a cup, I mean glass, of tea with camel milk. Finally, I was going to taste camel milk. It was...ok. Not yucky. Just...different. And the tea smelled of...stable... But I enjoyed the experience. And the tea was nice. Save from the insane amounts of sugar used...

Another delightful experience was a shower of rain on our last leg into Hargeisa. As we entered the area the rain had just passed, I could feel the temperature dropping. It was refreshing. But best of all, it was combined with freshly watered plants and grass. I sniffed the air. I love the smell of wet grass in the evening. It smells like...nature.

I was tired when we finally arrived in Hargeisa. The driver dropped me off at the hotel I wanted to spend the last part. I had only ordered the first hotel since it was the only one available on booking sites online. So now I was changing to one a few hundred meters away. The aircon was working, the restaurant had great food, and the front yard was actually a place I wanted to sit in the evening. And it cost a lot less. 

I was ready for my last days in Somaliland.

Ragnar

Traveller who doesn't like to be played