I had a good night sleep but a bit anxious over the journey
into Somaliland, my last stop of the trip. The journey involves 3
transportation segments: mini-bus to Jijiga, minibus to border Wajale, from
border shared taxi to Hargeisa, Somaliland, the self-declared independent
country within Somalia where no country recognize it, but where law and order
exist. There aren’t many must see in the country, the major draw for me is the
off the beaten track factor.
The bus station in Harar is just outside of the Shoa gate,
so I walked there around dawn to get an early start on my long journey. I was
hoping to meet other foreign travelers to share the journey to Somaliland, but
there were none. The mini-bus left the station to pick up a family in the city.
The pickup place smelled of feces. But I guess one might be able to get used to
it after a while. After that it was smooth drive on paved road to Jijiga. It
was a smooth transition to next bus for the border town Wajale. The bus dropped
everyone just short of the border crossing. The border place is pretty dusty,
dirty, and definitely has the frontier feel to it. I found the Ethiopian
Immigration Building without a problem – look for the flag. The only officer
there was busy with few other people, but I didn’t have to wait too long. After
I got my exit stamp, I walked over to Somaliland side, no guards to be seen; an
army of few could overrun the border easily. Again I looked for the flag, this
time that of Somaliland, and walked into the immigration building. I was the
only person there, and the officer was friendly and event told the
transportation option available here, basically share taxi of very old and beat
up station wagon. After I received my entry stamp, I stepped out to find a
shared tax gathering passengers. I read that they will try to cram as many
people into the station wagon with luggage go on top of the roof. The road from
here to Hargeisa is mostly paved except the first twenty some kilometers.
I was hoping to find some tourists to share a taxi, but again
no body. So I go into the back of the taxi with a family of 3. The front seats
had all been sold for $10 each already, so the back is $7 for back to the seats
or $5 for across the back next to the back door. I gave the guy two US $5 bills
and he said he will get my change of $3 back. After another shared taxi guy offered
me for a $5 spot in his taxi, I decided to go with it. This was when things get
ugly. The first guy gave me back 1 $5 bill and $2 worth of Somaliland
Shillings. Since we can’t communicate with each other, I asked people around me
to ask the guy to give me $3 back, but the guy refused and made up various
excuses like, I only gave him $7 or someone ran away with the money when he
tried to exchange it. Eventually a police man and the immigration officer got
involved, but they just asked me to wait to get thing straighten out even
though it didn’t look like they were doing anything to this guy and he just
sitting around with an aura of immunity to him. Eventually my taxi decided to
leave without me, but with my bag on top, so I had to give up the fight. I have
been overcharged for services and often that is part of traveling in certain
countries, but this is the first time someone has brazenly lied and stole from
me in front of my face. I got really angry, at one point I was thinking of
attack the guy and get my money back, but I thought it is better to lose $3
than to be arrested even if I am a victim here.
With bitter taste in my mouth and crammed with 3 other (old
and luckily skinny) people in the back of the taxi, we drove toward Hargeisa.
The taxi driver has one those angry and evil faces and he certainly
demonstrated it during our ride as we bounced around the desert sand and
kicking up dust all around us. Since the taxi is really old and who knows how
many time it has been through this kind of journey, seals around the car
definitely are not air tight. You can see dusts particles floating in the car.
I tried to breathe through my hat and zip up my daypack. Few times my head
bounced off the window when we hit an especially bad patch or pothole in the
sand or road. Eventually we got on paved road with lots potholes; it was still
dusty and bumpy.
There are many police/military checkpoints along the road to
Hargeisa and almost at every stop we had to get out and show our passport. This
wasn’t bad as it provided few minutes of fresh air and stretching out my legs.
At one point the driver started to slow down and at first I didn’t know why,
but when the car finally stopped and couldn’t be started he grab a small bottle
and headed over to a gas station near by – we had run out of gas! We had passed
at least 1 gas station before. Why didn’t he fill it up a little before and
waited for car to die and walk in the hot sun to get gas is beyond me. If the
price is too expensive, fill up a little. Anyway we got back on the road once
the car was refueled. Eventually we made it to Hargeisa, but my nightmare of a
day wasn’t ending yet. Just before we reach city center the car started to act
up again, can’t accelerate and travel at very low speed. We stopped again, this
time the driver asked for water to fill the radiator (which he had me open it).
The car moved slowly for little bit and finally just totally died. The driver
hurried everyone out, by this time I was seating in front because few of the
passengers had been dropped off, and he left to do whatever he needed to do.
Stranded in the city, not sure what to do and didn’t know where I am, but one
of the family in the taxi told me to wait while as they called for a vehicle
that I thought is a city taxi. A short while later a car arrived to pick up his
family and I. They asked where I was going and I told them Oriental Hotel, so
we bounced on the dirt road toward the city center. I didn’t ask how much since
there are 4-5 of us, so it should not cost a lot for a short distance. But to
my dismay, the driver asked US$10 and the family said that is the way it is.
Not sure if the family had told the driver I would pay for their ride as well
or not (may be foreign is treated as ATM with two legs as well here), but I
decided to plead that all my money had been stolen by the guy at the border and
gave him whatever I had in my pocket which was around $5. The ride around city
center should have been $3 in an official taxi as I found out later. Being
cheated when arriving in a new country always gives a bad impression of a
country and I consider it as a form of “donation” being paid by a new tourist
and but been cheated 3 times, not that is just wrong.
According to the research I have done, Oriental Hotel
supposedly be the hang out place for travelers, but in my 3 days 2 nights here,
I only saw an older couple from Switzerland that had finish their work in
Africa and now driving their SUV north to head home overland or may be via a
ferry if Middle East land crossing is not possible due to ever changing
political upheavals. They arrived one day after me, so I wasn’t able to join
force with them to visit the only tourist site worthy of visit in the safe part
of Somaliland, Las Geel rock paintings.
Anyway, the Oriental Hotel looked nice inside and room they
gave me was decent except strong smell of insect spray. The room had a fan and
working cable TV, although only one channel in English. As any new destination
upon arrival, it was time to get something to eat. I checked out the hotel menu
and it was decent, so I had my meal there. The service was very slow even
though there was only couple other customers around. Also new country means new
currency to collect. There are lots of money changers right front of the hotel
and in the adjacent street. They have pile of money to change as US $1
exchanges 6000 Somaliland Schillings and largest denominated bills in
circulation are 5,000 schillings! Before 2011 the largest bill was 1,000. US
dollars are also wide accepted here in Somaliland, but it is always good to
have local currencies especially for small transactions.
My flight home is from Berbera on the coast, 3-hour drive
away. But I have read Ethiopian Airlines provide free shuttle from Hargeisa, so
I need to find out where the shuttle leave from and at what time. I asked the
hotel people and they weren’t sure, but told me it is somewhere on the main
street. So I just asked around as I walked hopefully in the right direction.
Eventually a kid led me to the building where the office is located, and he
didn’t even ask for money, how refreshing. Unfortunately the office is closed
for siesta. Just like Djibouti next door, business closes between 12-4PM. So I
walked around the area a little until I found a grocery store that was open.
There were couple young people working there and spoke good English and I
chatted with them for a while until just after 4PM when more customers started
to come in. I was surprised to see many people in Somaliland that speak decent
English, more so than Ethiopia. If not for the khat chewing, the country
probably would have progressed faster.
Yes, Ethiopian Airlines provides shuttle to Berbera airport
and it leaves 11AM, but check in is at 10:30AM. It is kind of early for a
5:20PM flight, but I was told since Somaliland has such bad roads, things can
happen, so better to leave early just in case. With my final leg home settled,
I went to a bank to see what the exchange rate is, and was told it was 6,200
schilling to one dollar, so I exchanged $50. Then I headed over to a local
telecomm office and see what kind of rate they were offering for US, and
surprised to see that they had a promotion running, 5 cents/min for call to USA
– Ethiopia take note: monopoly stifles competition and development. On top of
the cheap rate, a local sim card cost only $2 and includes 50 cents of calling
time, no pictures or copy of passport required as in Ethiopia. So I gladly
bought a sim card and $2 worth of airtime to call home. The friendly guy at the
telecomm office spoke excellent English and helped me to get a call through to
US as I didn’t remember how to dial an US phone number.
With all my logistic taken care of, the only thing left to
do was to find a tour that will take me to the Las Geel rock painting, about
1.5 hour away from the city. Oriental Hotel provided such service, but at $100
plus entrance fee of $30 it is certainly not cheap. I asked if there other
tourists around for the tour, but there were none. With that, I had an early
dinner and head back to my room to watch a little TV for the night.
Next morning, I woke up a bit too early for the free
breakfast provided by the hotel. While waiting for the breakfast to be served I
told the person at the reception that I would like to go to Las Geel this
morning. I decided to bite the bullet and go for it, not like that I am going
to come back to Somaliland in my life time. The manager who came a bit later
was able to make the call to arrange a driver, a police and my entrance paper.
Shortly before 9, the driver came with the policeman and my paper, to my
disbelief the car is another beat up station wagon! Well at least I will be
riding in the backseat this time and all to myself. The driver appeared to be
sick and coughed the whole time and asked if I have any medicine. His eyes were
bloodshot as well, may be chewing too much khat the night before as someone
told me.
The driver stopped to have air pumped into the tires and he
bought some candies, and then stopped so he can get some fresh camel milk. He
sped down the pot-hole filled road dodging them at high speed, certainly looked
scary even to our policeman. With a policeman in our vehicle we breezed through
the checkpoints. Eventually we got to the turn off for Las Geel and the beat up
station wagon now proceeded on a 4-wheel drive high recommended rocky path. The
going was so slow you could have walk faster but since it was hot outside, it
is probably better to ride inside. Some kids approached us at one point, and he
gave them the candies he bought and told me that he knew one of villager here
and he always bring them candies when he come by. We picked up the old guide of
the site along the way; he was sleeping under a tree, and arrived at the museum
where a guard was sleeping. It must be like this every day for them at least
according to the guest book, less than one tourist group a day stopped by. I
read some of the descriptions in the museum. These Neolithic rock paintings of
people and animals (lots cows) were examined by local and French archaeological
team in 2002. After I finished with the museum, I followed the old guide up the
rock out crops behind the museum and was showed many rock painting among the
shaded part of rock faces and ceilings. Some of colors are still very vivid even
after ten thousand years.
The driver was sleeping in the backseat when we got back, he
looked even worse than before. I was hoping he would not pass out while
driving. He keep on telling me that he is really sick, I told him maybe there
are too much dust around, which it is true, the whole area is dusty and windy.
Eventually he stopped by a road side shack and purchased some medicine. He also
bought some charcoals to take home. We did eventually get back to Oriental
Hotel without the driver killing us.
After drop off my pack in my room, I went downstairs to have
lunch that was when I met the Swiss couple. I told them about Las Geel as well
Ethiopia, where they will head to next. Since they have their own vehicle and
GPS, they wanted to do it themselves. Only thing they needed is the paper from
the tourism office in town and pay the entrance fee. They went to look for the
office after lunch to find it closed, so they will go first thing in the
morning. I also offered them information on Danakil Depression with Ethio
Travel and Tours. After lunch I went back to the grocery store to get little
snack and got more minutes from the telecomm office. I also exchanged with a
money changer on the street for small denominated Schilling bills so I can take
home as souvenirs; btw they don’t use coins in Somaliland. I then went around
my hotel to see if there are any interesting picture opportunities, but there
were none as far as buildings or landmarks. People and street life are
interesting, but didn’t feel comfortable enough to take out my camera to take
pictures of people here.
A little tired of the same hotel food and slow service, I
went out to a busy looking eatery to have some spaghetti. It was good and cheap
$2. It arrived in less than one minute. When I first arrived I stumbled into
the wrong room, the one for females. Males and females eat separately here. I
think I didn’t have any food problem here in Somaliland, unlike Ethiopia. I
walked back to my hotel through the busy streets. Another early night for me.
I woke up early again, but this time I have a purpose: I
want to see the camel market on the outskirt of the city near the now closed
(for repairs) airport. I had wanted to visit the day before with my Las Geel
tour, but the tour started too late. I had Lonely Planet pdf guide on
Somaliland and its map on Hargeisa didn’t show where the market is located just
the direction. I walked pass an outdoor restaurant of some sort and there were
some African antelopes in its compound, so I asked if I can take some photos,
and the guy happily showed the animals so I can take some close-up photos.
Eventually I arrived at an intersection, so I asked around to see if anyone
know where the camel market is located but no one speak English, I ended up drawing
a picture of camel and was pointed to the direction to the camel market. After
walking for short distance I asked again, and this time a guy took me to the
market. There were people with camels, cows, goats, and sheep as well big truck
loading up with them. I was approached by an old guy and walked me around the
market so I can take photos. I would have been little timid taking photos here
if not for him. We were soon approached by another old man also want to show me
around, and the two eventually worked together. I felt rushed by them, but they
offered the bridge between me a foreign tourists and the buyers, traders etc.
They asked for tip in the end, the first time I have been asked to give in any
act of helpfulness, so gave them about $1 each and they seem to be happy with
it, no begging for more. I was told that the market was particular busy right now
as the Hajji season was about to start. There will be many pilgrims going to
Mecca, Saudi Arabia, so many mouths to feed. These animals came from surrounding
regions as well as Ethiopia and will be transported by truck to port of Berbera
and from there by ship to Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
With my last sightseeing of the trip done, I walked quickly
back to the hotel and had my breakfast and had last check with Internet. The
taxi office is right inside of hotel so getting a taxi was very easy and best
of all it looked new and not the dreaded beat-up station wagon! I could have
walked to the airline office, but the sun was strong and no need to get sweaty
before boarding a long flight home. The airline shuttle already there waiting
when I got to the office before 10:30AM but not yet ready for boarding. After
about an hour wait, we finally left the office for Berbera. There were all
local people or Africans as far as I can tell. The ride on the shuttle was
actually decent. We stopped by a road side restaurant for lunch break, and I
had spaghetti (again) for lunch minus the goat meat they were serving with it.
I chatted with couple passengers and they turned out to be business man heading
to other parts of Africa on business trip. We got to Berbera airport pretty
early and the airport was still closed so we had to wait outside, and luckily
in the shade. There was no computer check-in system here and everything is hand
printed: boarding pass, and luggage tag. I had to pay $20 airplane tax as well
as $33 exit tax, which I consider just money grab by airlines and the country.
We waited in the departure lounge area until they called us to line up for a
ride on the same shuttle bus to the airplane. As we boarded the only flight at
that time (may be even that day) the sun was setting over the desert with Gulf
of Aden to the east, it had the romantic feel to it – but I was certainly ready
to go home. The plane actually took off about 30 minutes before the scheduled
time; I guess that is the beauty of small airport without electronic system,
when everyone is accounted for, you just go!
The flight over the desert into Addis was nice, good view of
the late afternoon landscape below. We arrived in the domestic terminal and were
ferried over on a bus to the international terminal. Upon reaching it and
walking toward the gate area, I noticed it was pretty deserted and there were
no signs for flight info, so asked someone at the transfer desk about my flight
was shocked to learn that there was no flight for me. Now it made sense when at
Berbera airport the gate agent couldn’t find my Addis to IAD flight on his
sheet of paper unlike other passengers who have connecting flights. I was told
there was a schedule change, but I told him I didn’t receive anything notice (I
found out the next day, I actually did receive an email few days after I left,
but the change was buried in the same flight itinerary – not highlighted, so I
overlooked). Since I was so ready to go home, I felt sad that I can’t leave
tonight and have to spend time in Addis, my favorite city (sarcastic). But in
few minutes the agent gave me a boarding pass for tomorrow night’s flight, transit
visa pass, and hotel voucher and I was sent to exit the departure lounge and
get my transit visa and luggage. I wasn’t the only person who had problem; I met
few other passengers who had connection problem and luggage problem. I have to
wait for a while before they can locate my luggage. But once I got my luggage I
was ushered to an airline hotel shuttle that would take 2 other travelers and me
to the hotel.
The hotel is located far away from the city center and right
next to a busy street. We were told it is new, which it did look like it; the
room they give me is big and nice. But again construction quality is very poor –
there was a big hole in the sink’s drain pipe that water run out to the floor
when you turn on the facet, the soap holder for the shower/tub is slanted
downward, so soap will slide out and into the tub. Anyway, we all headed
straight to the hotel restaurant after we checked in. We were given a special
airline stranded passenger menu, with only 4 choices of dishes and small
portion size – need to get some food to supplement the meager portion here!
During the dinner, I chatted with a South African missionary, an interesting
and brave old man; here is a link to his website.
Certainly not a good end to my trip, it was time to go to
sleep and worry about it tomorrow.
