It was time to say goodbye to lovely Djibouti. After a week of visiting fascinating places and making wonderful friendships, I made my way to Somalia, or, to be more specific, Somaliland. I secured and paid for a front seat in the solid jeep. A fifteen-hour journey through rough terrain was awaiting me.
It took us approximately two hours to reach the Djibouti – Somaliland border. We had to get out of the vehicle and walk to the immigration office booth to obtain a stamp (Leave) from Djibouti authorities. After that, we walked almost a mile to meet Somali immigration authorities. They could only speak French, I could only speak English. Other methods of communication eventually worked and I was let in. Our transport was supposed to be waiting for us on the other side.
It got dark by the time I was on ‘the other side’. It looked like a popular resting spot for lorry and truck drivers heading to Hargeisa. It felt pretty safe and people were friendly and helpful. That was proven by the following situation. I got lost and couldn’t find my Jeep. The area was poorly lit and there were lots of very similar-looking vehicles. luckily, I took a picture of the registration plate and showed it to the drivers sitting at the nearest bar. The support and reassurance I got was amazing. Soon I was enjoying my night meal with a newly met guy from Iran, Amir. A smart and kind student who assisted me in money exchange at the nearby convenience store. Around 1am we left the place. Our 10-hour rough ride began. Sitting in the front seat made this journey even more adventurous. We actually didn’t use local roads but off-beaten paths and deserts. We were stopped by the police and security checkpoints twice.
That turned out to be our ‘hotel’. The driver needed some sleep and rest so at around 4am we paused our journey and used this barn. 3 hours of solid and deep sleep on the concrete floor, I mean on the rug lying on the concrete floor. At 7am we continued our journey to Hargeisa.
Our driver was a kind, easy-going man. He knew the area and its inhabitants very well. What struck me was his care and awareness about animals, especially camels. We would wait and wait until the family of camels got out of the way, He would get out of the vehicle and safely escorted the pack away from the main road. Local farmers rolled their eyes when I tried the improvised communication.
Entering Hargeisa on that fine sunny morning after a long arduous journey was pure joy and satisfaction. At first sight, the city bore similarities to other African towns I had visited, however, this place felt different; fresh, young, and energizing. Another week of exploration and total immersion into Somali culture and history.
To fully experience the journey please watch the video here
Frog on the border 