A Week In Somaliland!

[MZanzi]

MS DD buying Classier products, you can help girls get their self-esteem back...laakin ameey taariq kaso raacdaa

[Ms DD]

Revolutionise the lightening industry fufuoow.. Universal TV will keep you updated of my progress

[Jacaylbaro]

Hargeisa Khat is different from that of Burao and even some types are very expensive.

 

The other issue is that the Khat comes to Hargeisa before it goes to Burao. So it is usually fresh comparing to that of Burao.

 

It is quite the same when someone is coming from Wajaale (SL/Ethiopia border), they take Khat for Hargeisa peeps ....

 

 

anyway, it is WAALI.COM

[-Lily-]

You only stayed for a week?!

[NGONGE]

Now I was in Burco. My birthplace, my ancestral home and, according to many from that city, the centre of the universe!

 

Have you ever heard of Juha? He was a legendary Arab and Eastern character that was said to be a bit of a nutcase. There are many stories written about him or attributed to him that show him to be a clever man, mad man, philosopher, comedian and wordsmith all at the same time.

 

It is said that Juha was staring out of his second floor window and watching the people in the street walking by, when a stranger called out to him and asked him to come down, ‘I have something to tell you’ he said. Juha hurried down to the man and asked what the urgent matter was. The stranger stretched his hand forward and said ‘give me some of what Allah gave you’! Juha stared at him for a while then turned around and asked the man to follow him. They walked into the house and up to the second floor window. Once there, Juha turned to the man and said ‘go on your way, friend. I have nothing to spare’. The man was livid and said ‘if you did not have anything to give me, why did you drag me all the way up here?’ Juha angrily replied ‘because you had nothing to tell me and you still dragged me all the way down THERE’!

 

I had to go up a mighty mountain, drive through bumpy roads and get chased by a mad skeleton with a knife only to see a city that looked exactly like H town?

 

When we drove into the city, the driver took us to a hotel and told me to get a room, change and freshen up while he goes to drop a few things to a house in town before returning to pick me up within twenty minutes. He was of course applying Somali time here and the twenty minutes turned out to be an hour and a half!

 

I strolled into the hotel and smiled at the scowling faces behind the counter. They ignored all the pleasantries and called the bellboy to come and show me to my room. Here is where Burco beats H town. The TVs in the hotels of this city actually have satellite TV and not just SL TV. I managed to watch a couple of Arabic programs whilst waiting for my companions to return.

 

But this long journey made me thirsty and I was dying for a drink. I decided to go out and explore the surrounding shops. On my way out, I met the bellboy again. I asked him if there were any shops around. Like a young bride who was caught spying on her family as they agreed to give her hand in marriage to some ruffian, I was hastily ushered back to my room and told that I did not need to visit any shops. He told me this was his job and he would be happy to get me anything I wanted. I asked him to get me a bottle of water and a diet coke. I gave him five dollars and sent him on his way. He returned five minutes later, all apologetic and embarrassed. He said that he could not find me any diet coke but took a chance and got me diet Pepsi instead! He also shoved a bundle of Somali shillings into my hand and told me that this was my change. I was already struggling with the concept of SL shillings and finding it hard to count, to be given Somali shillings confused me even more! I shoved it all back to him and asked him to keep it. He pushed it back to me and said he cannot accept it. I pushed it back to him and told him I do not want to walk around with all of that money. He was incredulous and asked me if I knew how much that was. I told him I didn’t. I sensed some mockery and ridicule in his voice as he said ‘waa ilaa sadix dollar’! I told him to keep it. He refused and said that we will agree on something later. He left the room!

 

My companions returned, got me into the car and told me that we will visit yet another garden and have ourselves a great chewing session before returning to the hotel late at night. They asked me to leave my small bag in the room. I lost my rag and threw an almighty tantrum. They looked bemused and kept asking me what was upsetting me. I angrily, and rather foolishly, jumped out of the moving car and attempted to walk back to the hotel with as much dignity as I could muster. It seems that my understanding of ‘Burcaan ku tusayna’ was not the same as theirs.

 

I went back to the room to gather my thoughts and decide on my next course of action. It was obvious that I could not rely on these careless tourist guides and that I would have to take some drastic measures to ensure that the rest of my journey was not ruined. I was in Burco now and only had one and a half days before my flight back to Dubai. I decided to head back to H town.

 

One of my companions was a young cousin of mine who panicked when he saw me jump out of the car, and followed me to the hotel. He tried to persuade me to stay but seemed to understand once I told him my reasons for leaving. The poor kid was worried that his mother would tell him off for letting her nephew leave Burco in a taxi. He volunteered to join me but I brushed him off and told him that he should stick to his original plan and go have a good time with his Burco friends. He finally agreed and told me that he will personally go and get me a taxi. I smelt a rat but decided to wait this game out.

 

He came back and told me that he could not find any taxis and that I may have to stick around after all. I nodded, collected my belongings and was ready to walk out of the room to find myself my own taxi. I bumped into someone trying to walk into the room. It was his father! The little snitch had told his father on me.

 

The father, whom I have not seen for over twenty years, had me in a bear hug and ushered me back into the room with queries about family, life and the usual Somali news reporting. He then asked me about my hissy fit and suggested I stay in the city until the next day. I was as stubborn as a rock and refused all attempts at changing my mind. Going back to H town made perfect sense and I had already seen what ‘next morning’ really means. I knew that if I stayed I would only get to leave Burco the next evening, if not the one after that! I had to make a stand.

 

They finally understood my reasoning and agreed with me. But they refused to let me take a taxi! Yet another young cousin of mine was plucked out of nowhere and told to drive me back to H town. I was starting to waver and think that I maybe was asking too much of these people. It was an awful thing they were doing here. By being nice to me I knew I could not do anything but be nice in return. This meant cancelling this crazy idea of returning to H town and choosing to stay in B town instead. However, I did not count on the young’s love of H town and their eagerness to visit that city whenever they get the chance. The cousin that was supposed to drive me there insisted that I should go and kept winking at me and trying to get me to speak to him in private. The journey back was on. But first, I had to see this wretched city!

[Ibtisam]

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: This better be getting better or something. I hope you are saving the best for the last half day. :mad:

[NGONGE]

^^ You mean you were not impressed with all the fun I already had? Actually the last two days were the best of the lot (in my opinion, you may think different you xaasid).

[N.O.R.F]

Nin aan magaaladiisii u hooyan dalkii ma tagin

[RedSea]

NG they played you man. They really did. Haha ciyaala suuq ayaa ku helay saaxib. Waan ka xumahay.

[RedSea]

Originally posted by J.a.c.a.y.l.b.a.r.o:

Waar adigu aamus ............

What is up Dakh?

[Blessed]

^ceeb.. and how are you?

 

 

 

NG,

but, it is the centre of the universe..

[NGONGE]

I could not tell you much about Burco because even though I saw most of it, I really saw nothing at all. By the time I was ready to explore the city it was dark already and I ended up strolling around in the darkness.

 

I spent only six hours in that city and I would be lying if I said I formed any strong opinions about it. The only three things I am certain of is that the Burco cats are fatter and healthier than those found in H town. People in B town walk around carrying sticks, though they don’t at all seem threatening and, you hardly see any women walking around at night. I have to admit that I did not see the legendary B town dust (maybe it was a blessing) because I walked around it (mostly) at night. The roads were better than H towns and there were hardly any rocks around.

 

Enough of Burco.

 

After having some warm sugar at a side café and buying ourselves some qaat, it was time to head back. I was apprehensive about driving down the mountain at that time of night but my young companion assured me that he made this journey countless times before. It turns out that he worked for the election committee and part of his job involved having to drive around the country.

 

We drove out of Burco and reached the checkpoint at Sheikh in no time at all. The policemen there, who happened to know the young man already, asked us about our destination and advised us to drive very slowly. We got to the mountain and were happily chewing away as we drove down. That road is tight and treacherous at the best of times, never mind late at night. Yet, my skilful driver navigated his way through it beautifully and I did not realise that we were already on the other side until half an hour later. The young kid seemed to know the road like the back of his hand and we did not drive over one single pothole in the whole of our journey!

 

We were on the long empty road now and we would occasionally encounter a speeding truck or an animal crossing the road. We had Magool singing her heart out on the car’s MP3 player, the sky dressed up in her finest jewellery and the full moon smiling down at us. I was as high as a woman that chose gas over epidural!

 

When two chewing men are forced on a road trip together they develop a strange bond and swear undying loyalty to each other. This is exactly what happened in this journey of ours. I got to hear all about the young man’s future plans, love life and adventures. We discussed politics, the philosophy of Magool’s lyrics and even people smuggling. We spoke about the stars, the brightness of the stars and the way one feels when sleeping out in the open. This somehow led to snakes and the bond was instantly broken! The rascal turned out to be a snake lover!

 

 

I do not know how long it took us to reach Berbera but, because of my intoxicated state, it seemed to be no more than half an hour. We went to a café by the port and sat drinking warm sugar as we chewed and listened to the various porters and workers fighting over the day’s payments. This, of course, was all done in the dark and there was hardly a light on anywhere. Yet, miraculously, people seemed to clearly see and recognise each other!

 

After fifteen minutes of sitting and chatting to these porters, it was time to go. We got in the car and drove to H town. Again, I did not feel the time pass and was at the checkpoint of H town in what seemed like mere minutes. The policemen there, as is the procedure, stopped us and asked us about our destination. We told them that we were heading to H town. They told us that nobody is allowed to enter the city after midnight or before four thirty in the morning! They asked us to park our car on the side of the road and wait. It was three in the morning!

 

We parked our car a short distance from where they sat and came to sit with them and pass the time chatting. This place was five or six miles outside H town and, for all intents and purposes, was in the middle of nowhere. Here too, they had no lights. But unlike the chairs in the Berbera café, we had to sit on the ground. Behind us was nothing, in front of us was nothing. To our right, H town and to our left Berbera! I was slightly worried about something slithering from the darkness behind me but the qaat I was eating gave me a confidence I don’t usually possess. I was quietly sure that any snake that creeps my way should get talked to death.

 

After a while, we got up and moved away from the policemen and went to sit near a dark hut. A woman came out and asked us if we would like some warm sugar. I don’t know if it was the qaat or the woman’s skill but this tasted like TEA! I savoured every last sip of it and asked her for some more. Again, we did not know where the time went. It was four in the morning already and the policemen called to us and told us to go into town! Another waiting truck tried to follow us but they jumped in front of it with their guns at the ready and shouted that there is still half an hour left before they let anyone in!

 

We could not go to my hotel because it was late and the security arrangements around that area (being next door to the president’s villa) was very strict. We decided not to take the risk and instead visited an uncle of mine who lived in a three-bedroom house all on his own. He opened the door all sleepy and bleary eyed and showed me into the spare room. My young companion must have had prior arrangements, for he started making all sorts of excuses and slipped away promising to visit in the morning.

 

The room I was in faced the street. I had finished my qaat already and was ready to go to bed. I lay down on the mattress and closed my eyes. I instantly fell asleep. But it wasn’t a deep sleep.

 

Seasoned chewers suffer from a recurring phenomenon called dubaab. This, novice readers, consists of a repetitive nightmare that they experience every time they go to sleep. Some dream of having fights with lions, some wrestle crocodiles and others get run down by the same car over and over and over again. The real professional ones have pet names for their dream nemeses’. I even know a man who called his regular torturer Fatxiya (it was a Hippo).

 

I started hearing voices and slowly opened my eyes. It was an Imam giving a lecture! This was Monday, I was sure it was Monday. I sat up in bed and wondered if my version of dubaab was going to be this Mullah promising pain and hellfire. I then dismissed that silly thought and wondered instead if I had slept all the way to Friday! This was a full-blown lecture. The Mullah was shouting his head off and warning people of the pain of the grave, the monstrous nature of hell and the need for full repentance! I looked at my watch and saw it was only five in the morning (of Monday)! What was this crazy Mullah playing at? I could not believe it. I kept messing with my watch and checking if it were really Monday.

 

The man finally stopped talking and I managed to lie down and try to get me some sleep. Just as I closed my eyes and was ready to go into the world of sweet oblivion, the goats were let out...........

[N.O.R.F]

LooooooooooooL

 

What a night a dhe

 

It was four in the morning already and the policemen called to us and told us to go into town! Another waiting truck tried to follow us but they jumped in front of it with their guns at the ready and shouted that there is still half an hour left before they let anyone in!

Somali!

[nuune]

The rascal turned out to be a snake lover!

Adiga iyo snake maxaa idin kala heesta, once you own small snake, that fear will go away, imagine a snake to be like a small cat, cute one, very cute that you can hold in your arms close to your chest, it is soo adorable.

[Jacaylbaro]

,,,, Walaahi I almost fell off my chair ,,,

 

 

hahahahahaha