Horn of Africa: trip to Yemen, Socotra, Somaliland, and more
Jun 13, 2013, 10:15 am
#77
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Austin, TX -- AA Life Platinum; QF Life Silver; UA Silver
Posts: 5,462
Jun 13, 2013, 4:44 pm
#78
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: NAP
Programs: LH, BA, TK
Posts: 2,409
Check it out for US passports.
They changed the rules in a regime of reciprocity.
It for now stopped me, at least for a long weekend break I planned after finding a good fare to Dakar.
Don't have time to get to embassy.
They changed the rules in a regime of reciprocity.
It for now stopped me, at least for a long weekend break I planned after finding a good fare to Dakar.
Don't have time to get to embassy.
Jun 29, 2013, 4:47 am
#79
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: The Internet
Programs: Alaska Mileage Plan
Posts: 714
Wow, they really don't want American visitors. You have to go to one of their embassies in person to be fingerprinted. I'll give Senegal a pass, plenty of other countries in which to spend my money.
Jun 29, 2013, 1:47 pm
#80
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: YYC
Posts: 215
Aug 27, 2013, 12:37 pm
#81
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1
Great report.
I visited Hargeisa last year on a quick one-day aviation adventure from Djibouti, but we still managed to get a tour of the city and some of the landmarks you visited, courtesy of a local guy we met on the flight and his brother. They also invited us into their home and introduced us to their father, which was a real experience and quite unplanned. It is certainly a place I would like to go back to.
I actually just have a quick question regarding your Jubba Airways flight from Berbera to Djibouti. You mentioned that there were two flights within 30 minutes. Was the other flight also definitely a Boeing 737?
There seem to be two flights on a Friday in the current schedule, but one of them does not look like it connects to/from any international flights, which makes me wonder whether it may be an Antonov 24 or something else quite exotic. The Jubba Airways website does not reflect the aircraft types against the flight numbers, so it is difficult to tell.
I visited Hargeisa last year on a quick one-day aviation adventure from Djibouti, but we still managed to get a tour of the city and some of the landmarks you visited, courtesy of a local guy we met on the flight and his brother. They also invited us into their home and introduced us to their father, which was a real experience and quite unplanned. It is certainly a place I would like to go back to.
I actually just have a quick question regarding your Jubba Airways flight from Berbera to Djibouti. You mentioned that there were two flights within 30 minutes. Was the other flight also definitely a Boeing 737?
There seem to be two flights on a Friday in the current schedule, but one of them does not look like it connects to/from any international flights, which makes me wonder whether it may be an Antonov 24 or something else quite exotic. The Jubba Airways website does not reflect the aircraft types against the flight numbers, so it is difficult to tell.
Aug 28, 2013, 4:05 pm
#82
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Austin, TX -- AA Life Platinum; QF Life Silver; UA Silver
Posts: 5,462
Great report.
I visited Hargeisa last year on a quick one-day aviation adventure from Djibouti, but we still managed to get a tour of the city and some of the landmarks you visited, courtesy of a local guy we met on the flight and his brother. They also invited us into their home and introduced us to their father, which was a real experience and quite unplanned. It is certainly a place I would like to go back to.
I actually just have a quick question regarding your Jubba Airways flight from Berbera to Djibouti. You mentioned that there were two flights within 30 minutes. Was the other flight also definitely a Boeing 737?
There seem to be two flights on a Friday in the current schedule, but one of them does not look like it connects to/from any international flights, which makes me wonder whether it may be an Antonov 24 or something else quite exotic. The Jubba Airways website does not reflect the aircraft types against the flight numbers, so it is difficult to tell.
I visited Hargeisa last year on a quick one-day aviation adventure from Djibouti, but we still managed to get a tour of the city and some of the landmarks you visited, courtesy of a local guy we met on the flight and his brother. They also invited us into their home and introduced us to their father, which was a real experience and quite unplanned. It is certainly a place I would like to go back to.
I actually just have a quick question regarding your Jubba Airways flight from Berbera to Djibouti. You mentioned that there were two flights within 30 minutes. Was the other flight also definitely a Boeing 737?
There seem to be two flights on a Friday in the current schedule, but one of them does not look like it connects to/from any international flights, which makes me wonder whether it may be an Antonov 24 or something else quite exotic. The Jubba Airways website does not reflect the aircraft types against the flight numbers, so it is difficult to tell.
also we saw the other 737 taking off from Berbera as we boarded our flight.
Nov 6, 2013, 9:58 pm
#83
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Austin, TX -- AA Life Platinum; QF Life Silver; UA Silver
Posts: 5,462
Nov 6, 2013, 10:04 pm
#84
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: anywhere and everywhere
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Posts: 5,526
Nov 9, 2013, 5:13 pm
#86
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Everywhere else
Programs: Miles and frowns, IHG aluminum
Posts: 346
So cool! I am jealous. I had wanted to go to Socotra with my BAH flight as positioning. As a single female traveler, 1st time in mid-east, I ended up opting for Oman + DXB for about $200 out of pocket. Maybe next time.
Mar 23, 2015, 10:37 am
#87
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Austin, TX -- AA Life Platinum; QF Life Silver; UA Silver
Posts: 5,462
Hell.. I realized I forgot to finish the best part of this trip; Airport drama!
March 22, 2013
Hotel: Hotel de l'Amite; Bujumbura, Burundi; $40
I had a full day in Bujumbura today. I wandered around the nearby streets for a bit, going by the central market which had a fire just a few months previously... the roof was buckled and had collappsed in places. There weren't too many sights to see in the center of town. I stopped at a nearby cafe and had a frappucino-like drink, very refreshing! I found a memorial to the former President of Burundi, killed in the same plane crash that killed the President of Rwanda in 1994. This event triggered the genocide in Rwanda and to a lesser extent in Burundi, though the unrest in Burundi is hardly known.
Central market - recently destroyed by fire
I wanted to visit the 'Pierre Livingstone et Stanley', supposedly the place where Stanley met Dr. Livingstone, though it actually was elsewhere. I tried negotiating with a taxi for a ride to the rock, about 12km south of town. Initially the driver wanted $100 but I said that was crazy and talked him down to $20 when he asked another driver. The drive south of town was pretty quick and we pulled over to the monument about 20 minutes later. There wasn't an entry fee or anything but I was soon surrounded by local kids asking for money. The rock wasn't much, just had 'LIVINGSTONE STANLEY 25-XI-1887' etched into it (likely not even their writing). Drove back into town and had the driver drop me at my hotel. I paid him $20 equivalent in Burundi francs (though the driver wanted more) and went back to my room. A few minutes later, there is a knock on my door and the driver is there, demanding more money!! I can't believe the hotel let him back to my room. We argue some more and he says the money is too 'dirty'. I gave him a clean $20 just to go away after he gave me the local money back. It wasn't that dirty honestly.
Stanley & Livingstone rock
I hung around the hotel for awhile as it was raining. When it finally stopped I decided to head out to Lake Tanganyika beach resorts. I caught a minibus fron near the central market. As I got on a bunch of girls started squealing.. I guess they don't get many mzungus riding the local transport. At one point the street was flooded from the rains. I got off the bus with a bunch of locals at beach bar called 'Black and White'. Wandered around a bit and down to the beach itself. There were lots of young locals here partying. A group of them attached themselves to me and I ended up buying a round of drinks. It started getting dark and bought some kebabs and sitting talking with the girls. They mainly spoke French though, but one had decent English. There was also a guy visiting from Kenya. Eventually I got bored and wanted to go back to my hotel, but the girls tried to get me to go out dancing heh. I said I was heading home tomorrow and was pretty tired.
Visiting Lac Tanganyika beach bar
March 23, 2013
Hotel: Hotel Club du Lac Tanganika; Bujumbura, Burundi; $115
My flight back home left today. I didn't get up to much this morning. I walked around town a bit more but it was very quiet. Burundi and Rwanda have mandatory community server some Saturday mornings and the whole country shuts down. I checked out and caught a cab to the airport.
That's when the problems started. I tried checking in but they said there was a problem with my ticket and to go wait. They wouldn't tell me what was wrong with my ticket other than they were working on it. Nearly an hour later I ask again and they say I don't actually have a ticket! Apparently there was a flight number change on Ethiopian and the ticket was never reissued, so I basically had a ticket, but for a non-existent flight! They couldn't do anything from here since the award ticket was originally issed by USAir (United took over it with the departure drama). My phone didn't work in Burundi and there wasn't wifi at the airport, so there wasn't anything I could do either. I asked about buying that segment, BJM-ADD. However that was $350 and I only had $220 cash on me, and they couldn't take credit cards at the airport! So I was really and truly hosed and pretty pissed off. I saw the Ethiopian flight take off without me, the first time that has happened with my travels.
Bujumbura airport
I was in a bit of a bind at this point, I didn't have any local currency left but luckily still had the $200 cash. I wandered outside the airport for a bit and a guy there offered me a lift. I decided to to to the Hotel Club du Lac hotel as they had wifi and I hoped to use credit cards there. They had a special rate of $115 for weekend night and I was able to use my credit card. The hotel was pretty nice, room was air con and the wifi worked. I got online emailing friends and posting to facebook 'Stuck in Burundi!'. I checked award availability and there was a Brussels Airlines flight available tomorrow evening. Luckily mrs hauteboy was online and she was able to call United and get my ticket reissued!
Finally I was able to calm down a bit and went to have a pizza by the pool for lunch. I just hung around the hotel all afternoon. I had dinner at the hotel as well, with a local band playing (badly).
Hotel Club du Lac
March 24-25, 2013
Flight: Bujumbura, Burundi (BJM) to Brussels, Belgium (BRU); Brussels Airlines economy
Flight: Brussels, Belgium (BRU) to Washington, DC (IAD); United Airlines economy
Flight: Washington, DC (IAD) to Austin, TX (AUS); United Airlines economy
After the airport drama yesterday I just decided to have a down day and relax at the hotel. They had yoga classes (in French) this morning. Quite a few other gringos here at the hotel, I imagine working with aid agencies of one sort or another. I managed to get a late checkout but still had a good wait until my flight at 9PM. The hotel had a free shuttle to the airport luckily and I checked in, this time with no problems! Still had a long wait with no lounge access. I still had nearly $20 local currency. There was a restaurant/bar after security so I was able to have a good dinner of steak+fries and a final Primus beer while waiting on the flight.
The Brussels Airlines plane looked brand new. The flight stopped in Nairobi enroute to Brussels. I don't remember much else of the flight though as I slept most of it. On arrival in Brussels I had 4 hours to wait and was able to get in the lounge for awhile. The United flight to DC was uneventful as well. Arrival and connection were much easier than my last trip through DC when I barely made my connection. I had another long 5 hr wait, unfortunately earlier flights to Austin were not available. I sat around in the United Club for a long wait.
March 22, 2013
Hotel: Hotel de l'Amite; Bujumbura, Burundi; $40
I had a full day in Bujumbura today. I wandered around the nearby streets for a bit, going by the central market which had a fire just a few months previously... the roof was buckled and had collappsed in places. There weren't too many sights to see in the center of town. I stopped at a nearby cafe and had a frappucino-like drink, very refreshing! I found a memorial to the former President of Burundi, killed in the same plane crash that killed the President of Rwanda in 1994. This event triggered the genocide in Rwanda and to a lesser extent in Burundi, though the unrest in Burundi is hardly known.
Central market - recently destroyed by fire
I wanted to visit the 'Pierre Livingstone et Stanley', supposedly the place where Stanley met Dr. Livingstone, though it actually was elsewhere. I tried negotiating with a taxi for a ride to the rock, about 12km south of town. Initially the driver wanted $100 but I said that was crazy and talked him down to $20 when he asked another driver. The drive south of town was pretty quick and we pulled over to the monument about 20 minutes later. There wasn't an entry fee or anything but I was soon surrounded by local kids asking for money. The rock wasn't much, just had 'LIVINGSTONE STANLEY 25-XI-1887' etched into it (likely not even their writing). Drove back into town and had the driver drop me at my hotel. I paid him $20 equivalent in Burundi francs (though the driver wanted more) and went back to my room. A few minutes later, there is a knock on my door and the driver is there, demanding more money!! I can't believe the hotel let him back to my room. We argue some more and he says the money is too 'dirty'. I gave him a clean $20 just to go away after he gave me the local money back. It wasn't that dirty honestly.
Stanley & Livingstone rock
I hung around the hotel for awhile as it was raining. When it finally stopped I decided to head out to Lake Tanganyika beach resorts. I caught a minibus fron near the central market. As I got on a bunch of girls started squealing.. I guess they don't get many mzungus riding the local transport. At one point the street was flooded from the rains. I got off the bus with a bunch of locals at beach bar called 'Black and White'. Wandered around a bit and down to the beach itself. There were lots of young locals here partying. A group of them attached themselves to me and I ended up buying a round of drinks. It started getting dark and bought some kebabs and sitting talking with the girls. They mainly spoke French though, but one had decent English. There was also a guy visiting from Kenya. Eventually I got bored and wanted to go back to my hotel, but the girls tried to get me to go out dancing heh. I said I was heading home tomorrow and was pretty tired.
Visiting Lac Tanganyika beach bar
March 23, 2013
Hotel: Hotel Club du Lac Tanganika; Bujumbura, Burundi; $115
My flight back home left today. I didn't get up to much this morning. I walked around town a bit more but it was very quiet. Burundi and Rwanda have mandatory community server some Saturday mornings and the whole country shuts down. I checked out and caught a cab to the airport.
That's when the problems started. I tried checking in but they said there was a problem with my ticket and to go wait. They wouldn't tell me what was wrong with my ticket other than they were working on it. Nearly an hour later I ask again and they say I don't actually have a ticket! Apparently there was a flight number change on Ethiopian and the ticket was never reissued, so I basically had a ticket, but for a non-existent flight! They couldn't do anything from here since the award ticket was originally issed by USAir (United took over it with the departure drama). My phone didn't work in Burundi and there wasn't wifi at the airport, so there wasn't anything I could do either. I asked about buying that segment, BJM-ADD. However that was $350 and I only had $220 cash on me, and they couldn't take credit cards at the airport! So I was really and truly hosed and pretty pissed off. I saw the Ethiopian flight take off without me, the first time that has happened with my travels.
Bujumbura airport
I was in a bit of a bind at this point, I didn't have any local currency left but luckily still had the $200 cash. I wandered outside the airport for a bit and a guy there offered me a lift. I decided to to to the Hotel Club du Lac hotel as they had wifi and I hoped to use credit cards there. They had a special rate of $115 for weekend night and I was able to use my credit card. The hotel was pretty nice, room was air con and the wifi worked. I got online emailing friends and posting to facebook 'Stuck in Burundi!'. I checked award availability and there was a Brussels Airlines flight available tomorrow evening. Luckily mrs hauteboy was online and she was able to call United and get my ticket reissued!
Finally I was able to calm down a bit and went to have a pizza by the pool for lunch. I just hung around the hotel all afternoon. I had dinner at the hotel as well, with a local band playing (badly).
Hotel Club du Lac
March 24-25, 2013
Flight: Bujumbura, Burundi (BJM) to Brussels, Belgium (BRU); Brussels Airlines economy
Flight: Brussels, Belgium (BRU) to Washington, DC (IAD); United Airlines economy
Flight: Washington, DC (IAD) to Austin, TX (AUS); United Airlines economy
After the airport drama yesterday I just decided to have a down day and relax at the hotel. They had yoga classes (in French) this morning. Quite a few other gringos here at the hotel, I imagine working with aid agencies of one sort or another. I managed to get a late checkout but still had a good wait until my flight at 9PM. The hotel had a free shuttle to the airport luckily and I checked in, this time with no problems! Still had a long wait with no lounge access. I still had nearly $20 local currency. There was a restaurant/bar after security so I was able to have a good dinner of steak+fries and a final Primus beer while waiting on the flight.
The Brussels Airlines plane looked brand new. The flight stopped in Nairobi enroute to Brussels. I don't remember much else of the flight though as I slept most of it. On arrival in Brussels I had 4 hours to wait and was able to get in the lounge for awhile. The United flight to DC was uneventful as well. Arrival and connection were much easier than my last trip through DC when I barely made my connection. I had another long 5 hr wait, unfortunately earlier flights to Austin were not available. I sat around in the United Club for a long wait.
Mar 25, 2015, 5:51 am
#90
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Dubai
Posts: 3,301
The tour guide I used for Yemen is still open for business and they still seem to be issuing tourist visa's. He was hosting a Japanese guy in Sanaa yesterday (from his FB page).
Not sure how long this will continue though based on the escalating chaos...
Not sure how long this will continue though based on the escalating chaos...