Day 15 - September 4, 2013

September 4, 2013

Aqaba, Jordan to Djibouti, Djibouti (1175 NM)

We leave Jordan today. Looking back from airplane, I thought to myself, I understand a lot more about this country then when I came. Isn't that why we travel?

Aqaba FBO.

Lunch order for today's 4 hours fly.

Red desert and the Red Sea.

Nice cloud formation.

Arriving Djibouti.

 

 

 

Republic of Djibouti is our first stop at Africa continent. Population, 740,000. The Horn of Africa, it is at the junction of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden which connects to the Indian Ocean. Boarding Eritrea, Somalia, and Ethiopia. Facing Yemen across the gulf.

 

Why we stop here? On the way to Kenya, this is the safest place to stop even though its surrounding areas are known to be troublesome at times (to say the least). As the Kempinskii Hotel manager puts it, here may be the safest place on earth. Why? Because of its critical geographical and strategical location. Here is the only deep harbor in the East Africa. All of the freight ships come here to unload to transfer to rest of the East Africa. Freight trucks to Ethiopia are one after one for miles and miles. You cannot imagine until you see it. Strategically, for maintaining stability of East Africa and a balance of power among themselves, Djibouti has one of the largest "non-governmental military contingents" , leading by French, America, German and Japanese forces.

 

 

I do not know how does the "non-governmental military" come about but at the Kenpeinski, all I see are uniformed military personal from all over the place. This makes me think of the time at the turn of last century, when China was occupied by Western countries. I wonder how Djibouti people feel.

 

Despite that, little did we know we came to the warmest place on earth (not for sure but feel that way) in the warmest season. It was 50+ degree Celsius when we arrived the airport.

Influence of Arab culture is self-evident. We see woman wearing Islamic clothing with bright ethnic colors and patterns adding the needed liveliness to this dry, sandy land.

 

 

 

 

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