Ibb

Greetings from Ibb! Its a charming town weve been kicking about in for the last week or so, due to its picturesque mountain location and the fact that it has possibly the best budget hotel in Yemen. For $8 weve have a spiffy en suit room with all mod cons (well a fridge and a TV) We didnt opt for he $11 room which has a kitchen, but a charming Chileno chap turned up and took it, and weve been cooking with him on ocasion. Other than that we've been enjoying the local hospitality, wandering off the surrounding villages where you are guarenteed of an invite for chai, and a run down on the family history, often complicated given how many kids they have here, 3rd in the world rankings of baby production, so they are! Weve also been wandering in the beautiful mountains, visiting abandoned Ottoman forts and the like.
Taking the next step is proving tricky, mainly due to present comfort levals. However its likely we will descend to the coast, where it will be steamy hot, but at least well get on the beach. Aden looks like the easiest choice, we'll see (see the map!)
One final issue is the getting of our Indian Visa. For a start we've knocked our flight back 10 ten days, Yemen is worth more time, but we have to get our visa sorted before we go. Standard policy in Sana'a is to only issue a month, which wont be enough, but if we plead to the embasador there's a chance of 3, which might be. If we only get 1 then we likely head to Nepal to get a longer one after a breif visit to Hindustan, being in Varanasi to celebrate our anniversary where we got together a huge 6 years ago!

Yemen; Khat, Guns, Babies and more Khat.

Yemen is proving to be rather interesting place. Full of friendly folk and beautiful scenery, it is a country addicted to Khat, a leaf which when chewed gives one a buzz, not unlike a mild amphetamine, giving you more energy to talk, work or wander. Took a Landcruuiser tour to the mountain Village of Shahara, North of the Capital Sana'a fueled by khat, cheeks buldging with leaves like the fellow in the picture. Also had a blast with a gun like the one he has, borrowed from a police man, for a dollar I shot a mountain. Sounded like a huge balloon popping, recoil less than I expected. The role of women here is also somewhat startling. Hidden behind a veil merely eyes showing, they marry early (sometimes as young as 12) and churn out babies at an unbelievable rate (met one man who had 24 kids by the same wife!) Still some do well for themselves like the dentist we met when Tomoko had a wee tooth problem, she had her own practice, even though she conducted business whilst wearing the veil which was rather spooky.
Btw, the photo above is not our own. We are having PC problems at the moment so I had to steal this one from the net. Final thing to mention is how great the food is here, lots of variety, nice flavours, after the rather mundane fair of the Sudan we are stuffing ourselves happily.

Yemeni Styles.

Spot the real Yemeni, and the fake Yemeni, actually from Yorkshire.

Sana'a, Yemen

We've safely arrived in Yeman having flown from Khatoum interernational airport (perhaps the simplest I've ever seen!) to Sana'a international airport (not much better)
Yemen, where the men carry dagger and the women are hidden. The old town of Sna'a is mighty pretty.

Yemenia

Today we bought tickets to India with a one month stop over in Yemen, leaving in the early hours Friday this week. A good deal at $300 each with Yemenia. So ends the indecision of the last few days, ie should we move into Africa or continue with the Arab travels. Arabia won out in the interests of wholeness, ease of travel and due to the praise heeped upon Yemen by those who have been there. Then onto India in time to celebrate our 6th Aniversary together in the place where we started off. Sweet.

Dancing with Dervishes

Whilst in Sudan I've been reading Paul Theroux's travel book Dark Star Safari, and been visting some of the places he visited as he passed through on his way from Cairo to Cape Town. We went to the Blue Nile Sailing Club, as he did, which is an interesting slice of colonial history. There, there is an old gunboat that was used to attack the Sudanese and later converted into a club house for Memsahib boaters. Looking out over the Nile, we met an American Ex-Navy Sailor, which ties in somehow. We went to the hotel where Theroux stayed and met its Greek owner,"Lovely place you have, $190 per night you say?, ahem, we'll think it over...."
One of the main things I wanted to do whilst here was to visit the Dervish Mosque, Hamid-el-Nil, which Theroux describes so evocativily. Dervishes of the Sufi is a branch of Islam, Mystical, out-there, my style of religion I thought.
And so it was.
Many of the Dervishes bore a fair resemblance to Rastas or Indian Sadhus with their robes, sticks and dreadlocks.And they had drums. Big ones, pounding as the devout swayed, twirled & chanted for Allah. At first I stood on the sidelines but the drums made me wanna move. There were a few other tourists there and when a couple of them entered the ring to take photos It prompted me to do the same, not so much for the pictures, but to get near the drums and dance, although I did take the odd snap as you can see. I found the Dervishes interesting dance partners, very enthusiastic about my joining. Are you a muslim? they asked. Inshallah! (best be diplomatic, although I know I'll never join any religion, as I know better) Is this your first time here? Aiwa! (yes), but I know this. The pounding Rhythms, spaced out dancers, group euphoria, welcoming of all;
Its was nowt but a rave, Sufi style.
So whilst Theroux finds it wierd, I found something familier.
He should have danced.