Hotel la Siesta Djibouti

Je suis sauve tous les hotels sont climatises. Normal vu leur prix. 35 euros pour l hotel le moins cher. Djibouti c est surtout des bases militaires (francaise, americaine et allemande (contre les pirates somaliens)), quelques batiments coloniaux et surtout un port qui ravitaille l ethiopie.

On m avait dit que djibouti c etait chaud, mais que des 8H du matin je n arrive pas a supporte la chaleur et etre a 2 doigts de faire un malaise malgre 2L d eau but en 1H. Il fait quasiment 40 C le matin a l ombre.

Pourquoi la france a colonise ce bout de desert, ils auraient pu choisir un endroit plus agreable a vivre. (mais j avoue que la position de djibouti est tellement strategique).

Heureusement les francais sont aimees la bas, donc pas de probleme ici.

... is a distinct possibility, the odds of survival are better than usual. The windows have scratched plastic over them so I can't see anything through them anyway. The only flight host is a six-foot Somali who could probably lift the plane out of the sand if necessary. We get no peanuts, but we do get to Djibouti on time. If I had visions of Djibouti being some sort of island of civility in the wilderness, a French version ...

... cell phone service seems very efficient, and even offered to send a voice mail to a land line I accidentally sent a text message to. We have passed through the Bab El Mandeb, Bay of Tears, and are in the Gulf of Aden heading for Salalah. With these headwinds, I'm afraid we will once again miss this port (not that I've missed it before, but apparently the Star Clipper has a history of missing ...

... days!! Therefore we didn't go and see anything of Djibouti - only the city. We did go to the beach with a tin of pinnapple and a chocolate milkshake- lovely - well it was until I started seeing the rats running around the rocks amongst the rubbish! The large supermarket in town has many things imported from France including nutella ! or your could buy fresh food from the markets outside near loads of ...

... although I also changed some at the bank. The town in general was quite squalid,with most people living in sprawling shanty style suburbs,around a market place and mosque.Their only recreation gave me my first experience of the Qat.This is where every man in town spends every afternoon "grazing" on green leaves which have some mild mind altering properties.Whether or not because of this influence,many of them not only laze away on their backside with their mouth stuffed ...

... for export of Ethiopian goods and from the money it receives from the US and France to maintain military bases in the country.  Djibouti is not geared for budget tourism yet and to reach most popular spots you have to rent a 4x4 which can be very expensive.  As a former French colony the second language here is French, not English, and the capital contains some fine examples of French architecture giving it a similar feel to the French Quarter in New Orleans.  After ...

... it I met an Indonesian named Dani who convinced me to go overland with him instead of waiting for the Sunday flight. Cheaper, as well as faster (I thought). He was leaving right away, but I wanted to get another Ethiopian visa (not available in Eritrea) for re-entry to Ethiopia via Sudan. (But next day the Ethiopians said I didn't need another one). Djibouti is a French and Arab (not very African) town. Dry but really really hot. One good thing is that ...

Hi Folks, New years celebrations. Quality night had by all. 3pm - 8pm: Market Bar for tapas and pints and major bant. 8pm - 10pm: Hogans Bar for major bant. 10pm - 5am: Aorons party for massive bant. As you can see, in true CBB style, we put major emphasis on the bant.

... It was one hell of a 'Ban Yan' (picnic/BBQ). Lots of us stripped off and went 'native' for the day. Had to be a bit careful when barbecuing though! Swimming, playing football, drinking and eating until the boat came back to pick us up. This is just great fun writing this 33 years after the event, memories and 'sea stories' come flooding back......Simmo a 'Tiff' (Artificer Apprentice) went ashore ...