Staring out of the window, at the horizon, my thoughts slowly started to drift away into the cloudy abyss. Hovering in the trippy state between wakefulness and slumber, I was quickly brought back to consciousness by a tap on my shoulder.
After spending a day in Djibouti visiting the lowest point in Africa at Lake Assal [see post: Djibouti Stopover], I left for Somalia’s war-torn capital. I was only one of two people that boarded the Turkish Airlines flight bound for Mogadishu at Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport.
I was not surprised. I changed into an abaya, put on a headscarf, and headed for the last row of the airplane.
“Can I ask [pause] why you are going to Somalia?”, a man tapped me on my shoulder and asked. “Tourism”, I replied. He laughed. “What really brings you to Mogadishu? Business?”, he asked. “Tourism, I swear”, I responded. He did not believe me. Not long after, many other passengers heading for the bathroom asked me the same question. Everyone wanted to know why I was heading to Somalia. This was the first time most of the Somali passengers I spoke with were returning to their country after fleeing before the war. They did not believe that “tourism” was my answer; they asked if I had a death wish. Boarding the flight, I was not as nervous as I thought I would be. However, after conversing with these passengers, I began to feel something. The adrenaline started to kick in.
Mogadishu
I want to explore the world. All of it. Unfortunately, our world is not all rainbows and butterflies. Countries such as Syria, Yemen, and Somalia, to list a few, have been traumatized by war and instability. Yet, cities such as Somalia’s war-torn capital Mogadishu continue to demonstrate resilience. Which leaves the question – does tourism stand a chance in these countries?
Islamist militant group al-Shabaab continues to terrorize the region and make threats against Westerners and those working for Western organizations. I once read that “terrorism is a crime against the mind”, and I could not agree more. I made the mistake of following the news related to Mogadishu after booking my trip. The Internet, along with the government-issued travel advisories, had me second guessing my choice to travel almost immediately after booking. “It remains virtual suicide to visit the city without armed guards” – just reading these words gave me goosebumps. Just this past October, a massive blast caused by a truck bombing in Mogadishu claimed the lives of at least 500 people – one of the deadliest terrorist attacks anywhere in the world for years. Unfortunately, terrorist acts are quite common in Mogadishu. But, if I allowed fear to stop me from traveling, then the media and the terrorists won.
Nevertheless, threats should not be downplayed by any means. Mogadishu remains dangerous. However, with the right precautions, you too can safely travel to this traumatized, yet vibrant city. Needless to say, your options are limited. Visit Mogadishu was personally recommended to me by a fellow traveler. However, I chose to book the “Mogadishu Add-On” with Untamed Borders (a British adventure travel company) because I was also booking their Horn of Africa – Ethiopia and Somaliland tour. For some reason, I felt more comfortable booking the trip with a British company versus with a local operator. In retrospect, I should have just booked with Visit Mogadishu because Untamed Borders simply delegates the job to a local operator. In terms of price, Untamed Borders is more expensive than Visit Mogadishu, but less expensive than the other recommended tour operator through the Peace Hotel Somalia.
Citizens of all countries require a visa to visit Somalia. Travelers can obtain the visa in Kenya or on arrival in the airport for $60 USD, payable in cash. Untamed Borders took care of the arrangements and provided the appropriate supporting documentation – a letter of invitation, indicating I was on business.
I was asked not to discuss the itinerary or name of the hotel with anyone, keeping the schedule to as few people as possible. Many precautions were taken – I received the letter of invitation only two days before my departure to the Horn of Africa to ensure the plans were not known for as long as possible before the trip. Additionally, I was asked not to post pictures of the hotel or the security guards as this could put their lives and the lives of future guests in danger.
Day 1
Mogadishu – one of the world’s deadliest cities. Although Somalia’s capital is slowly losing that label, security does remain a concern. The security situation can literally change within just a few minutes.
I arrived at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport early in the morning on Saturday, March 31, 2018. I was joined by a French-Aussie couple, our guide Ahmed, driver, and security team. What was supposed to be a full day of exploring the city quickly turned into a three hour tour due to the ever-changing security situation. The city was on lockdown because of an important meeting taking place that morning in the capital.
The areas we visited in Mogadishu were areas that the guide, driver, and four-man security team felt comfortable that they could take people to without any undue risk. For example, we were allowed to leave the vehicle to walk around Old Town, but were not even allowed to stop for a second when passing the Bakaara Market – the largest open market in the nation and frequent al-Shabab target.
The team wanted us to have as much freedom as possible, but they had the final word with regards to changes in the itinerary. Needless to say, the threat of terror attacks and kidnapping kept us confined to the fast moving vehicle. Even with check points at every mile, it was not safe enough for us to roll down the windows let alone step out of the car in most of the places that we visited.
Given that our day was cut short, we spent most of it in a car, viewing the city from a window. Much of the city looks the same from that perspective.
Colorful paintings cover most of the buildings in the city center – since most people are illiterate, buildings are decorated with paintings advertising the goods and services offered. Not only do these paintings help people, but in my opinion, they also brighten the city.
We visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (which is actually a monument), and drove past the location of where two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters were shot down before heading back to the hotel.
Day 2
We quickly learned that Westerners, and even more broadly stated – tourists, are largely not welcomed. Though, I can understand why. People’s lives should never be a spectacle. War. Destruction. Poverty. These are not things that should draw visitors to a country. Our first stop of the day was the fish market.
Although we were allowed to leave the vehicle for a bit longer than on the previous day, the locals were not too happy with the fact that we were wandering the area with cameras.
Before we could walk through the entire fish market, we were chased out of the building. Although unfortunate, I understand why. Leaving through the back of the fish market, we were in the heart of Mogadishu’s “Old Town”. Remnants of the once beautiful Italian architecture filled both sides of the street.
Tucked away behind the rubble, overlooking the harbor, stands the lighthouse – a symbol of Mogadishu.
We spent some time by the harbor, waiting for fisherman to bring out their catch. We all wanted that classic photograph of a fisherman carrying an eight foot shark on his head. Unfortunately, it was a little too late in the morning to see that.
Before heading to lunch, our guide took us outside of the city to a large garbage dump. Here, the remains of a shot down Belarussian plane sits with the rest of the city’s waste. Basically, this was just a stop to fill some time on our itinerary.
On the way back to the city, we convinced our guide to let us stop at a sweet shop.
Both days, we had afternoon tea at a cafe overlooking the famous Lido Beach.
Gazing at the ocean directly in front of me, I almost forgot that I was sitting in a war zone (a term recently declared by Somalia’s new president). White sand. Crystal clear water. Lido Beach naturally has the makings of a pristine beach destination.
Adjacent to the cafe, the scene of the deadly attack in 2016 where al-Shabaab fighters detonated a car bomb and stormed the restaurant killing occupants.
Even surrounded by nature’s beauty, you are reminded of the country’s situation. Despite the ongoing carnage, life goes on in the heart of Mogadishu. The beach was filled with locals.
On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at Peace Park. This was a great place to end our tour of Mogadishu – as it showed us that even with a troubled past, the city continues to rebuild.
Safety
I will not deny – I felt a bit intimidated.
People always ask me, “What is the scariest place that you have been to?” By “scariest”, I assume they mean a place that I felt “unsafe”. I never had an answer. So far, all of my travels have been easy. I felt safe wandering around the favelas in Brazil. I felt safe being forced to pay bribes in Nigeria. I even felt safe being followed around in North Korea. I never once questioned my safety. After spending the past two days with a two vehicle security detail in Somalia’s war-torn capital Mogadishu, I now have an answer. Although, fortunately, we did not face any situations or mishaps that made us feel like our lives were in jeopardy, the fears always lingered in the back of my head. I spent the last two days scared of being ambushed, of being caught in a suicide bombing, of being shot and killed by al-Shabaab. The fears that surfaced over the last two days were quickly erased by a quick flight out to Nairobi, Kenya. But, these fears are inescapable for the Somali people. These are fears people have to live with every single day.
With the right precautions, you can safely travel to Mogadishu. At the end of the day, anything can happen anywhere – whether that be in Chicago, London, or Tokyo. Do not let the media shape your vision or alter your decisions. But, always be prepared for the unexpected. [see post: Trip Insurance for Unusual Destinations]
