TIA (This is Africa)

The heat hits me as I walk out of the aircraft door down to the tarmac. It is 30 something celsius a dry, sapping heat. The immediate surrounds are flat and burnished yellow stubbles of grass dot the arid plain. In the distance I can see a spine of rugged rocky mountains concealed by wreaths of wispy clouds. Welcome to Socotra!

While the island nominally belongs to the war ravaged Yemen, The feel is more African. Not unusual as it lies half way between Yemen and Somalia and historically belonged to the former. On the way into the main town of Hadibo the streets are fringed by old car tyres. Rusting car chassis decompose roadside. The odd rubbish dumpster in the middle of the road overflows and the stench is obvious. Delighted omnivorous goats chow down on the trash, bleating delightedly.

I am slightly but not overly surprised by the amount of construction happening here. Everywhere I see partly constructed houses, albeit noone seems to be working on any of them. Since Yemen has been at civil war with the Iranian backed Houthi rebels the island was administered by Saudi forces who are backing the existing regime in the war. That is until 2 years ago when UAE staged a bloodless coup and displaced thir Saudi battle partners to take over. Subsequently the Emiratis have poured money into the island, improving infrastructure and clearly fostering a construction boom. Rumour has it that they are starting construction of a resort to exploit the tourist potential o this amazingly beautiful island.

On arrival we are served a spread of salads, rice, potataoes and massive cutlets of freshly caught fish.

Sated we check into the clean Diamond hotel before heading off to Delisha beach. At the southern end is a decomposing large oil tanker. It ran aground 7 years ago and is now left to the elements to reclaim it. At the northern end is a massive sand dune sinuously winding its way up the mountain side. We watch the sunset from the dune and I am abuzz with anticipation for what the next few days will bring.