Most of us have probably at one time or another joked about needing a wheelbarrow to carry all our money around.
Location: Hargeisa, Somaliland
Lens used: 24-105mm f4.0 IS
Morning sun and ripples in the sand on the Bay of Aden coast outside of town.
Location: Berbera, Somaliland
Lens used: 10-22mm f3.5-4.5
A ghost crab walks the beach as the sun is about to dip into the Gulf of Aden.
Location: Berbera, Somaliland
Lens used: 24-105mm f4.0 IS
The remote sites' caretaker accompanies all visitors (all 3 or 4 of them a day) to the caves.
Location: Las Geel, Somaliland
Lens used: 10-22mm f3.5-4.5
The site minder (right) and my hired police guard (left) come to a semblance of attention in front of a small grouping of rock paintings.
All foreigners, I was told were required to hire a police or military escort when traveling outside of the capitol, Hargeisa. While debatable how much protection he'd really provide in case of attack by South Somali terrorists or robbers, he did make passing through the numerous police road blocks a breeze.
Location: Las Geel, Somaliland
Lens used: 10-22mm f3.5-4.5
Though not recognized by any other nation on earth, Somaliland is very much a de facto independent state with, among other things their own vehicle license plates.
For those a little rusty on the Arabic script numerals, practicing translating passing car's plates was a productive way to pass the time while driving across the desert.
Location: Outside Berbera, Somaliland
Lens used: 24-105mm f4.0 IS
The MiG fighter jet war memorial marks the center of the city.
Location: Hargeisa, Somaliland
Lens used: 24-105mm f4.0 IS
Locals are both keen and proud to tell you how safe the streets of their capital are. They point to the moneychangers, sitting there with piles of money out on the streets with no obvious security anywhere in sight, as an example.
In watching them for the few days I was in town, however I saw they weren't nearly as brazen with the various hard-currencies they all dealt with as they were with the local stuff. The dollars, euros, yen and so on were kept discreetly tucked away in pockets and folds of robes. It would seem that even in a 'safe' country like Somaliland, it's wise to be cautious with one's money.
Location: Hargeisa, Somaliland
Lens used: 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 IS
Relax! Quality medical care isn't far away in Hargeisa.
Location: Hargeisa, Somaliland
Lens used: 24-105mm f4.0 IS
Down and out in Hargeisa.
Location: Hargeisa, Somaliland
Lens used: 24-105mm f4.0 IS
