Joe's World Backpacking Trip Stories and pics from my travels.

Another long bus journey, but this one was a bit different.  It was a nice bus, with A/C and reclining seats.  It was nearly empty, just me and about 6 Omani university students on their way back to school in Makullah.  The usual desert scenery, we followed the coast road at least.  So there was some nice views of the sea, and some small fishing villages with little wooden fishing rowboats and wooden shacks.  This bus ride was different because once we crossed the border into Yemen, the students introduced me to Qat.  Qat is a plant that grows in this part of the Arab Gulf and in some East African countries.  You chew on the leaves like you would with chewing tobacco.  Qat is a mild narcotic.  Everyone does it here.  You see people walking down the street with one bulging cheek full of that stuff.  So it was a long bus ride, but nice and relaxing too.  I don't know how to explain the physiological reaction of Qat to most people.  If you've ever huffed paint, or taken other people's prescription painkillers socially, it's kind of like that.  Kidding about the last part, it just relaxes you.  So more about Al-Makulla and less about Narcotics.  I knew once I got off the bus this country was WAY different from Oman.  This is one of the poorest places I've ever been.  The poorest so far on this trip.  No proper sewage or trash disposal, and crumbling buildings.  I've seen it before, but being a backpacker and living among it with the locals brings more of an understanding of a people in poverty, and even more of an appreciation of how awesome my country is.  Seriously, I'm given a new reason in every country I go to, to love mine that much more.  It may be poor, but the people here are very friendly.  There isn't much for choice of cuisine here, it's either seasoned rice and chicken, or bread and chicken.  No utensils here, so I had to learn how to eat rice with my bare hands again.  I've done it in some poor countries before, but you have to relearn it after awhile.  It's not as easy as you think.  The first time I did it yesterday it looked like a rice grenade exploded on my plate.  Rice on my shirt, my face, all over my hands, the table, the guy next to me.  Ok, I'm done typing.  I'm off to Aden tomorrow, and in a little while, into Africa.