Day 30 - Getting Oriented
In two days we will arrive in Eritrea, the newest nation in all of Africa, and for the first time I am joining one of the organized optional tours. Prompted by my lack of Arabic and knowledge of the country, I signed up to go on a camel caravan through the desert. I honestly can't think of anything more foreign to do.
As I will be just a normal paying passenger for once, I had to go to the tour orientation, where the Japanese was translated to me. Here are a couple of quotes that I received from the translator:
If you are going to take pictures of people, ask first
Do not breathe on people when you talk to them. It is a cultural taboo. Instead, speak quietly, and they will listen harder.
You will go on a 30 minute drive on a bus with no air conditioning, windows, and there will be no sights along the way.
You will get one free drink, either beer, water, Coke or Sprite. But the country is running out of Coke and Sprite, so maybe not.
You are only getting a camel with one hump.
Why?
Because there are no two humps in Africa.
Oh.
The camel lifts from the booty so don't fall off.
Huh?
It will lean forward and you could fall off. And there is no second hump to catch you. Remember? One hump.
Right...one hump...got it.
There are no clean bathrooms, but you cannot go to the bathroom on the camel.
On the camel?
Yes, please do not use the bathroom on the camel.
I hadn't realized that was an option. Has that happened in the past?
No.
Okay...I won't go to the bathroom on the camel.
Good.
These camels fought in the war against Ethipoia. They beat the tanks.
A camel beat a tank?
Well, not these camels, but the people used camels in the war.
So these camels are not war vets.
No, but they will have traveled for three days for us to ride them. So...
So we should boost their ego?
...sorta...
Okay. Should I mention the one hump thing, or will that just embarass them?
Huh?
Nevermind.
Normally Eritrea only has electricity 12 hours a day, but when we get there the will have an electricity holiday and keep it on for 24 hours.
That's nice of them.
Yes, we are the only passanger ship to have ever landed in Eritrea, and we have been there 10 times, so Eritrea is also the only nation where every single person has heard of us.
Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Huh?
Uh...nevermind.
As I will be just a normal paying passenger for once, I had to go to the tour orientation, where the Japanese was translated to me. Here are a couple of quotes that I received from the translator:
If you are going to take pictures of people, ask first
Do not breathe on people when you talk to them. It is a cultural taboo. Instead, speak quietly, and they will listen harder.
You will go on a 30 minute drive on a bus with no air conditioning, windows, and there will be no sights along the way.
You will get one free drink, either beer, water, Coke or Sprite. But the country is running out of Coke and Sprite, so maybe not.
You are only getting a camel with one hump.
Why?
Because there are no two humps in Africa.
Oh.
The camel lifts from the booty so don't fall off.
Huh?
It will lean forward and you could fall off. And there is no second hump to catch you. Remember? One hump.
Right...one hump...got it.
There are no clean bathrooms, but you cannot go to the bathroom on the camel.
On the camel?
Yes, please do not use the bathroom on the camel.
I hadn't realized that was an option. Has that happened in the past?
No.
Okay...I won't go to the bathroom on the camel.
Good.
These camels fought in the war against Ethipoia. They beat the tanks.
A camel beat a tank?
Well, not these camels, but the people used camels in the war.
So these camels are not war vets.
No, but they will have traveled for three days for us to ride them. So...
So we should boost their ego?
...sorta...
Okay. Should I mention the one hump thing, or will that just embarass them?
Huh?
Nevermind.
Normally Eritrea only has electricity 12 hours a day, but when we get there the will have an electricity holiday and keep it on for 24 hours.
That's nice of them.
Yes, we are the only passanger ship to have ever landed in Eritrea, and we have been there 10 times, so Eritrea is also the only nation where every single person has heard of us.
Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Huh?
Uh...nevermind.
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