Leg 106, Baidoa, Somalia via Yemeni islands to Las Khorey, Republic of Somaliland
DAY12_6.PLN (7.1 KB)
A double leg today. After finishing my usual early morning flight I looked up when the moon would rise over Somalia and went back out in the afternoon for a flight by moon light.
12-06 Baidoa HCMB 3:43 AM
12-06 Baledogle HC01 4:27 AM
12-06 K50 International HCAF 4:37 AM
12-06 Mogadishu HCMM 4:53 AM
12-06 Belet Uen HCMN 6:03 AM
12-06 Dhuusamarreeb Airport HCDH 6:49 AM
12-06 Dhuusamarreeb Airport HCDS 7:09 AM
12-06 Adado Airport AAD 7:30 AM
12-06 Geladi Airport HCGA 7:56 AM
12-06 Galcaio HCMR 8:26 AM
12-06 Garowe HCMW 9:16 AM
12-06 Eil HCME 9:50 AM Drone cam landing
12-06 Gardo HCMG 10:32 AM Landed on road parallel to airstrip
12-06 Gardo HCMG 2:59 PM Moon is up!
12-06 Hafun Airstrip HCBA 3:58 PM Drone cam landing
12-06 Hafun Old Base Airstrip HCBG 4:03 PM Drone cam landing
12-06 Moori OYSQ 5:19 PM lights!
12-06 Alula HCMA 6:45 PM Plane animations stuck, belly landing despite gear showing down
12-06 Bosaso HCMF 7:30 PM
12-06 Las Khorey HCLA 8:01 PM
Flight time 11:51 18 stops
First Mogadishu, the capital Somalia
Big city, 4.9 million people
It’s been an important port city for millennia
There are no airports along the coast so heading inland to Bulet Uen
It can be green there as well
Pretty dry when the images were taken
Guriel Airstrip near Guriceel
Galkayo
A little bit of elevation towards Garowe, it has been mostly flat terrain so far
Approaching Garowe
And onwards to Eil, sun already setting, not much to see in this part of Somalia
Landing in Eil by drone cam, barely visible runway
Stubbornly continuing, it gets really dark without the moon, last light fading
I had to land on the road next to the runway in Gardo, the ground remains black no matter how much you increase the exposure
Luckily there are plenty glowing orbs along even the smallest roads!
After a long break, continuing on by moonlight. Near Rako Raaxo
Coming up on the Indian Ocean at Ashira
Illegally flying without my tail flasher (tail beacon?) since it’s blinding with this increased exposure
Most Eastern tip of Africa, just a bit past Xaafun (Hafun Airstrip)
Hafun old salt factory on the water and the lovely coast by daylight
Darsah, island in the Arabian Sea
It’s pretty much a huge wall in the ocean
With trees I have never seen before, Dragon’s blood trees
Socotra, Yemini island with a lot more of those trees
Hajhir Mountains on Socotra
Socotra is a magical place, beach of colored rocks on the right, Dihamri beach
Hajhir Mountains
Kilmia, the main village of the Guardafui Channel island Abd al Kuri
Back to Somalia, Bereeda
Going along the North shore back West
Approaching Alula over the rugged terrain
Near Alula
Big mountains on the coast at Bandar
Qandala, ancient port town
On to Bosaso, more mountain walls right up to the coast
First signs of dawn approaching on the horizon
On the way to Las Khorey
Loving this game!
FInal stop today, Las Khorey, an ancient coastal city in the Sanaag region of Somaliland
The self declared Republic of Somaliland is not internationally recognized. It was a British protectorate until 1960, after which it was independent for 5 days. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991. While no foreign power recognizes its sovereignty, it is self-governing with an independent government, democratic elections and a distinct history.
I guess the question “how many countries are there” can’t be answered. This is at least the fourth time that I’ve run into a contested area as well as dotted border lines, and I haven’t gotten to the Middle East and Asia yet.