Intro: A Sensational Trip To Yemen 🇾🇪: Aden

Intro

Last week, I had the opportunity to visit perhaps one of the least visited places in the world at the moment: Aden, Yemen 🇾🇪. Ordinarily, I tend to wait quite a while on each series so that I have time to fully reflect and write about each place from an objective lens, but this place blew me away so much that I figured it's time to skip ahead to the other multiple series and write about it.

So without further ado, this is the introduction to a series that is going to be one to remember (at least for me, most people tend to like the airline reviews, ha).

What To Expect

More than ever, I am excited to share a long and detailed look into Aden, as, unlike Somalia, I actually took a lot of photos (more than 500) on this trip. Over the next 4-5 days (I'll publish 2-3 per day along with the normal posts), you can expect to see the following:

• Air Djibouti 

• How to get a visa to Yemen

• Difference between South and North Yemen

• Being picked up at the airport in Aden 

• An American burger shop in Aden 

• Visiting the mall and changing money

• Going for a drive around (some history lessons)+little Ben+slave island+ports

• I am in love with little Aden (fishing+boating)

• Market and sunset at little Aden 

• Eating a local dinner, fish market

• Exploring a bombed house

• Best coffee in Aden 

• Marriot Review 

• How safe is Aden, Yemen

• Making friends with militias

• Flag shopping and haircut

• Lounge review Aden (private shuttle to plane)

• Refugee issue 

• Yemenia Review

I know there are a lot of posts in this, but they are all very special to my heart, and each tells a story. They won't be too long, maybe 2-3 minute reads each, but if you are interested while having a cup of coffee, this might be perfect.

The flag of South Yemen

What I Plan To Accomplish In This Series/Why I Visited

There are a number of main key themes that I want to accomplish in this series, which are some of the following.

1. Just like my Mogadishu series, there isn't really a lot out there about Aden, so for those looking to visit, you might not know how to.

2. Showcase a different reality to the media. This is probably the main reason as to why I like to visit these "dangerous" countries, as while there are conflicts that occur, there are also people living everyday lives here. Which brings me onto my next point...

3. I want to show off how beautiful not only the country is, but also how beautiful the Yemenis are. There are some moments from a sunset trip to the market that show that no matter what hand you are dealt, you can still laugh and smile.

   
   

So yeah, I hope this is something that you will enjoy!

Final Thoughts

For the second time in the year I have fully run this blog, I have decided to jump ahead to a series that is fresh on my mind. Why? Because Yemen truly blew me out of the water. I cannot wait to share a place which is deeply misunderstood, and I hope it gives some on-the-ground insight into this.

Future series to come soon: Fiji/Australia, A trip back East (meeting Camilla Morone on a plane), Bolivia (salt flats), Ukraine, Mozambique 2, South Sudan, Botswana/Zambia/Zimbabwe, Bali 2, Timor Leste, Laos, Myanmar (amazing this one), Sri Lanka/Nepal, Libya, Canrival in Brazil, Songkran in Thailand, Syria, Bali 3.

Stay tuned!