dutchwindmill's VirtualTourist Home Page

Having lived in some places and having travelled to some more I feel very privileged. It also makes one realize that there are great people and great things everywhere. That's not to say I don't have preferences (enough politically correct preaching!)...and those preferences I will try and share with you (time permitting). I shall be straightforward in my opinions (I'm Dutch!) and remember: opinions are like...erm...noses: everybody's got one. Hope to hear from you - whether your experiences were exactly like mine or totally different.

I'm always happy to share knowledge, insights and experiences gained through my travels. If you have any questions - particularly about Yemen - feel free to put them to me.

The world's big and that's a good thing - the more places to visit, the better. The downside is that having the urge to discover new places comes at the expense of visiting old places that you liked a lot. So you try and go for the mix. Here's places I love to go back to:

Great Britain - the countryside, both the cozy and the wild bits
France and Italy - just about anywhere
Iceland - and discover the interior of the country
Turkey - so much more to discover
East and West Africa - I know it's a very big area, but I felt strangely at home everywhere
Bangladesh and Jamaica - worlds apart, but I lived there and I have great memories of both
India - one trip was definitely not enough
Indonesia - with a visit to the capital only, I have not even scratched the surface
Cuba - just for Havana
Netherlands Antilles - six easy-going islands, each one with its own character
Canada - big and empty, the opposite of Holland
United States - New York and LA, but also Smalltown America

Even though it's no goal in itself for me to visit each country in the world, those I have missed so far in Europe I all want to visit: Ireland, Norway, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania - and that last dictatorship in Europe: Belarus.
Latin America is still largely terra incognita for me and not for lack of interest - it just happens to be this way, but it's not going to stay that way forever!
Southern Africa
Iran and some Central Asian (former Soviet) republics.
Down under (both Australia and New Zealand)
And biggest wish of all: North Korea (I have this thing with communist dictatorships. Visited all the communist countries in Europe countless times between 1975 and 1990). I shouldn't wait to long with Cambodia and Vietnam, but North Korea is the nec plus ultra.

...I'm very fortunate to be living in Yemen, no doubt one of those few countries (Bhutan would be another one I suppose) where a strong local culture has survived the onslaught of modernism. There is a downside to that, I know, but it makes for a fascinating environment to live in.

Yemen has one of the highest population growth rates in the world. At about 3% per annum the population will double from the current 20 million to 40 million around 2030. With underemployment already high, oil and gas resources expected to be depleted over the next 10 years and water tables sinking all over the country, this is not a good thing.

Their origin is somewhat obscure and often linked to long-gone times when an Ethiopian army temporarily conquered Yemen, but the "akhdam" (litterally meaning slaves or servants) are at the social ladder's lowest rung. Darker-skinned on average than the average Yemeni it is not hard to suspect racism is behind their social status. They are either unemployed or working in menial jobs, like street sweeping. That is not to say that the cities like Sana'a that employ them in great numbers to sweep the street are doing that to confirm their status: the practice not only provides for clean cities, but also gives the "akhdam" some security financially (even if the pay is low for long working hours).

Mr. Noman from Hajjarah (Harraz Mountains) is a very experienced guide, driver, trekker, climber, hangglider etc. He speaks English and French very well and knows every corner of Yemen. He can organize any tour for you: from a short or a long trek in the mountains to a sightseeing trip throughout the country. When driving is involved, he may drive you around in his Landcruiser himself or arrange for a dependable colleague to do the same. Having little overhead, his rates are competitive.
He may be contacted at noman@yementrek.com. You may want to check out his webpage first: www.yementrek.com.

but it's a long journey of two steps forward, one step back.