First days in Sanaa

Thursday 7 September 1972

When I met Mr Bird, who is one of the British Council team here, he took me around to meet a few people, but one of them wasn't in.  He is called John Baldry and he lives in a house in the old city.  Prof Serjeant and others think he is rather funny because he chooses to live in the suq, but Mr Bird brought him round to see me at Mr Jarvis's house yesterday and I have formed a completely different impression.  He has been teaching all over the Middle East for over 10 years now, and has been in Yemen for 10 months.  He is one of the two British Council people here who actually travels around the country and meets people.  Mr Jarvis does too, but to a lesser extent.  He (Baldry) has visited Hajjah quite recently and will be able to give me a lot of solid information before I go.  Apparently the water in Hajjah has bilharzia in it.

This is from the roof of the house I am staying in

Yesterday afternoon he took me to a qat chewing party - there were about 10 people there, including the director of Sanaa university and one or two high-up members of the government, who all promised to help me in every possible way.  Two of them were called Mohammed al-Shami which was confusing. We sat and chewed qat for about four hours (you have to chew it for at least that long to get any effect) until about 7 pm and then, because you get depressed when you start "coming down" they produced three bottles of smuggled Scotch whisky, then had something to eat.  All the time we had a most interesting discussion with one of the government ministers, about Yemen and its political and economic situation, and plans for its development.

The back of the British Embassy

Qat is a leaf which you chew and keep in the side of your mouth and just chew and chew more.  It is simultaneously stimulating and relaxing (so they say-I also found it slightly nauseating after 4 hours - and it turns your teeth green).  They told me about 10 pm that it also keeps you awake - quite right, as it turned out.  So today I woke with one of the best hangovers I have had in a long time. 

Abdul Mughni Street in Sanaa

Today I went to the Embassy to see if there was any post, but there wasn't, then John Baldry came and took me along to see some other minister (not sure which) but unfortunately he did not turn up as he was busy.  Afterwards we went to the passport office for me to register, but it was shut and doesn't open until Saturday.  While I was at the Embassy reading a seriously out of date Observer, Mr Bird (Norman Bird) came by and told me that Mr Jarvis (he is Richard) has sent a note saying that I was to stay with an American couple who teach at the new international school here.  They are called Mark and Jill Boyd, and after lunch I went round to their house with my luggage (such as it is- no news about the suitcases yet).  They have some rooms in the building that is being used for the International School which has been set up by an American called Jim Gilson.  It is very close to the British Embassy, and in the afternoon I walked around the centre of Sanaa.

Tomorrow I understand that the proper VSO volunteers are arriving, so I'm hoping that my luggage arrives with them.