This is so needed and it is just a matter of connecting roads and joining them up. It is not normally, hargeisa, particularly during the summer is just endless traffic- I am avoiding going anywhere and when I do, back roads and none traffic hours. I got stuck in traffic the other day for 1hr in traffic 12 lunchtime traffic- I just pulled over and visited someone and then drove home 1.30pm. I refuse to be living in Hargeisa and stuck in traffic for 1hr!!!

So it happened, now how to upload photos and videos on here?- Nuune and North I have posted pictures on my twitter- halka ka eega. The video I will post on my blog. Nuune it was 160 passenger capacity, laakin the flight was not full- 130 passengers. About the Somalia airline- I cannot think of a worst idea! National airlines are a drain and a sure way to loose money- it is a national pride but globally it is losing so much money- you are better off paying another flight to be your flag barer. It would be a waste of money for a country that does not have a lot of money. Sorry- unless you are Emirates and dont have to pay for your fuel or something! Juxa, it has AC- laakin the luggage always going missing with ET- even the Somali flights have better record! For some reason ET particularly in summer is terrible!

North ET

Egal airport will have its first 737 landing and taking off tomorrow inshallah- that is the plan anyway! Im excited! Will post pictures inshallah

I have traveled on that road from Burco to just past Laas Anod and it is one of the best roads in Somaliland- it does not need building- it is damaged in two areas and I hear since my visit, it has been restored/ fixed- although it would need a bridge there because it is flood path. Nice road- Somaliland priority should be the death trap that is Berbera-HArgeisa which sees more traffic as well.

This piece by anonymous is rubbish, statistics are made up for the most part and most Somali parents worked their a*ss off to ensure their kids took part in the opportunities they never had. That we have some kids who under performed or criminals etc like any other community is a given- but the writer is trying to connecting FAILING with being SOMALI! MAybe the Economist could not tracked down any successful Somalis due to their poor research skills- I would be happy to provide a list! Somalis in the UK should write a rebuttal and complain.

Tonight is the closing event at Ambassador 7pm; I'll be on the panel with some Ministers and doctors discussing Sexual Violence in Somaliland: Causes, Consequences & Solutions. There will also be a fabulous play that was being rehearsed for the last three weeks by local actors and play writer Abdirahman Cartan about corruption and the ugly side of clan, politics and how this facilitates criminals getting away with crimes! looking forward to it all! Alpha only Hadraawii hardback translated poetry is $50 and there are none hardback copies for $10. All other books at HIBF are $10 or less as you well know. Stop catching breezy inaar! and you only spent $220, stop with all the noise $2000 ku laha! Interesting people living with "white yad yad ya" can actually have the audacity to say anything here! baccccca the lot of you. Nuune

Alpha- of course if you knew anything about HIBF or attended any of the launches you would not be looking like a total id*iot now- Today alone 15 locally written books were launched and presented at HIBF and even if you read the program you will see each day there is a section on locally published books. Not to mention the 5day creative writing and photography course for regional readers club. So if you didnt know, siida ula soco iminkaba inaar That aside as most of the Somali authors on list including Shiekh Dalmar, Hadraawii, Hasan Ganey, Scii Jama, Sciid Salah and so on you cannot say diddle nothing about with regards to their Somali-ness or qurbo-joog you are out of luck here. So, perhaps you should stick to your cantrabaqash thread where you can spew your nonsense without bothering the rest of us normal people. FCO published their own photos too http://www.flickr.com/photos/77567524@N02/sets/72157635140416562/

It is that time of the year again and while I got no time to write up the regional tour "The Moving Library"- we are in the midst of the concluding 5 days fair in Hargeysa scheduled to end on Wednesday this week. Below is some links to coverage of HIBF so far but I think the most popular medium has this year been Twitter with FCO, guests and organisers have been twitting endlessly- For those of us who like to read more that 140 characters- enjoy us in celebrating literature and culture in Somaliland! Hargeysa International BookFair (HIBF) 2013 http://mary-harper.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-sixth-hargeisa-international-book_18.html http://kaariye.blogspot.com/2013/08/hargeisa-international-bookfair-hibf.html http://ibtisam.wordpress.com/2013/08/17/somaliland-and-hargeysa-international-book-fair-2013-day-2-fun/ http://ibtisam.wordpress.com/2013/08/17/somaliland-and-hargeysa-international-book-fair-2013-day-1/

The amazing thing is that form these pictures I found out there is a working and kitted fire department!

Ramandan Mubarak reer SOL- May allah accept all our fast and good deeds and forgive our sins. Cafis iyo samaax

Zimmerman is taking civil actions against the kids parents- one of the sited reasons for this in his suit is "Not raising their kid well"! Indhoo adagey.com. He was also thanking all the donors who sent him money!!

WHF is going on!!!!! Had to check the date twice to make sure it was for today!!!!! AUN and May allah protect everyone! Subxanallah

I like their dress sense- looks so cool and put together. Now days, Somali men always look like they run out of their door half dressed and pride no longer oozy out of their pours, walk and dress. Leave the dead and let them be dead, along with their clan identities- wax indiin ka nabad geliya ma jiraan miyaa?

I was thinking this as I watched season two of the show. It is sophisticated Somalis just with too much sex, brothels and sister-brother marriages- eeew. I was even thinking the dragon fire could be the MiG jets of Siyaad! Hahaha lol The white walkers- whoever they maybe- The Ethiopians?

LOOOOOL @ waxaad ka hesho waxba ha iga siin. I said it was exciting (did I tell you even her picture came up!!?) anyway I didnt say anything about angry rants. lol poor Lily you attacked her! Good via txt we can plan our Ramadan get away then!

Loool! Yes you do call, I am on the 3 monthly rota call- WHICH I know is often and top priority for a lady who never calls anyone. But Im just saying texting is hip- I was walking in the middle of hargeisa and she pops up!

Tell him bosskiisa soo diir. That NGO has something going on with the eyes, miid kuu jiida, miid indha kala riida, miid who refuses to look at you, headed by an old guy who wont stop pacing around maba faaidsan karo. Lool Ururikii nimaanka yaara maqaan Btw Lily txts me- why have you not figured out how to text me yet?

Loool NGonge. OF course. I am the scary one of the two of us. She looks far too friendly and nice. Aniga people automatically think I am going to smack them.

Juxa is it that nice man from North London charity? The one who for some reason was terrified of me when we met him for the Somalia appeal? If so I can sort him for ya SalamAlikum all

NGonge I wanted to live like normal average people here- since it is summer- average is now changing- all the dhaqan celis people are here- some even brought their fishing equipment North I dont like strangers in my house!

Abu- it is not great at all- cleaning and cook took me 7am-12pm- If I had all the right thing it would've taken me 2hrs max. It is impossible to have the luxury (muscles, strong back and time) required to do it the traditional way with a full time job! I need all of my every day things to save me time and pain!

No with Duuxul- it would have been faster with sticks! lol got a small gas cooker now- been reading the manual about setting up- if you dont hear from me- I blew up the house and me with it! lol

I can't believe it is half a year so far- 1- Make an effort with people in Somaliland and be nice- Fail 2- Work less and play more- Fail 3- Finish planning my move to South East Asia- somewhat although dates fuzzy 4- Make some investments and saving for my move- Somewhat 5- Decide about my phd- pushing back 6- Submit one chapter of my book to publisher- fail- need to write it first! Yiiiks

Evening all. Im tired mantaa- sitting in bed with Imported from London Chocolates and film, with a pile of paperwork I am pretending to read. I have muscles growing in places I didnt know existed- did some housework yesterday and today I can't move- that suicidal bending at the waist and hand-standing mobbing is not for normal people- after mobbing 7 rooms and lots of other places I was ready to collapse- then it took me 30mins to get a decent fire going to cook. So today I went shopping and brought all the things normal people use! lol