by Jenny Holmes

Created on: December 01, 2009   Last Updated: December 06, 2009

After the dreadful atrocities of September 11 2002 it was with some trepidation that I arrived in the Yemen in December of that year to join my husband who was working for a Yemeni/UK company as a contractor for an American Oil Company. My husband had told me he would meet me at Sana'a airport and that one of his Yemeni employees would be at the arrival gate to assist me in getting through immigration. I was very nervous when I stepped off the plane as there were queues of people waiting to get through immigration, mostly Yemenis or Ethiopians. I stood looking very lost as I could see no-one there to meet me. Suddenly a man in military uniform carrying a large rifle beckoned to me saying gruffly "passport". I handed him my passport and entry visa whereupon he handed it to a man who just took it away. I was aghast. Where was my passport going? What the hell was going on? He then proceeded to grab my arm and growled "come with me now". Bloody hell I thought, I am being arrested. Where was my husband? The crowds of Yemenis and Ethiopians waiting to get through immigration were staring at me as I was hustled past them, through the gates and down a corridor. At the end of the corridor we rounded a corner and there was my husband and some of his staff all laughing. I turned to the military man who was also laughing. They had all played a joke on me. I found out later he was head of immigration and my husband had told him to pretend I was being arrested. The Yemenis (I found out many times) have a wonderful sense of humour. Once I had calmed down I also saw the funny side of it.

Throughout my time in Sana'a I can only say that the Yemeni people are one of the most friendly and hospitable race I have ever come across. It is a poor country and many of the people live in poverty but their attitude to westerners and ex pats can only be described as welcoming. Obviously the ex pats working here have brought money into the cities but it is a great shame that because of the problems of terrorists in the world and because of the minority of Yemenis who still continue to kidnap some of the westerners, this beautiful country cannot be put onto the tourist map. In some parts of Sana'a I felt as if I was stepping back in time but in others it is very modern. Some of the hotels are very beautiful and there are also large modern shopping areas as well as small older style shops selling just about everything you could imagine.

The old walled city of Sana'a, which legend has it

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