June 18, 2007, Sunday
Yorkshire, UK
From my diary of the expedition…
Once, I was a journalist and now I am retired. Before retiring I have roamed many nations, covered many events, and published many stories. But till now, at the edge of my days, I still cherish my memory of visiting the lone island that we used to call “Alien island”. But why is it called so? I gave it a thought and I was curious to know. So, I went out on a journey to Socotra – the alien island.
Dive in if you desire to know…
Standing by the shore, after we had landed from the boat that took us here, I was perplexed to see the sandy beach with the greenish hills and beside them the 80-m high granite mountains. I have never seen anything like this before. It’s so vast and the scenario is so picturesque. The geographical landscapes and the serenity of nature are quite a fascinating phenomenon on this island. When I got the job of covering this mysterious island, I was not fully aware of its unique beauty. But now I acknowledge it.
Almost for an hour, John and I are both waiting for our guide Akhlu to receive us from shore. Fortunately, he came but on foot and we had to put up with hitchhiking through the coastal villages where the Socotri people lived. Akhlu said, “There are not many people and so not many roads on the island. But there are four-wheelers for the wealthy visitors otherwise everyone does hitchhike all-round the island.” We hitchhiked to the vast Datwah lagoon where Akhlu lived alone. He moved his family to the coastal town, Qalansiyah. He lives here because his mother used to live here in a cave. Akhlu showed us the cave. The cave gave him protection from storms and rains and the temperature inside the cave created a liveable environment. “The cave is my soul and my home. I was born here. My mother lived here. I still feel her presence.”, Akhlu said.
Geography and Climate
“Come”, he said. Steadily getting down the cliffs of the granite countertops. From here I could see the horizon shimmered in pinkish-blue which meets with the sea. With the thrashing of the wind from the ocean and the smoothness of the green valley, everything looks and feels so different. Then, my colleague John uttered, “It is known that one-third of the species here are endemic. He further said, “Socotra is one of the isolated islands on earth. The island stands on coral reefs and it is believed that it separated from the Arabian and African mainland. Being an isolated island it has a unique geographic area and environment which helped many endemic species to grow. The climate is generally tropical desert with rainfall over higher terrains which brings strong wind and high seas.”
Flower and Fauna
We were discussing and Akhlu, who was wandering along the lagoon paused for a moment. I directed my eyes and I saw an octopus strangled around his legs, he just took it by hand and started showing it to me as if it was his pet. Then, the most interesting thing happened, he was passing over the lagoon and in the meantime he was spooning his hands into the apparent water and bringing out fish like taking goods from the supermarkets. “Socotri people make their living by fishing. Akhlu runs his family by selling them. Last time, he found ambergris, the valuable substance found in Whale intestine which is used in perfumes. Akhlu, how much did you earn?”, John asked. Akhlu chuckled and node his head. I thought of that as a significant amount. When I came back to the UK, I researched a lot about the island. The next year in 2008 UNESCO World Heritage Site declared the islets, “Galapagos of the Indian Ocean ”. The main reason behind the fame of the World Heritage Site was that the islands conceived more than 825 species and 90 per cent of the reptiles found in the isle do not exist anywhere else in the world. I also found some surveys that revealed a total of 900 species where 34 per cent were endemic. Also, it is one of the top endemic flora islands.
When we left the island, I could see the sun dying behind the hills. The beauty it revealed was unique. And, for the visitors to this island, I assure you a surprising moment awaiting. Detached from the outer world, the hermit is a nice place to explore and entertain. We are afraid of unknown phenomena and the curiosity to know the hidden quest makes us the companions of the expedition. Naturally, the island welcomes those who are eager to explore the alien island. That’s all I can say after I have experienced its hospitality and beauty.
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