But, first of all, this has started to happen, I get emails like these:

“Your articles from Yemen where extraordinary exiting! So full of life and joy! What has happened to you, Mikael? If you continue like this you will loose all your readers!”

This is one of quite a few emails I have received since I have arrived to Oman regarding my blog reports. And I agree. I kind of have lost inspiration for the art of writing. There´s a major reason. I kind of have a hang over since Yemen.  Yemen had everything. Passion, life, joy, sorrow, drama, war, hate and love. Oman isn´t like that. Or I should say, Muscat. (Don´t get me wrong, Oman is one of the most fascinating places I have been to, outside of Muscat, see this slide show here!) What you see with your eyes whilst moving around the city and not getting in behind the curtains, is this:

It is kind of dead. Nothing much happening. It is a working city. People go to work, early, and they come back from work, late. But always working. One day off in general, Friday, when it is even more dead. The only places which always teems with people, very orderly though, is the shopping malls. Getting there involves lots of traffic and moving at snails speed. It is an extremely orderly city. Very silent, free of smells and totally void of any signs of disorder. It is safe, clean and modern. People are friendly, smiling and helpful. I have met some of the nicest people in my entire life here. Genuinely good, honest and warm human beings. Both amongst locals and the big immigrant groups like Indians, Filipinos and Pakistanis. But it is a place mainly for work. And that is what we are doing here, working from early morning to early night. Most of the time in front of the computer, writing proposals, phoning potential sponsors, requesting meetings or doing research on the Internet. And since we have to stick to the times of work in Europe and America, we also work Thursday and Friday. And since everyone is working, and due to that we are two and seen as a couple, we get invited much less to local people, compared to when I was solo here. So, really, our life here is work and on and off moving around to meet other Western people or buy food in the malls. So it is not as lively, dramatic and inspiring as Yemen! But than again, it is two very different worlds, even though they are neighbors! But what to do? Right now, not much. Because we are running out of personal funds and because this is a very expensive place to be!

Muscat - a working city.

Are we getting anywhere with getting the Expedition on its feet? Hard to say, people are very helpful, kind, accommodating and interested, but so far, nothing as we would like it. We would like to get going pretty soon, hit the desert, walk next to the camels, feel the spirit of the desert, but is seems further away each day. Soon we just have to move on and try another place, another country and hopefully get people there to fully understand the vision we have. To change the world, YES!

We are not giving up! Neither the issue of writing interesting stories. I will try to penetrate the wall of the Omani World and let you meet some local people and read about their lives! So, no more stories until this, or the Expedition doesn´t totally collapse or we will meet some interesting local people or as interesting immigrants. Thanks readers for the kick in my butt! Well needed! Back to the old craft! To live to its fullest!

The reason I bring this very exiting and important issue up in this report is due to this email that I received yesterday:

Know that the Bani Hasan tribe has been undertaking camel treks out of Yemen across Africa for centuries – guess that’s already been “explored” (without GPS receivers and sat-phones).

I’ve lived in Yemen for a while now and you are like every dick head tourist I’ve seen coming through here, donning local clothes and a jambiya (you know the locals laugh at foreigners doing that, right?), giving yourself a local name (priceless) and blogging about the place like you discovered it.

However, you stand apart in your unfailing ability to aggrandise yourself for doing what is otherwise standard adventure tourism. You’re no more of an explorer than the 1000th Yemeni traveling through Sweden can claim he is exploring stockholm.

Why not explore the mind of the self-important ethnocentric tourist? You’ve got a head start.

amelahodalt (this person did leave his or hers email, but no name)

Me an ethnocentric dick? Possibly....

During my 25 years of exploration, I have never, ever received an email as offensive and full of bitterness, jealousy and hatred as this one. I am sorry to, once again, find out that so many people feel bad in this world of ours and use so much of their joy to live to pour out their hate and bitterness for something they disagree with. I have received tons of letters, emails, phone calls throughout the years and I have been stopped in the street many times by people who disagree with what I do, who I am and how I see life. Of course, I wish everybody would love me, but that is definitely not the case! But I accept all kinds of critique. It is part of any life where you have personal opinions.

However, to be able to have a debate about anything in life, opinions have to be free and many. Within a limit. Offensive emails like this one, based on hatred, jealousy and bitterness, leads nowhere. But there are, after all no smoke without fire, and some of these issues this person highlights comes up a lot in my sphere, what is an explorer and what is true exploration, so I will start a debate by answering this persons accusations. Feel relatively free to come with opinions, but since I moderate everything, because I on and off get these type of emails, I will not allow more emails like this one, which is free of any reason, good research and thought.

About the Beni Hassan tribe, like the more well-known Beni Hilal tribe, and other Arabs who have traveled both ways, to and from Mecca, this is true, but there´s absolutely no written records that a full east to west trip has been done without a prolonged break. Especially not in modern times. However, one of the main ideas with the Expedition, is to highlight the Arabs as great travellers and their amazing journeys. One of them is the well-known Ibn Battuta. And that is why 50% of the members are Arab, so that they can become modern day Ibn Battutas and give the Arab world a voice from the exploration point.

Reality today, in the modern era of exploration,is that this is how most Bedu travel with their camels today...even the famous Al-Mahra tribe.

When it comes to satellite phones and GPS, it shows that you have no idea about my past history of exploration, feel free to read this. I have never, ever used a GPS and never will. However when it comes to satellite phones, I did have it on the Siberian Expedition and will have bring one on the upcoming Expedition. This is due to the need to communicate via Internet. Plus that authorities nowadays won´t let you into the country without one. It is considered another measure of security. But, I will never, ever, use the satellite phone to call for help or assistance. It hasn´t happened and it never will.

When it comes to donning local dress, I agree fully with you. This is the first time in my life, that I have put on local dress, and I agree with your assessment. The reason is as follows: I was given it as a gift from Pamela and our two friends Mohammed and Hussein, to wear for one day. From which all photos are taken. I felt very uncomfortable, but realized that there were many in the souk who actually felt honored and liked it that I wore there local Sanaani dress. But that was the only time. But, it could well happen again in the future. Once again, I wish you would have done your home work better. This is the thing with blind hate, jealousy and bitterness, it works over reason and research. Better to do something with your own life in stead. Enjoy it. Do it in a way you think is appropriate. Write about it. Because communication is the most important issue for a stable future for the globe.

Together with Hussein...yes, we are all laughing!

The giving of the name Ahmed Al-Hamdani was the same evening. It was Hussein and Mohammed who gave it to me. As a sign of their respect. For what I don´t know. However, many western tourists, adventure travelers and explorers have been given names whether they like it or not. Two well known ones are Wyman Bury and Wilfried Thesiger. I have been given local names, whether I like it or not, meeting other people, tribes, like the maasai. I was throughout my Expedition there called Olorogwa, which means the fiery one. Local names are always given by local people as a sign of respect and appreciation. Maybe that is why you have never experienced this.

When it comes to my love of writing, well, I will always write as I have just discovered a place! For me, I do discover all the time and for me it is a new discovery. It is about loving life. I really love life! And whether you like it or not, I have a following of readers globally who wants me to write the way I do. And its people. If you don´t like my writing, why bother reading it?

That last paragraph reeks of jealousy. I won´t even comment it.

To sum it all up, I see you love Yemen and the Yemenis, which I do as well and you have come across a lot of tourists and travelers that you don´t like. I am sorry to hear that. Why don´t you start a blog and write about your feelings? Find a solution to your anger?

Communication in minus 45 in Siberia......

Yemen was one of the highlights of my life in many ways. See the slide show from there!

Since Pamela and myself together with Salim and Nasr will face the upcoming debate together, Pamela, who is an academic look upon the email like this and will leave her comment as a comment! Start the debate!