Publication:The Fearless Times Issue 3 2009/Djibouti
Over the course of our deployment Toowoomba has had the opportunity to visit some very interesting places. One of those more interesting was the remarkable port of Djibouti which we visited from 16 – 18 September 09. This was Toowoomba's eighth port visit whilst deployed in the Middle East and the RAN's first port visit to the Republic of Djibouti since Young Endeavour's visit in 1991.
Prior to the visit the CO spent considerable time with the crew emphasising the 'This Is Africa' attributes of the port and his description and words of caution accurately described the city which definitely had its inherent dangers. One of those being the risk of mugging and on every street corner some seedy looking mobile street vendor, all too keen to sell any number of illegal weapons. Another more confronting experience for many was seeing the children begging in the streets.
Leave overnight was not permitted; however, the opportunity to visit the city and participate in limited exploration was taken by almost all of the crew at some stage over the two and half days alongside.
Transport into town was via two buses. Fortunately they were supplied with English interpreters. Members of the Ships Company who used the local taxis quickly learnt that English as a second language was almost non-existent amongst the predominantly French speaking inhabitants.
One of the more interesting areas of the city was the markets, with the main merchandise consisting of fresh fruit and vegetables, and local craft wares providing a rare insight into a vibrant African culture. Although the majority of the local people were impoverished and displayed minimal signs of wealth, they were mostly friendly and actively engaged in welcoming barter and banter.
Another aspect of the city which took a little time to discover was the dynamic and extensive restaurant culture, with cuisine as diverse as Middle Eastern to French and Italian available. Perhaps a bon vivant may not have been swayed by the quality of the gastronomical delights on offer, nevertheless, Djibouti's best secret 'discovered' may well have been its food.
An offer from the Combined Task Force Horn Of Africa (CTF-HOA) to visit their base, Camp Le Monier, and utilise some of the welfare facilities available was gratefully accepted by Toowoomba. This allowed a limited number of personnel to visit, and although time at the base was restricted, facilities such as the Naval Exchange, Green Beans coffee and the souvenir shop were well patronised.
Overall, time spent in Djibouti was well earned and enjoyed by all and by the time Toowoomba slipped berth and sailed back into position to take up post in CTF 151 we all knew what the CO was talking about when he said 'This is Africa'.
