Magnificient pictures of a volcanic country.

All these pictures date 1985-87

I spent 15 months at the "5eme regiment inter-armes d'outre mer" based in Djibouti, not far away from "la Legion Etrangere" and its lunatic recruits.
In France, National service was compulsory at that time (1985)and I thought that if I must pass time under the army flag I d better go overseas.
Tahiti was "fully booked" so I was assigned to Djibouti and I don't regret it. This destination is closer to France but still is a 7 hour flight from Paris with no escale. Djibouti has been and will stay a rich and memorable experience too me.
I have lots of pictures to share and hope you will like them as much as I do.

I got the opportunity to make a trip round the country with three other guys and come across impressive sites and situations. Inland the landscape is a vast field of rocks and deserts.
The climat is extremely humid during the hot season and is almost suffocating some time if you are not use to it.
Humidity don't help at all in healing infected skin injuries.
I knew soldiers being rapatriated to France for infections spreading over the arms or legs. A simple splinter sting,(As we always had to wear stupid shorts), could easily turn into nasty proportions. One of them had to be send back home because the three wood splinters he removed earlier from his front leg brought about three tiny infections that provoked holes. Day after day the three holes were getting bigger and dipper despite medical attention. At one stage they joined together and formed a gallery underneath. Eventaly they had to graft some of his bottom to the leg.


Djibouti is a third world country and as most of them, precautions with drinking water must be taken seriously, as some other things I presume.

I have seen malaria taking hold of people and throwing them to the ground in epilepsy crises that could last an awful 5 minutes. Ourselves went through vaccinations from the start and had to swallow a nivaquine cachet every day to keep the malaria at bay.
We all know that aids has started its advance in the 80s in African countries and prostitution as always been there since the French Army set foot on the territory.
I am not talking specialy about myself but it is the way it works there. Once you get to know one of those beautiful girls, you sympathise and spend real quality time with her, you get more friendly and think it will be fine but protection is a must, she will not provide them so have them with you before getting there.
You can almost choose one you really like and keep her for as long as you like, provided you give her little money time to time. She is not greedy for your money but you probably are her only source of earnings. She will be kind to you, invite you to her place for the night where you get diner and all.

Local retaurants in djibouti are quite good and cheap, the foreign ones are less attractive, more expensive and less copious. At the locals you can eat fish to your content and it's very fresh and cheap and healthy. I'd recommend the large Ethiopian restaurant or the Yemenite one that offers a large range of fresh catches.

Fishing is a must as is snorkling, there you will see what you can come out with. I fished a shark of about 120 cms long, very easy they are everywhere. one early morning we had a swim and saw a banc of young sharks hunting in group coming towards us. We were out of water in no time. Shark is eadible and we barbecued one. It's a very fine meat.

The Port of Djibouti has its range of restaurants and bars and is the perfect place to observe sunsets and chill.

If you happen to spend some time in Djibouti don't miss out the "Iles de Moucha",just few miles offshore and you can get there from the port in about 1/2 hour. Colorful fish and coral reefs are the wonders of the place. You have many opportunities to harpooned and get plenty to eat. Manta rays are common dwellers around the islands and also at the Ghoubbet and they are eadible too. There is plenty of wood around and you will not fall short of it for a meal on the embers.They are Mangroves on the islands and many trees or old and sec, easy combustible.

All the pictures you will see were taken by me between 1985 to 1987 while at the army. My pictures are: my places, my monuments, my sea, my coast line, my sunsets, my adventure, my animals, my creepy creatures, my convoi training, my camp, my faces and my miscellaneous. Bon Voyage!

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