1. Get a SIM card. In Xamar everyone uses a mobile-based service called EVC Plus for all transactions – currency is in american dollars. People don’t really use physical money that much and I haven’t seen the somali shilling anywhere but in the suuq. Even there they prefer if you pay in dollars and EVC Plus is the preferred way. A somali number is needed to use this service, and SIM cards can be bough in ****.
Get someone to activate it for you or follow this easy guide by Hormuud, the main telecommunication service provider. Main steps in the activation process are: activate the number, top up the minutes and data separately, setup your EVC Plus and a pass code, transfer some balance to your EVC Plus to have money for your transactions.
2. Get to know your transportation options. If you don’t have a private car, you’ll need to get familiar right away with how to call a Bajaaj (or Tuk-tuk/Piaggio) or a taxi. Currently in Xamar there is this Uber-like company called Rikaab – previously known as Dhaweeye. It has both an app and a number you can dial to request someone to come and pick you up at a specific point. Make sure to ask where they are coming from and how long it will take so you don’t wait for ages. Choose some well known points for the pick-up and drop-off – that way it’s easier for the driver to find you and take you to your destination. Rikaab fares are slightly more expensive than the bajaaj but it’s also safer – mainly because it’s an actual car and you can track with the app/number who is driving you. Another option that I tried during my last visit – but I’m not trying it again – is the Caasi, a small van with four rows of seats that can get pretty cramped. I personally think this is the least comfortable and safe option out of the three. I’ve seen a few motorbikes around the city too – only driven by men though, so I didn’t pay much attention to it. Also, imagine riding a motorbike in the bumpy and jam filled roads of Muqdisho? Definitely not my idea of fun.
3. Learn your numbers. There are some codes used to send money through EVC Plus – you will need to have them figured out if you want to get a bajaaj or a Rikab to move around the city. Keep in mind that when people say their number, they often skip the first two digits (61) as it’s obvious for them – so don’t forget to start with that. The formula is essentially: *712*61XXXXXXX*amount#. A 20/30 min bajaaj ride is usually around 1 dollar – but from what I understood so far, it actually depends on the distance, not the time.
4. If you are a woman, you don’t strictly have to wear a jilbaab. You can wear a normal dress and scarf. A jilbaab is not necessary and a lot of young women don’t wear one. On the other hand, a lot of them also do – and I opt for wearing one too most of the time, mainly because it makes it easier to blend in. The dress+scarf combo attracts a bit more attention, but no one will say anything so if you don’t care feel free to skip the jilbaab. Idem with make-up – no one really cares and women have all sorts of things on their face.
5. Dry skin will get drier. Although the weather itself isn’t dry per se, there is a lot of dust and sand in the city so if you have a problem with dry skin make sure to keep some lotion and lip balm. I didn’t have a lip balm so I went to a supermarket (this a story for another post) and realised they actually have everything here so no need to pack your whole house when coming to Muqdisho. Chances are you’ll find everything you need just fine.
These are some points that I fully remembered after one day in Muqdisho, and I felt so dumb because, except for the taxi, it’s all stuff that I had learnt during my first visit. But my poor memory betrays me every time, so I decided to take a note of everything – for myself and everyone else who might need these basic info during their next visit.
abba mutinta. 