My second time visiting Eyl was in 2021. This time, we wanted my aunt to experience it, since most of us had already been. It was me, two of my aunts, and a few of my cousins in the travel group. This time, instead of renting a big SUV like we did last time, we decided to use one of my cousin’s personal cars. Looking back, that was a bad idea, and we would soon find out why.
We planned to leave early again, just like the first time, but this time we came more prepared. We packed extra food and snacks, and I made sure to bring my coffee. I remember feeling excited and relaxed, just enjoying the road trip vibes with family.
As we started getting closer to Eyl, our car suddenly broke down. One of the tires had a serious issue, and to make things worse, we didn’t have a spare tire or the tools to fix it. My younger male cousins were the ones driving, but they couldn’t do anything about it. I think it was around noon when the sun was at its highest and hottest. There we were, stuck in the middle of nowhere. No trees, no buildings, not even a shadow to stand under. The inside of the car felt like a furnace, hotter than the air outside. And not a single car in sight in any direction.
My cousin and his friend decided they had to walk to the city to get help. I felt bad for them because the heat was unbearable, and they had a long walk ahead. For us ladies, there was nothing to do except wait. At first, I saw it as an adventure. I tried to enjoy the moment and take it as a story to tell later. But as time passed and the boys still hadn’t returned, the fun quickly faded. I was hot, tired, and drained. And then, of course, I had drunk way too much water earlier, so now I needed to use the bathroom. But we were literally in the middle of the road with no restroom, and nothing but dry open land all around.
One of my aunts, the one from Garowe, told me to walk up the hill and use the bushes to cover myself. She said that’s how people do it in places like this. I looked around and there were barely any trees, just wide open desert-like land. As I started walking up the hill, I could still see the car behind me and my aunts waving, trying to signal me to go ahead and take care of what I needed to. But I couldn’t. I still felt too exposed. I kept climbing higher, trying to find a spot that gave me just a little bit of privacy. Even when I was far, I could still see them, and I just didn’t feel comfortable. Eventually, I had no choice. So I did what I had to do, all while feeling completely awkward and praying I wouldn’t see a snake or any wild animal. I was scared, and the heat made everything worse.
After what felt like forever, the boys finally came back with help. I was so relieved. We got back on the road just as the sun was beginning to set. This time, we stayed in a house near the sea. We had brought more supplies and made sure we were comfortable. It wasn’t as hot or humid as our last stay, so we were able to sleep inside our rooms with no problem.
Before we arrived, we had heard that there was flooding in the area. A lot of farms were affected, so they didn’t have the same fresh fruits and vegetables as they used to. In the morning, we walked along the beach, and you could see the damage clearly. Parts of the beach were completely submerged, and the shape of the shore looked different from what I remembered.
While exploring the area, we noticed a new building near the beach. We found out it was a museum, so we went to check it out. They welcomed us inside. The museum was started by a Somali man from Minnesota, the same person who helped build the Somali Museum in Minneapolis. He wasn’t there at the time, but his wife welcomed us and showed us around. The museum was still new and didn’t have too much inside yet, but there were a few interesting ocean-related artifacts. One thing that really stood out was this huge tooth that was on display. I can’t remember if it was from a whale or a shark, but it looked terrifying. It was massive. Just seeing it confirmed that I’ll always admire the ocean from a distance, I never want to be inside it!
The trip was short because many parts of the town were still flooded, so there wasn’t much to see or do. On the way back, we made sure to double-check the car and everything we needed. We were not about to get stuck on the road again.
Now it’s been four years. When I was in Garowe in 2024, people were telling me that Eyl has changed a lot. They said it’s developing fast, and now there are actual hotels near the sea and more activities to do. Even the road leading to the city has improved. So now, I really want to go back and see it for myself. I feel like Eyl is a hidden gem that more people should visit.
