16 Mar 2009, Mukalla, Yemen, 16593km

The third day in Mukalla, a city in east of Yemen.
The area between Mukalla and Aden was supposed to be dangerous. Foreign tourists usually had to take a permit from police to travel that area, make copies of it and give them in some check points on the way. A Japanese tourist who I met in Mascat and went to Sanaa before me reported about it by e-mail, though I had heard it different from Yemen Emabassies or Counsulate in Tehran, Dubai, and Mascat. I would have to move by car for the first time since I left Japan, I was afraid.
I went to the police yesterday. They took a copy of my passport and that was it! told me I could go by bike, no need to take a permit. Really!? I was still in doubt, got the phone number of the police just in case I have a trouble with soldiers at check points.
I wonder how far I could have gone with my bicycle if I had left Mukalla that evening. I had paid for the hotel already.
An incident occured on 15th in Shibam, which was about 300km away inland from Mukalla. Suicidal bombing killed 4 or 5 Korean tourists and a Yemeni guide. I got a call from the police to the hotel at night. They requested me to come again the next day. I went. That time they made a permit to travel to Aden, and told me to move by bus. No bicycle. It was actually an order.
"Bin Laden"
one man said. I had to follow, and wait for the next bus in the next morning.