Djibouti

In late spring and summer this city is an unbearably hot bastion of old-time French colonialism, with artificially high prices despite the widespread poverty.   Corruption is a way of life - though certainly no worse than in Indonesia.

The entire population spends an outrageous percentage of its income on Kut - a marijuana-like leaf that is chewed much like chewing tobacco.  The effect is calming which is all very well until the addict can't get any... I had a number of very unpleasant encounters with Djiboutiens manifesting acute withdrawal symptoms.  Typical case:   My friend's maid is the only working person in her numerous family. She is forced to give her entire salary to her father. Her father spends 21,000 DJ Francs out of the total 40,000 a week on Kut.  

The good news is that I met some wonderful people and am taking 2 of them with me to dive the Red Sea.  Jean-Michel, a diving veteran, sports a 13 inch scar to prove that spearfishing is indeed dangerous as advertised.