14 April – Last night again the day came to a close with the qat rite, that Adnan and I chewed until 2 am. Maybe I felt a very slight effect this time because I took longer to fall asleep. But the most conspicuous effect was the rubbing of the harder leaves on my gum that became irritated. When Geraldine saw me with this ball in the mouth, she burst into laughter, while I was moaning with pain.
10 April – I’ve just arrived in Sanaa. I’ve taken two buses from the airport to get to Tahrir, the capital city’s central square. I have 2 hours’ delay on the schedule. I look for a phone shop and ring Geraldine up, the friend I met 3 years ago when we were cotenants in a dear old house in the Bab Tuma district of Damascus. She tells me to move towards the 25 September Street and while I’m walking a taxi accosts me at some speed. Suddenly the back door opens and a broad smile followed by loud outburst of mirth gives me the most friendly welcome, a gust of warmth in this cool cloudy day, that sees me tired after much nighttime travelling and of course disoriented for having just landed in an unfamiliar place.