Flying-Tiger From Germany, joined Aug 1999, 4111 posts, RR: 39 Posted (3 years 12 months 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 2036 times:
Quote: An Armenian cargo aircraft identified as Antonov 24 (AN-24) crashed as it flew off course of the runway at Dire Dawa Airport early last week.
Early in the morning last Monday, May 18, 2009, the airplane rented from the East European country for six months to transport about 2,000tn of chat from Dire Dawa to Bosaso, Somaliland, went off the runway as it was about to takeoff, officials from the air port disclosed.
The AN-24 aircraft has been operating for over 12 years, frequently working at Dire Dawa Airport and with the Sura, a travel agency in Dire Dawa Town Administration.
NeptunesCar From Maldives, joined Dec 2003, 104 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (3 years 12 months 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 1378 times:
Chat is a leaf chewed in the Horn of Africa....its a strong stimulant that is kind of like a coca leaf.....when I visited Djibouti it brought the town of Dire Dawa to a standstill every time the speedboat from the capital arrived with the chat supply, shops shuttered, people closed up their houses, and there was little to do but join in.
The leaf tastes awful, very crunchy and it takes ALOT to feel an effect. You feel like a goat sitting in a cafe while the local guys chew it who get bleary eyed. I wrote a travelogue called Sandwiches Should Never Taste Like Cow Crap (its on Amazon) and the title of the entry for Djibouti is appropriately called 'Chewing The Chat'