Is Mogadishu safe?

I must admit I did! Remember the couple kidnapped by Somali pirates when they were advised not to sail near Somalia?
The couple who were imprisoned during a motorcycle trip in Iran?

We’re going on a Mark Warner sailing holiday on the straits of Hormuz. DH did a weekend sailing course in 2003. Sure it will be fun for teens.

OMG, I will definitely look into this!

I would do your whole "holiday" as an "immersive" experience, I guess that might be slightly in bad taste but I wonder if there would be a market for it?!

@Nicelynicelyjohnson In all seriousness, if you're anywhere near London, I'd recommend going to the 7 Wonders of The World Immersive Experience. They've made the Hanging Gardens of Babylon look even better than what I thought of in my imagination.

This actually sounds so nice (apart from maybe the cruise part).

I would love to see the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. I wonder if they would live up to how I imagine them in my head.

Is that a stealth boast? "Never been to Croydon"? Pfft. You're too posh, I suppose. Do your DC go to sushi-making classes?

But this a serious post to help a fellow (What's the female equivalent of fellow?) MNer to decide whether to go to Mogadishu or Croydon for a holiday of a lifetime. The length of the lifetime is a moot point.

Just hopping on to say thank you MNetters. Proper out loud chuckles here. You really do rise to an golden opportunity for trolling and create mad comedic havoc. Good work 😂

Thank you! If you want to come, maybe a few of us on MN could make it a group holiday?

I was also thinking spaghetti strap tops and cycling shorts. I think DD could get away with a bikini - I will make her wear a sweatshirt draped around her shoulders, of course, so we don't look completely uncouth (and, mainly, to prevent sunburn as we will be out and about a lot).

... and sandals with pristine white socks!
keep a few spare in your backpack, nothing worse than holiday snaps with coverd in muck socks

Sounds fab! When in Iran and Afghanistan you can perhaps show them our culture? Shorts and t shirts will be absolutely fine walking round the sights.

I'm so glad I found this thread. It's really motivated me!

I've been to Croydon on a Saturday night and survived the fabulous live experience of flying bottles and fists (albeit it was 20 years ago). With memories of that amazing adventure and the wonderful suggestions on this thread, I've found a bona fida travel company and I'm planning a summer trip to Mogadishu with hubby and the kids.

The itinerary is to fly out to Dubai, take a short cruise on the Strait of Hormuz, a few exciting nights in Iran (highlight: an optional beach stay on Kharg Island), Iraq (highlights: a hike in search for the Hanging Gardens of Babylon), Libya (highlight: Arch of Marcus Aurelius) and Syria (highlight: the Ancient City of Damascus). We then have a beautiful beach resort booked in Mogadishu to relax. We've been told that if we hire a boat there, we'll meet some lovely boat captains while we're out at sea, who'll happily take us on an extended cruise for an unspecified amount of time. They, understandably, might expect our families back home to pay for the hospitality they extend to us.

And if we want to lengthen our stay further, there is an optional extra of a week in Afghanistan.

We'll do most of this trip overland by car. Can't wait. My family don't seem so keen. I can't think why.

(Edited to add that I would draw the line at Mordor. That's just far too dangerous my opinion.)

I once watched a very interesting youtube video on how people typically socialise out and about in Mogadishu. Looking at the local culture etc. I can't comment on whether it was safe or not safe, but I will say that it looked absolutely shit. I mean there's shit and then there's really shit. This was really shit.

I have actually been on holiday to Timbuktu and Ouagadougou. A long time ago…

Never been to Croydon though.

I'm not in any way suggesting you do this, but if you book a domestic ticket directly with Proflight Zambia (say, Lusaka to Ndola) then once you've selected your seats the next page on the website booking process is optional extras: wheelchair assistance, excess baggage, and... FIREARMS permits. If you have children in your travelling party they can take guns on as well for the same fee. The really brilliant thing about booking a firearm is that you get an extra 5kg cabin baggage for your ammo box.

You don't need to go go to Mogadishu OP. Just go to the Quayside in Newcastle on a Saturday night. Now that's living life to the full!

Is this a joke?

I wouldn't bother getting one in advance. The pirates at your hotel can get you one when you get there. It'll be cheaper too.

Wait a minute - are we talking about Mogadishu or Croydon? Actually, the same advice applies.

Oh, I didn't know that. Thank you, you safed my holiday. I will ask my cousins aunt Ehalia from Gun s Linga in the US to source me one. I think, I read somewhere that guns aren't allowed on passenger planes. Do you think we could have it delivered directly to our hotel using UPS? How much ammunition should we get?

Says nothing about Croydon though. Typically Western capitalist double standards.

Sounds like the charge sheet for Captain Jack Sparrow…

Impersonating a cleric of then Church of England?

What do they know. Best ignore them.

I suffer anxiety but want to step outside of my comfort zone.

Right. Well that should do the job very nicely then. It's not known for being anyone's comfort zone. Especially not yours.

Croydon historically was in Surrey. Surrey sounds pretty safe. What if they took it out of Greater London and put it back in Surrey?

For some unfathomable reason Foreign Office advises against all travel to Somalia. Can’t think why.