This came as a surprise when full-time traveler Eva Zu Back completely locked herself in the remote island of Yemen, as the entire world was idolized by her to go into lockdown due to COVID-19. Their lockdown story was written by Japleen Kaur for Treasure + Leisure India below! Book your flight with the help of Delta Airlines official site.
1. How did you achieve quarantine on a remote island in Yemen?
This is my second chance at Yemen’s Socotra Island. Last year was the first time I came here, I fell in love with the place, and I immediately knew that I wanted to come back for a more meaningful period. When I came back, it coincided with an outbreak of coronavirus and global travel paralysis. I reached Socotra a few days before the worldwide travel ban started. While it was decided to leave most of the people on the last flight I was offered, I decided to stay. I knew that I was healthy and that the island is likely to remain virus-free, that it is a safe place to live in it. For me, ‘going home’ means traveling long distances to the home of my elderly grandparents. I didn’t think the way I picked up the virus was worth the risk.
2. Tell a little about Socotra Islands
Socotra is a very mysterious and ancient remote island in the Gulf of Aden. Although it is related to Yemen, it is geographically closer to Somalia. In one sense, it has always been isolated from the rest of the world. There is a lot of transport going in and out of the islands, besides a few boats and maybe a plane in a week or two. Despite Yemen undergoing civil war in its core areas, Sukotra has remained largely free of these violations. For most people living here, life is simple. During the evening and throughout the day, they hide in the mountains or swim in the water. On the one hand, nature here is mind-blowing with much more basic facilities.
3. If we ask your best friend, what will he tell us about you?
I am mostly a realist and an optimist, but I think my best friend will tell you that I walk around with my head in the clouds! I think there is some truth about this. I spend day time talking about a billion different things happening in my life.
4. How and when did you start a full-time journey?
I have always been associated with the idea of traveling in some way. Also, my father lived in Asia when I was a teenager, so I used to visit him once every year in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Southeast Asia. This idea of travel stayed with me. So after university, I got a job with a travel media startup. After working with him for five years, I had a great urge to get away from myself and talk. Two years ago, on 27 March, I left for Nepal and started my career full-time. So booked the flight from Delta Reservations, did you hurry if not.
5. Three of your top trips so far?
I will have my initial visit to Pakistan first and then all my visits. That visit made me realize that the places we sometimes call threatening, scary, or dangerous in mainstream media are not like this in real life. When I visited the country, these earlier assumptions were not added to reality. Instead, I found that the people there were kind and welcoming. The mountains and nature, in general, were amazingly stunning. The country is exceptionally diverse with history. Seeing the beauty of the place, I took it as my mission to change the statements and attitudes about the place.
The second will be all my trips to Mongolia. It is one of my favorite places on this planet, and I found the purest form there. Mongolia made me realize that life can be simple, yet beautiful. It made me realize that life can be separated from nature and be meaningful at the same time. It defined my love for remote destinations and the people who live there.