ARABIAN TREASURE

On my first day in Socotra, as we walked to what became known as the infinity pool, the sheer improbability of the landscape made me stop and gaze around in wonder. We were following a stony track along a narrow bed of salmon-pink limestone, scalloped and pleated by the elements, with a fast-flowing stream to our left and thrusting peaks ahead. Squished between the rocks or clinging to the sides of them were bottle trees, everyone’s favourite living thing on the island.

The common name, desert rose, does nothing to conjure their appeal or appearance. The scientific name is much more descriptive: obesum . Little dumpy things, with the smooth skin of obesity, their plumpness takes a wide variety of forms, many irresistibly reminiscent of buttocks or bellies. Some were leafless (they shed their leaves before flowering), while others were frothing with pink funnel-shaped blossoms. Adenium obesum is also found in Africa and Arabia, but the golden Socotran subspecies is more endearing.

Also scattered through the landscape and silhouetted on the horizon were the famous dragon’s blood trees, resembling giant mushrooms – solid and