Al Ferdous Hotel Khartoum

So after the plane boarding fiasco, we finally got on the plane. With tickets clutched in hand, we strolled down to the aisle to our seats to find small children sitting in them. We told them they were in our seats, they stared blankly at us. We then found the flight attendant and told her people were in our seats. She chuckled and said that there are no assigned seats. I don't know why we didn't expect that. We put our luggage in the overhead compartments and sat ...

... we did use our rubber mats to get out, thanks Hans!) Even getting out of Khartoum had its moments of surprise. Ever since the Burj al Arab hotel in Dubai has been built, copycat architects have designed buildings that use a similar shape. The curve, as majestic as it is in Dubai, has been applied in number of buildings in Khartoum as well. Not always as successful, but as recognisable. This kind of non inventive duplication annoys me. So to add picture to story, I wanted to ...

... took three hours to reach Wad Medina, where we had a late but excellent breakfast in Istanbul, a Turkish owned eatery on the shore of the Blue Nile. Shish Kebab, side salad and very nice Yoghurt fruit drinks and bread. Back on the road we met a column of buses, lead by a police car with howling siren. Not one, five or ten buses, but over a hundred. Half an hour later something similar. In all we met at least seven of those columns, each with between 60 and 120 ...

... took his name and demanded a receipt. We noticed most vehicles went straight through. This wasn't a road toll, it was a foreigner tax. The man agreed that this was correct. Racism is alive and well in Sudan it seems. Over the next 100km we encountered a further 5 or 6 police road blocks and had to show our passports at each one. We were asked for photocopies at one police hut. No facilities to get a copy, it just seemed like a scam to extract a bribe. I played dumb ...

... The only way to cross from Sudan into Egypt (or vice versa) is to take this ferry, which goes only once a week. It is horrendously expensive at 950 Sudanese Pounds ($450 US) per car and 230 SDP ($115 us) for a 1st class cabin for 2 people, but there is no other way if you are determined to do a complete overland journey from Cape Town to London. There are so many overlanders nowadays doing this same journey, either north or south, that when we stepped out of the ...

... speeding trucks and buses. I've realized that straight tar roads aren't necessarily a good thing; they just cause more reckless and inexperienced drivers to travel at outrageous speeds. It's like a video game, but in this version, once it's GAME OVER it really is GAME OVER. The scenery was also pretty uninspiring in terms of diversity and colour. Carcasses of dogs, cows and goats were littered all over the side of the road, all at various stages of decomposition. It was obvious ...

... Ethiopian Embassy. As soon as we walk in and a man hands us our passports with the visas afixed. We have really good feelings about Ethiopia. January 17, 2008 The Taka Hotel is supposed to have free wireless internet, but we were only able to get it for a couple hours on the first two days. Arvid goes to the manager to complain and is told that the provider is down. The manager is originally from Wadi Halfa and he soon is telling Arvid about the old Wadi ...

... in a place like Ethiopia. There will always be a demand for money later on. Or clothes. Or a pen. Or a penknife. I truly hope that Sudan does not disappoint in this sense. I felt guilty not having anything save a Tanzanian card and a photo to give them to thank them for their kindness. Day 42 - To Khartoum Just after 7am I set off to Khartoum, arriving just after 10. Even by then it was fierce hot. Get used to it Clark. At least it ain't raining.

... a whole. Not only is everyone else I know here - donors, NGO workers, UN staff, etc. - leaving this summer, but I think this is officially the time when donor fatigue is setting in. NGOs better grab on to as many projects as possible now, try to have the most impact now, because already next year, budgets will be winding down ... I'm trying to avoid falling into the cynical category, walking the thin line of pragmatism, but if there's another tsunami, we're totally screwed! As a ...

... those who may have the answers are welcome to share. And for all the closet workaholics out there, you still have my admiration and respect, but also my compassion. From my side, I think the well deserved break will be the best way to quit the addiction, but certainly not the job that I love (sorry Audrey!). "It's a learning experience" someone once told me ... back to work now! Take care everyone & don't work too hard, Edith