I FEEL LIKE I HAVE REACHED THE REAL AFRICA
Trip Start
Jul 14, 2007
1
3
12
Trip End
Ongoing
KASSALA,
Sudan
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
I had got up early in Khartoum,waved away the attentions of expectant taxi drivers,half walked,half waded a quarter of a mile,and reached the bus station by minibus despite the heavy overnight rain that had flooded large parts of the city again,and made the vehicle seem like the amphibious DWK in London that takes tourists into the Thames.I took the unusual step of paying for two seats to accomodate my baggage,as the seats were very cheap and the conditions appalling.
FLOODED KHARTOUM
On arrival at the bus station,it was required to pay a small entry fee to enter,and have the bags scanned.Then touts escorted me to bus company windows.I had just missed several vehicles,but after sitting down for 5 minutes an available bus was found.It was required to go to the police post to show them my travel permission document so that they could record my details,and then I could board my bus.A wait of 30 minutes ensued before we were full enough to leave,and it took the same again to leave the environs of the city,whereupon we passed new buildings on the outskirts,in gated compounds,with grass laid specially for miles around to give the new occupants a green and picturesque outlook.We had occasional views of the Blue Nile on the left hand side,before crossing it at Wadi Medani.Then the landscape began to unfold into my vision of sub Saharan Africa.
Gedaref itself was made almost entirely of wooden and mud huts,despite being a large city.
We arrived in Kassala just before dark,having passed a lake and crossed a canal that looked something like the Corinth Canal,and runs all the way to Khartoum.The famous rocks were prominent to the right and behind the town,but were not as attractive as I was expecting.In the background were bigger hills which mark the border with Eritrea.Tomorrow,I hoped to go there.
