Blogs from Karima, North, Sudan, Africa

We got an early morning bus to Karima. Unlike our previous journeys, this was a proper coach with air conditioning. Although, with blaring loud Sudanese music. The journey was only 2 hours and we arrived in Karima at around lunchtime. I immediately preferred Karima to the other places in Sudan we had been. It is much more of a sleepy, dusty town with all the buildings painted in white and bright colours. The people were also exceptionally friendly to us. We checked in at Al Nasser Hotel and like Dongola, were required to register our stay at the police station. This was done easily enough, even if we woke up the official who was asleep on a bed in his office. We then went to check out the site of Jebel Barkal, close to the town. ... read more

I wake bright and early at 3am for my ferry trip across the border to Wadi Halfa in Sudan. Wait! 3am?! That's not right! My roommate is taking a tour to see Abu Simbel (four hours south of Aswan) so Quasi and his cronies are hammering on our door as a wake up call. Shouting does not make the pounding desist and even after we open the door they merrily move onto the next poor guest's room and recommence the bludgeoning as if everyone wasn't awake already. Room by room, floor by floor this continues. After a couple of hours more sleep I catch an early train to the ferry port and, having been less than impressed by the people of this country so far, am heartened by one of my final interactions with Egyptians when ... read more