Great adventure, but so tragic in the Sudan Quite an adventure and a rousing tale! And no, somehow, I can't imagine you in the military. So sad about the gentle Nuba people, and so horrifying that a country can feel so threatened that it can't allow diversity. We've such a long way to go as a species.
Sudan has been at war with 'itself' since the British decided to combine hundreds of ethnic groups and languages in creating the largest country in Africa in the 1950's. A history of grievances and atrocities (supported as always by foreign powers and their own interests) lived out by generations of people who've known nothing but war. Massive oil deposits in the south have fueled (and doubtless will continue to fuel) war rather than development.
Good reminder I actually didn't know this was still going on. Shows how little one hears of it through the common news channels. Or maybe it is just me. I am probably getting as jaded as the rest of the world. You hear so much misery in so many places it tends to become one big blur after a while. You might even wonder if the people in the Nuba mountains would have been much better of in S. Sudan, seeing what is going on there. Everybody seems to be killing everybody else around those parts at the moment, either for religion or because they belong to the wrong tribe, or for whatever other reasons. Its a good reminder how fortunate those of us are who are living in a peaceful, wealthy and democratic part of the world. Luck of the draw...
Good reminder Sudan's military bombed the only functioning hospital in the Nuba Mountains just the other day. Though you are right, it does seem the people of the Nuba Mountains are caught between a rock and a hard place. War still rages in the south, along religious and ethnic lines, but the driving force behind it is predominantly oil.
i remember you telling me that story,the day you had the national winner an wouldnt shut up about it,i thought you had gone back there with the kids an done it all over again.
Grand National Course I wouldn't shut up about it...when he came off that elbow and charged for victory. Should be writing a novel about that. Haven't bet since. BTW I haven't thanked you yet for selling Moyes and Fellaini to United.
In response to your last comment Well said! Maybe that's why it's such a great story, you go in with no motivation other than to see and document what's there before you... like I said, I'm still waiting for part 2, or do I have to flip back ten years in your blogs to find it?
From perils to posh Good to see that you had some proper adventure before settling down to the adventures of raising a couple of wild ones. I'll be interested (if I have email) to seeing how you escaped this escapade! Challenging experiences are indeed good stories!
From perils to posh And you my dear are transitioning from posh to perils. You are so right about challenging experiences; stories in my 'perilous past' never needed an interesting thread or a theoretical angle, the experiences were stories in themselves. I hope one day you can track down some email to see how I escaped this escapade ;-)
Waiting for Pt. 2 Now that was a gripping adventure story. They couldn't even pay most journalists to undertake a journey like that. Can't wait to see how it ends.
couldn't even pay most journalists to undertake a journey like that. I believe it. When I was in Kabul in 2002 I was hanging out with some well-respected journalists. When I left for Kandahar they all tried pushing their business cards on me so I could report back to them what I found. They weren't prepared to make the journey themselves. Besides which, if you are paid to do this type of thing your story will be influenced and ultimately compromised by those doing the paying.
Always time for reflection Gotta say I'm pleased to read this adventure of my friend the Nomad...didn't know you back then...knew you were crazy...now know how much! Sitting by the pool before heading down to Womadelaide for some Nigerian Afrobeat...dreaming of the spirit of adventure...the lifeblood of Travelblog...dreaming of our next adventure. Better make it a dangerous one!
Always time for reflection. I'm probably still as crazy as ever. I just don't get much to scope to act upon it these days. Family life will do that to you. Speaking of which: "There are shallow rollers, and there are deep rollers. You can't breed two deep rollers... or their young, their offspring, will roll all the way down... hit and die." Hannibal Lecter.
Amazing It felt more adventurous than amazing at the time as I suppose the story built on its self in little crazy increments. I suppose in hindsight, seen in its entirety, it does seem somewhat amazing. And actually this story isn't even over yet.
I knew that entry date had to be wrong... you and your family were just in Spain...not Central Asia. And the "we" didn't fit. Why would you take your wife, much less your kids, on such a dangerous trip! And you are supposed to be teaching in China right now. Thanks for the clarification!
I knew that entry date had to be wrong... Well spotted Sherlock. And no, I'm not sure I would take my kids into a war zone. Though I did try to change the date to 2004 which only resulted in the blog being lost in the bowels of Travelblog where even I couldn't find it!
Stunning architecture Mandalay is growing up before our eyes. Your kids are seeing some amazing sites. It will be interesting to see the impact it has on them. Thanks for your perspective and meanderings around a lovely country rich in history and traditions.
Impact These experiences will feed into the individuals Kiva and Mandalay become, for sure. But I guess we’ll never truly be able to gauge the specific impact as we’ll have no test subjects for comparison!
taracloud
Tara Cloud
Great adventure, but so tragic in the Sudan
Quite an adventure and a rousing tale! And no, somehow, I can't imagine you in the military. So sad about the gentle Nuba people, and so horrifying that a country can feel so threatened that it can't allow diversity. We've such a long way to go as a species.