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Published: December 18th 2009
For Adam
They seem to like Che in Sudan and just a little in EgyptAnd so into Sudan. Largest country in Africa. Dominated by the Nile. Difficult to visit. Friendly hospitable people.
I would like to put up some photos but the link is not handling it here and keeps dropping out so will add them later.
Sitting here a little before dawn on the banks of the Nile in Khartoum at the Blue Nile Sailing Club it is just a bit chilly in the breeze blowing across the water. Kites - not sure of the proper name here - are feeding on the food scraps that were left along the banks last night by the Thursday night card players and picnickers. There might even be some left overs from the massive wedding that occurred next door last night. The kites seem to be a touch bigger and defninitely blacker than those we see in the Top End. All very peaceful although there is a bit of traffic on the bridge a hundred meters or so away. Shouldn't be too much today though with it being Friday and all.
We camped here last night on a patch of grass that just fits the tents of the group in with a few other
Ferry Cabin
Small but how much do you really need? Fitter now than later. travellers already here. Not the best of spots but accommodation options in Khartoum are pretty limited. Showers are hit or miss but welcome after 8 days bush camping and there is a lot of clothes and hair washing going on.
Sudan has been something of a revelation to me. The country has been at war, in one way or another, with itself for almost 40 of the 50 years since it achieved its independence. There is still trouble in the South in the Darfur area. In the areas that we have travelled though there there has been no indication that this is having an effect on the capacity of the locals to happily welcome visitors. We have been made to feel welcome here. People along the roads and in the small villages smile and wave, we are stopped in the street to be asked where we are from by people who seem to want to know - rather than as a precursor to asking us to buy things - and there is no shortage of invitations to sit down and have a cup of tea.
Getting into Sudan was not completely straightforward. First, we had the woman at
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You start the trolley down the hill and then try to stop it at the right place. We underestimated them. They were able to stop and wave for a photo later. the Australian Embassy asking us twice, pointedly, whether we had read the travel advisory. We had. It strongly recommends that Australians should not visit Sudan. Sounds ominous but then I am yet to read an advisory that says 'Yes it is good to go and have fun'. Even New Zealand comes with a warning. So we just nodded and said of course. Then the visas cost $100 US each. The border is very bureacratic and probably a bit less efficient than most. Then you start your journey.
Lake Nasser was formed by the Aswan Dam. We boarded the ferry just above the Dam at about 2.00pm. It was not the flashest ferry around but we had first class cabins. When we had a look we wondered whether they were worth it. Then we had a look at the alternative accommodation. The downstairs was already congested and there were still plenty of people to get on. All of the good spots on the upper deck were taken. First class it was. The ferry took until 10.00pm to get underway. There was a massive amount of material loaded on to the boat before we could get underway, all loaded by hand.
Coffee in Wadi Halfa
These ladies did a great business with good coffee and doughnuts We arrived 300km later at Wadi Halfa in Sudan. Pat had been crook with a headache lurgy so it was handy that she had some time to lay down. As it was we made it into Wadi Halfa at 3.00 and then had to go through the customs and immigration processes, along with every one else, to exited the ferry at 6.00pm.
Wadi Halfa was a relief. Not just because it was at the end of a long ferry journey. Our hotel was more basic than most but it was clean and friendly. Sand floors and 6 beds in the room. :Locks were not completely functional but then you didn't really feel that anyone was going to try to steal anything. Great coffee with cardamon, ginger and some other spice from the lovely ladies in a little stall across.
A number of cooking groups were buying up in Wadi Halfa so we spent most of the morning there giving the local market a bit of business. We are broken into 5 cook groups of 4 people. Each takes responsibility for dinner, breakfast and lunch.
The first night out of Wadi Halfa we bush camped just a
few kms out. It took more time than expected to get the necessary registration from the Police. Another $100US each. Good camp more or less alongside Lake Nasser. Big lake this one but clearly relatively shallow in some areas. The water is low at the moment. High water marks show that it rises at times about 2 meters higher.
From there to Waa Waa. This is a small village about 180 km as the crow flies - and my Etrex measures - from Wadi Halfa. Waa Waa is a family type village alongside the Nile - as most of them are. Pulled up to have a look at where we might camp and immediately invited for a cup of tea under a bough shelter.
Visited a site of ruins of a temple across the Nile from the village. They do have crocodiles here but I have to say that even the ones they think are big would not rate a mention on the Mary River.
On the second night at Waa Waa we were invited to have a 'home stay' at a house in the village. Some of us took up the offer while the others stayed
I Just Wish
that I bought some. I have been intrigued ever since. in there tents in the sand. Turned out not to be much of a home stay. Not much interaction with the people there. I suspect that they are trying to build up a business as a hotel. It wouldn't be bad either although they might need to do something about the room that Pat and I slept in. Corridors on the way to the toilet can get busy during the night.
On to Dongola for supplies and a quick check of the internet and a camp in the bush. Another archaeological site. Janet's birthday was the major event. It was turned into a celebration complete with decorations in the truck, numerous renditions of 'Happy Birthday' and birthday cakes.
Nuri, Kariema and Jebel Bharkal have some interesting sites. We camped at Nuri. There are at least 40 pyramids here. Smaller than the ones at Giza and Sakkara and not in good repair but impressive nevertheless. A lot of them are crumbling now but there are still plenty in reasonable repair. Jebel Bharkal is a mountain that was ths site of a major temple during the time of the kingdom of Kush. We climbed the mountain - luckily it was
And Tractors
All the mod cons in Sudan not too much of a mountain - had a look at the ruins of the old temple and visited the small but surprisingly good museum. Kariema itself was not particularly exciting.
Atarba is a major transport hub with the road from Port Sudan coming in onto the highway. Lots of trucks although they didn't bother us too much. Small road trains here. Just 2 trailers. A massive market here that provided us with some variety in the food - although really it was just the addition of meat. We had been vego for a day or two.
The pyramids at Meroe were pretty special even though we have seen plenty of these. Over 200 pyramids at three major sites, some that have been very nicely restored.
On then to Masa Wharat, Naga and into Khartoum. A distance of 2,804 km from Cairo and 25 days. We are getting used to travel in the truck. It is certainly easier than travelling alone. Someone else worries about where we are going and where we might camp. There is plenty to do with the cooking and camping along with sandmatting to get the truck through some of the places we
Just 2 More
I reckon you could get a couple more on. need to go. There are also plenty of people to talk to. We have been used to making our own decisions about where we go and how quickly and that is a little different but we wouldn't have had the opportunity to see a lot of this country on our own, even in our own vehicle. Driving around with 20 other people in a big truck does make you a little more conspicuous than you might always want to be.
The pyramids and other temple sites have been interesting and I have enjoyed looking at them. I am pretty much over them now though - which is pretty handy given that we are out of that area now. I would have liked to understand more about the way people are operating now and how the farming and agriculture system works. Khartoum has apparently just 1 million people and there are over 41 million in the country. They live up and down the Nile and a lot in the South on the better land. Very decentralised. We have had some interaction but not at a level that allows us to get that sort of information.
All in all a
Boy with goats
on the shore of Lake Nasser country with a lot of potential and people who are tough, resilient and unfailingly friendly and helpful.
Tomorrow we head on a quick 750 km trip to Gonder in Ethiopia. Pretty much a transport stage this one without any touristing.
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Jessie
non-member comment
Belated birthday to Janet
Hi Janet and family, it's great to read about your travel to Suda. I worked with a few Sudanese people in a project early this year. Very nice people. Did you pick up some of their language? Happy belated birthday, Janet. I only got the blog address from Mary today. And happy Christmas too. Sydney is hot and sunny but rain is coming.