I am now in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, where the Blue Nile meets the White Nile, and where I am undertaking an audit for a UK Medical charity/NGO. Who, no doubt by habit, booked my flight as Dr Fyfe. I was worried that someone would get ill on the plane and I would be called to help.
Since this blog came to a shuddering halt in Afghanistan last year I have been working mostly in the UK but also fitted in small trips to Denmark, Kenya, Ethiopia, Ireland and France. I also had several weeks in Burkina Faso.
The internet access looks a bit slow so I am cutting and pasting from word. Well thankfully no one got sick on the plane, but there were a lot of very noisy young children bored rigid, crying, bouncing over everyone else’s seats. Getting out of the airport was relatively straightforward, compared to the weeks required to get a visa. I was met by the logistics head and a driver. Audit points already: seatbelts not used in the back of the car. The logistics head explained that there have been lots of riots due to government spending cuts. Due in part to a massive drop in revenues due to the independence of South Sudan where all the oil is. Seems like a familiar argument.
I am in a Chinese Hotel called Blue Sky international, and had very nice Chinese food. The hotel is a bit basic and its biggest problem is that it smells of sewage or possibly gas and damp. Generally sulphurous.
I took the precaution of only drinking fruit juice on the plane as I expect I will be low on vitamins for the next fortnight. I also nearly forgot that there is no alcohol in Sudan and almost ordered a beer with my Chinese food (by the way soup, rice, vegetables and various odd bits of beef – probably knuckles and chins) But very filling if a bit cold, as I turned up after the restaurant closed.
I have been given a security briefing to read, I have confirmed that the working week is Sunday to Thursday and I was told that demonstrations and thus riots are scheduled for Saturday so my movements will be curtailed. As it is 100 degrees out there i think this will be curtailing my movements more.
So I hope to visit the confluence of the Niles tomorrow before any riots. Otherwise I will be catching up on my Open University course.
