UN - Sudan

After all the preparation, training, legwork, paperwork and waiting, it was a relief to get under way.  Heathrow was achieved via a busy M25 and a talkative MT driver, otherwise uneventful.  Loading the nearly 100kg of luggage into Gulf Air’s care was painless.  It should have been for nearly £2,000 excess baggage charges.  One way.  Met up with my colleague Kev at the check-in.  The 2025hrs flight from Heathrow took about 7 hours and all attempts at an upgrade (“we’re UN volunteers, working for the noble cause of peace in Sudan; we were supposed to travel Business Class, but the UK Government can’t afford it.....”), whilst well received, were defeated by a full Business Class section of the A330 Airbus.  

Some pity for my pleading did permit a move to a seat with loads of legroom, next to an emergency exit and a tattooed DJ travelling to Bahrein for a gig.

Food was good-enough but the in flight films rubbish.

At Bahrein International Airport, six hours were spent ‘dossing’ from 0500hrs in the transit/departure lounge, followed by a two-and-a-half hour flight to Khartoum, entertainment provided by the Sudanese ladies occupying the toilets for 20 minutes at a time to get changed into their local dress.  Arrival through the Sudanese immigration and temporary visa process was unexpectedly straightforward and we were met by John, a staff officer at UNMIS HQ, who brought us to the flat where we will stay for up to 2 weeks whilst we undertake the UN in-processing and training.  A typical Afro/Arabic place with weird tiles, gaudy furnishings, dodgy electrics and a view of dust, rubbish, other flats and poverty, juxtaposed with demonstrable wealth.  

And a double bed to share with Kev. A camp-bed is on offer, but the bed is big enough for us to re-live old Morecombe and Wise sketches.  We are in our respective sleeping bags.

A stroll around the local area today led us to the banks of the Blue Nile and the interior of the Criminal Investigations Bureau after Kev was seen taking ‘illegal’ photographs of street-scenes.  Sweet-talking got us out without being tortured too savagely.  

Later, we were hosted by the Australians, to watch their own torture as their national side lost heavily to New Zealand in the Tri-Nations rugby, over beer and pizza (us, not the two teams). Then followed a road trip around Khartoum and Omdurman, seeing one of General Gordon’s old river-boats and the amazing confluence of the Niles.

We were also able to see where the ladies get their private parts smoked, by the roadside.  If you saw the Joanna Lumley episode on her trip up the Nile, you’ll know what I mean.