by Richard | Jan 2, 2010 | Africa, Sudan, Travel
I left Khartoum early on Christmas morning. You wouldn’t think it was. Absolutely nothing slows in Khartoum. Unsurprising, but strange. Only a sandstone church, alone in a landscape of crescent minarets outside the bus window, was sheltering its flock from the morning...
by Richard | Dec 31, 2009 | Africa, Cape to Cairo, Sudan, Travel
Watching Abu Simbel shining in the night sky and surrounded with the dark desert beyond, brought in on the cold winds that cut across the deck of our ferry, I said my silent goodbyes to Sudan. In truth, I had said farewell out loud, in person, the evening before....
by Richard | Dec 24, 2009 | Africa, Sudan, Travel
Or not. There is no Christmas in Sudan – not even the bubble-wrapped version where the jolly Santa Claus puts you on his knees and hears your Christmas wishes. No sir. Tomorrow will be another day of bright sun, delicious schwarmas, clapped out yellow taxis and...
by Richard | Dec 21, 2009 | Africa, Ethiopia, Sudan, Travel
I’ve been in Ethiopia for almost two weeks now. It’s been a delicious downtime from constant traveling up to this point – a chance to stop thinking about Cairo, about endings, about the fact that nothing lasts forever. But this morning it will be time to move on. To...
by Richard | Dec 16, 2009 | Africa, Cape to Cairo, Kenya, Travel
It’s dark. We left Marsabit an hour ago, by which time night had long fallen, but as I clamber down into the lorry’s cargo hold, the darkness becomes a dense, clinging oil. Occasionally pierced by small torches as the dozen or so others in the small space...
by Richard | Dec 13, 2009 | Africa, Kenya, Travel
Taken straight out of my journal notes. Disclaimer for poor grammar,etc :) At the matatu station, I am relieved to find that there are still matatus departing for Isiolo via Nanyuki, despite Nairobi’s ungodly rush hour traffic thoroughly interfering with any...
