Off to El Obeid

At last I have the news I have been waiting for - All my paperwork is complete and I am off to El Obeid on Monday.  Part of me is excited to be finally on my way to my placement at the University of Kordofan http://www.kordofan.edu.sd/, but another part of me is quite terrified!  For the last month Billie, Jess and I have been like the Three Musketeers, living and going everywhere together and now I am going to be let loose in Sudan unaccompanied!  I have made so many friends in such a short time in Khartoum and although I will miss them terribly, I hope to do the same in El Obeid.

My last evening in Khartoum is spent with my good friends Bob and Omar at Omar's house which is near the centre of Khartoum, where we have a "Sudanese Takeaway."  The bus leaves at 730am and it's advisable to get there at least half an hour beforehand, and taxis and amjads are hard to find first thing in the morning.  Bob's friend Kamal kindly takes us to the bus station.  Even though it is only 7am the bus station is buzzing.  I am so glad that Bob and Omar are with me as I would be completely lost in the noise and chaos.  At about 715am they pack me onto a lovely air conditioned coach, complete with apples for sustenance on the journey, and the contact details of who will be meeting me at the other end.  Bob has got me the best seat on the bus - in the middle by the window with plenty of leg room.  I feel like a small child being packed off to school for the first time, with Bob and Omar fulfilling the roles of anxious parents!

As the bus pulls out of the bus station and meanders its way through the streets of Khartoum my feelings are very similar to those I had four weeks ago as I took the flight from Heathrow to Cairo.  My big adventure has been brilliant so far and now the next chapter begins, but this time I travel alone, feeling for the first time a little vulnerable due to my lack of Arabic, now cursing myself for not spending more time on it before I left the UK.

The landscape on the outskirts of Khartoum is very flat with buildings along the side of the road, which peter out into dust as far as the eye can see once we are out of  town, reminding me of my first view of Sudan from the plane.  It is a very long bus journey down and across  the country to El Obeid from Khartoum.  The exact time that the journey is supposed to take seems somewhat vague or as we say here in Sudan "Inshallah!"  About half way through the journey the landscape changes and there are bushes, trees and hills. At Kosti we cross the White Nile via a large bridge, with water as far as the eye can see.  Shortly after Kosti the bus stops for lunch.  I decide against lunch and just opt for a quick bathroom break as I would hate the bus to continue on without me and my Arabic is not up to asking how long the stop is for!  I needn't have worried though as unlike National Express, the bus waits for everyone before continuing the journey!  The bus makes several stops along the way, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, for people to get off and on.  The scenery is much more interesting now.   There are small villages with traditional African huts, which I later find out are the Nomad communities.

 Nomad Huts 

Hills!

Finally after a ten hour journey I arrive in El Obeid, where I am met by my new colleagues Hassan Muser and Mohammed Hassan, who have been waiting over two hours for me to arrive.  They take me straight to my accommodation and leave me to settle in and get some rest.  Later Hassan comes to pick me up and take me into town for something to eat and drink.  The Guest House where I am staying belongs to the El Obeid Research Centre.  It is out of the town but very quiet and comfortable, so I have no trouble getting a good night's sleep, although it feels very strange being completely on my own for the first time in 4 weeks.

The next day Hassan picks me up and shows me all round the University, which is spread over 3 different campuses across the town.  He introduces me to so many people, I know I am going to forget their names and what they do!  So I am delighted when I hear a familiar name, "Victor" not once but two or three times. That makes life easier I say to Hassan - we have this name in England!  "What name," he replies "Victor" I say.  "No, Duktoor, (Sudanese for Dr!) - They are PHD holders!  "Oh!"  I say, knowing my brain has lost at least the last three names it has heard as it had clung to the title and ignored the rest of the names that followed!  (Arabic names are made up of a first name, the father's name and the grandfathers name).

Everyone I meet is very warm and welcoming.  In usual Sudanese style nothing is too much trouble.  I am told if I want to go anywhere to phone someone and they will come and pick me up and take me where I want to go, and if I need anything to just phone any time.  Part two of my adventure has begun!