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  #1  
Old March 11th, 2004, 02:14 AM
ozieb
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Default Sudan

Folks
I 'm planning a trip to the Sudan in October 2004 and would appreciate some
guidance and info. At this stage think I will fly from Cairo to Khartoum to
secure all the documents and permissions to travel north. I want to make my
way down river to finally catch the ferry back into Egypt - say 3 - 4 weeks.
Musings - can I get accommodation and food and water at the villages, do I
really need a sleeping bag, how tough are the desert crossings and what sort
of preparation should I do, can anyone suggest tips or tricks to make life a
little easier, any one care to come along for the ride? My interests are
Egyptology, archaeology and Islam and I've travelled widely in the Middle
East from Syria to Yemen and particularly Egypt.
Any and all info would be appreciated.
Cheers
Bruce





  #2  
Old March 12th, 2004, 08:24 PM
Steve Bougerolle
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Default Sudan

On Thu, 11 Mar 2004 01:14:40 +0000, ozieb wrote:
I want to make my way down river to finally catch the ferry back into
Egypt - say 3 - 4 weeks.


This is the most obvious problem - you could be stuck waiting for the
ferry for a long time. I took it years back and at that time there were
LONG waits (ie weeks) going to Egypt - check out conditions now before
planning anything. It may be more practical to enter Sudan by boat and
fly back than vice-versa.

Musings - can I get accommodation and food and water at the villages,


The question is not so much if you CAN but if you really want to - the
water is probably dodgy at best and while local people will no doubt be
generous with food you may be inconveniencing them more than a bit.
I recommend taking as much of your own food & water as you
realistically can - at least enough so that you can choose if the local
supply looks unattractive some nights.

do I really need a sleeping bag


Probably. It's a desert and deserts get cold at night. October is still
pretty early in the year so you're not in any danger of freezing
without one, I expect, but it makes a good cushion, anyway.

How tough are the desert crossings


What sort of vehicle are you using? People cross using just about every
conceivable form of transport; mules, bicycles, motorcycles, 4WD, riding
on buses and in backs of trucks. Desert crossings can be sandy and buses
get stuck in them and have to dig out (as we did when I rode the bus,
somewhere between Ed Debba and Omdurman). However if you're in no rush you
should be able to stick to the river, see more, and avoid the problem. If
you must take the desert shortcuts, I'd guess it would be very hard with a
mule or a two-wheeler, doable with a 4WD as long as you don't do anything
silly like getting lost. If you're riding on buses or trucks the longest
is about a one-day ride and expect to dig out of sand at some point or
other.

what sort of preparation should I do, can anyone suggest tips or tricks
to make life a little easier, any one care to come along for the ride?


Have you applied for a visa yet? Official paperwork is likely to be your
single biggest hassle (it took me 6 weeks in Cairo to get a visa). Allow
time for every document you need - way more time than you expect.

  #3  
Old March 13th, 2004, 10:01 PM
meeso
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Default Sudan

On Thu, 11 Mar 2004 01:14:40 +0000, ozieb wrote:

Musings - can I get accommodation and food and water at the villages, do I
really need a sleeping bag, how tough are the desert crossings and what sort
of preparation should I do, can anyone suggest tips or tricks to make life a
little easier,



Ehim, just came back from there ...

Well, you need to clarify how will you get to "Halfa" where you take the
ferry to Aswan.
It's pretty systematic now: The ferry goes from Aswan in Monday and gets
to Halfa in Tuesday. *The train* comes from Khartoum with people for the
ferry in Tuesday, the ferry goes back to Aswan in Wednesday, and the
train take those who came from Aswan to Khartoum in Tuesday as well. &
this happens every week. You'll have to check it out then when you're
travelling.
But I also mush say, it's not completely systematic. The problem is
basically in the train that very frequently gets troubled for some
hours in the way going and coming back. It could be late for the ferry
departure time (& I think in that case the ferry just waits. Not quite
sure though). & it could be damaged enough that it would remain in Halfa
after its arrived for one or two more days. Which is what happened with
me (I went from Aswan with the ferry).
However, the most important thing is to check it out: "What's October
the season for?" - It really makes a difference, a BIG one. I mean the
time I went (which was 1st January) was the season for TRADE. I have to
say, so completely different Sudanese and Egyptians were there. That the
"Commodity" they carry (such as Tomato! for some reason!!) is a lot more
important - with its safety - than other , human , beings! !
It was also - therefore - so extremely crowded. To the extent that I
didn't found a train ticket for me, about 10 minutes after the ticket
window was opened, all the classes and seats where taken and there were
already some big number of no seats tickets (seemingly - since I didn't
take the train - the 3rd class of the train is much the same as that of
the ferry, if you have a ticket, go extremely early or fight for a
seat. no numbers except for the 1st and 2nd classes).
I have no clue how is it gonna be in October, I think it's supposed to
be much reasonable time BUT, I have to inform you that, a new agreement
between the Egyptian and Sudanese govs. had provided that Egyptians and
Sudanese are to go freely with an ID between the tow countries. No
Visas, no money (20$) paid in "registration" (which you'll have to do
if you're not Egyptian), & no paper work. This *could* mean many
political improvements between the two countries. But it *must* mean
that there will be a hill of crowdedness in the road between the same
two poor countries. You check it out.
I went with the ferry and came back with the plane which is quite
opposite to what you're planning. But I think I could still provide some
helpful info.
The 3rd class ferry wasn't at all bad. Apart from the season problem.
people are quite nice. But naturally the 3rd class' poor hall(s) which
consists of so many rough chairs was full of quarrels and fights about
who to keep what where! the commodity is the most important, that some
people sleept on the ground and let their stuff above the chairs.
However, after some time, you get to get-rid of all this when they open
the door for the GREAT, bless be to it "DECK"! There, the atmosphere is
quite different and you'll know some people who might be nice! some
might sing and dance but also, these will be interrupted with praying.
However, when I was there, I found someone who was going to Sudan "In
behalf of God" as he told me in classical Arabic "Fi sabeel Ellah". That
literally translates to "In the Road/Cause of God" hehe, Ehim, sorry ...
That means that he was supposed to convert or establish for some certain
Islamic ideology (since most places that dude could have get with his
feet on where already "Islamized" at some point in the history, so to
speak). So unfortunately, I'm not quite sure whether this is frequent or
not but anyway, He was to lead the praying and make an advocative
speeches after it which even took longer time than the 5 times a day
long praying itself. That kinda made a different mood ffrom that of
singing and dancing. But anyway, since you noted that Islam is one of
your interests, you might have found all that interesting. (But to be
honest, the guy was performing very badly)...
It's kinda nice because - apart from the privilege of some mood over the
other - all these variety of people were there with you among them. That
felt very special for me, even with all the tension brought by the
essence of the commodity over human beings. And with all the fights -
which I'm completely unequal to - that I had to go through myself, it
was kinda nice. But maybe some people will just find all that, along
with all the exhaustion one must gain, quite nasty.
On the deck, it was so extremely cold, but that was in January. If you
plan to sleep there, you must have either a sleeping bag or a blanket. &
if you'll take a 1st class, it will be a so extremely narrow small room
with 4 beds in it (that means companions in the room with you).
It takes about 18 hours from Aswan to Halfa. But most likely you'll wait
about 3 or 4 hours inside the ferry before it starts moving, with the
door to the GREAT, bless be to it, deck, *closed*.

So, you'll have to tell us how you'll get to Halfa so we could provide
more accurate info. I advice you to take the train, merely because I
didn't take it! The bus was soooo extremely horrible. about 75% of the
two roads between Halfa and Khartoum are not prepared. so you're
virtually going on a dessert road. The bus, which was most likely a
*Handmade* one. was so exhaustive, and it was extremely unprepared as
much as the road it took. I couldn't endure its strong and violent
continuous shaking all the way. That I had a strong headache shortly
after it went. The chairs are so tight and almost constructed one over
the other in order to have the most greater number of chairs and so the
most greater amount of money. There is no place for both the comfort
and "safety" for one's legs. Of course I might be a little upset of my
trip with the bus because it was supposed to take 24 hours while it took
3 nights! Yes this bus in particular - as I learnt later - was not
supposed to move from Halfa at all. But it was those who remained and
wanted to avoid the crowed of the train who that bus took. Also there
was some breakdown with the train that it wouldn't go until one day
later if things goes alright. But anyway, if I took the train, I'd have
avoided all that. specially the shaking tension of the bus. In the
train, people are quite relaxed and together with each other and with
some official care, that is, the leaders and drivers of the train. No
shaking, or to be honest, much less shaking. It should be a lot more
comfortable and calm than the bus. The 2nd and 1st classes in the train
are closed sections with 8 and 4 seats respectively. The 3rd is chaotic
and crowded. much like that of the ferry's 3rd.

The way between Halfa and Khartoum is a dessert way, so, that should be
telling. Your spectacles, if any, will be draped with sand as soon as
whatever transportations you take hit the dessert. The train should be
much better than the bus because it provokes less sand while it goes.
I didn't get it regarding accommodation and food, because if you take
whatever transportations, it's supposed to take no less than 24 hours if
everything goes fine and - perhaps - forever, if something wrong
happens. However, you stop every now and then for such things. And the
train stops in so many stations. It could keep waiting for hours in some
central stations, up to 4 and 5 hours. But it could also keeps waiting
in the middle of no where fixing something, (that's when the funny
attitude and get-to-know-each-other mood starts and continues). There is
some tradition I think that travelers on that line take "Halawah and
bread" with them. The "Halawah" - if you don't know it - is an Egyptian
sweet food. So they take that for energy. [Also in Egyptian culture, a
wife or a friend, takes literally "Halawah and bread" for a relative
who's temporarily imprisoned until a trail for the same reason, energy]
:-)
However, it depends on which way you'll go through. There are three, one
that goes beside the Nile all the way (through Dongula). And another
that goes beside the Nile for about half of the way and then leaves the
Nile and go through the "Abu Hamad" way. & the 3rd that is of the train.
The first mentioned here is quite nice because - naturally - there are
so many extremely beautiful villages all over the way by the Nile. In
fact you never see the Nile while you're going with the vehicle, you'll
have to step aside and stop at some village and meet them with
*mutuality* of interest and friendliness. Then immediately you're
"permitted" to step over the grass and the field to get to see the Nile.
That was a completely different pleasant and comforting experience when
I was coming to Khartoum with the bus. That I even almost refused to get
back to the bus when we had a break at some "Mahass" outstanding
splendid village right above Dongula. :-)
However, there is a small plane that goes from Dongula to Aswan, & I
think it's quite cheap and it could be even cheaper than what you'll
have to pay for the aggregation of both the way from Dongula or Khartoum
to Halfa and the ferry. Specially if you'll take the higher classes in
each or some of these. Unfortunately I knew about it after I left Sudan.
I heard it costs some 300 Egyptian pounds. That could have jumped up a
lot higher now since the value of the Egyptian pound is going so low.
The plane - I think - goes 3 or 4 times a week. I'm not quite sure about
the info. regarding that plane.

Once in El-Khartoum, you have 3 days if you're going with the plane, and
about one week if you're entering with the ferry through Halfa, to
*register*.
The registration, IMO, is a legalized way to steeling from you by the
Sudanese gov. You go there & tell them "Hi, I'm here", then you have to
pay 20$ and then, you're registered. Just like that. Of course, IMO, to
cover up that pure robbery, they will have to ask you to do some paper
work and fill in some applications and provide a couple of photos and
the like. However, I've been told that if I didn't do it - something
which I was considering - I might go in trouble in the way out. (they
stamp your passport with that registration). But I think you just pay a
fine of (20$)!! on the way out. However, it would be better if you do it
I think. Also, you will have to pay another 20$ on the way out as
another "We're steeling from you" Sudanese *fee*, they call that one
some "Existing fee" (!) You're never informed by the Sudanese gov. that
you have to do and pay any of that. I tried to use this fact when I was
leaving at the airport. Also I knew that I had to pay this bloody 20$,
but I just thought they might let me go if I just say: "I didn't know,
no one informed me, I don't have any money left". The response was:
"Son, If you want to get on that plane, you'll have to pay the money" -
End of story. Of course I could have yelled some more. But I wasn't sure
where that could lead to.

Have a nice trip,
--
Maysara

 




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