It has only been one week that we have been in Sudan and it feels like forever. This is because of the traveling we have done in this past week. I know Sudan is the largest African country but I did not expect it to be this large and this hard to travel in. It took us five days for us to drive from Wadi Halfa; the point of entry from Egypt through Lake Nasser. The roads in the northern part of the country are some of the worst in the world. We spent most of our time driving through the Nubian Desert, filled with sand. Check out the Team Journal to read all about our experiences; you’ll really get an insight into the traveling side of this expedition. These past few days have taught me a lot, from patience and learning to survive in hot temperatures; all this will help me through the rest of the expedition and the adventures we are to continue to experience.

We spent the past week sleeping in tents in many different villages. It was my first time actually pitching my own tent and sleeping in it alone. I’m a true expeditionist now!  It truly is an experience sleeping under the African sky. I will admit that every now and then I would wake up to make sure that everything was okay. It was somewhat unsettling for me, but I know in time, I will become more confident. I’m really enjoying learning to be self-sufficient, while being part of a small group. Since we’ve been traveling, we haven’t eaten too well. Although the local food at the different villages may smell so good, I knew not eating it was the best option. There really is no time to get sick on this expedition; we have so much ground to cover, so many places to visit and so much to do. We need all the energy and good health we can get. Just a few days ago, I got sick from drinking tea at a local hotel. I didn’t know that water needs to be boiled for a certain amount of time to ensure that it is safe to drink. I think I have learned my lesson and I will be extremely careful with what I eat and drink from now on. As Ben says, food is fuel only. But I’ll tell you one thing, once we get to Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania especially, I will not be able to resist the spicy traditional food. I am the biggest fan of Injera (Ethiopian food) and I am counting the days until I get to Ethiopia to get my hands on it. Does anyone need recipes?

What I loved the most about traveling through the villages as we made our way to Khartoum was the fact that the people in the villages, young and old alike, would wave to as we passed through in out cars. It’s not usual that foreigners travel through northern Sudan, so when they saw us, it was exciting for them. It was magical, especially when young girls and boys wave with smiles shining on their faces. I waved back as much as I could and for the times we stopped over, whether it was for breaks or to spend the night, I made sure I talked to the people to get a sense of their life. I’ve met some very friendly people, and very welcoming. In a village called Abri, I met a young 26 year old man called Mohamed who told me that he had moved back to his village after spending four years studying in Khartoum, doing his Bachelor’s degree. I was surprised that he would leave busy Khartoum to go back to a quiet and very small village but he seems happy with his decision. With his family and his job in his village and his cell phone to keep him connected with his city friends; that’s all he needs, he told me.

The weather here in Sudan is almost unbearable, with temperatures flaring to 47ºC during the day. When it’s this hot I almost feel useless and my energy is depleted in no time. I have so much respect for people that live in the desert.  I don’t know how they survive in this heat and still stay happy. I ended up staying indoors when the sun was at its highest.  I was excited to get into Khartoum thinking it is just a bit cooler here but I was wrong. It’s just has hot over here. The local people, on the other hand, are well accustomed to this weather. Their days go by almost smoothly, although you can see that the heat affects them too. They stay preoccupied with their businesses and their cell phones as well. I was surprised to see that a lot of people in the rural regions actually have cell phones. They told me that they use their phones to stay connected to their families and friends in urban areas such as Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan.

As we drove into Dongola, Mr. Siddig, our government official, had to make a stop to break his fast (Ramadan). We parked our trucks at a small village and Mr. Siddig joined a bunch of men to eat; he did not know any of them but they opened their doors to him. To many people, it may sound strange to go knocking on someone’s door to ask to eat with them but over here, it is very normal. This sense of community and brotherhood supersedes everything in most, if not all, parts of Africa. Mr. Siddig enjoyed a good meal and also prayed with the men before joining us to continue with our journey southwards to Khartoum.

I have to admit, my biggest fascination has to be with the River Nile. This river is really the river of life. From Wadi Halfa, we pretty much traveled along the villages along the Nile. On each side of the river, there are a few hundred of metres of vegetation and after that it is just desert. Can you just imagine that? To me, the Nile just feels like a miracle. It’s amazing to see it flow and to know that so many people rely on this river for survival.  By the way, after four days of not showering, I decided to shower in the village of Farraig. I could taste the salt in the water and I could just see how unclear it was but I still showered because I just needed to feel refreshed. I was soon told that the water is directly from the Nile, with very little to no treatment…well; at least now I can say I enjoyed water from the Nile. Traveling through these villages has just opened my eyes so much. Life is just so different here; these past few days have taught me to appreciate all the things I took for granted while living in Ottawa and even in my own hometown of Dar-es-salaam in Tanzania; things like running water, electricity and great health care. As we drove through the villages, I wondered what the local people do when they get sick, or if they need help. Hopefully the day will come when these rural regions, in Sudan and all of Africa alike, will receive the services they need, services that are in urban areas such as good clinics and running and well treated water.

After over 12 hours of driving, we finally arrived in Khartoum. I cannot wait to get to Ethiopia where the weather is more bearable. But before that, I am going to learn as much as I can about Khartoum and Sudanese culture and you will hear all about that. This is Khairoon Abbas, for Expedition Africa, in Khartoum; where the Blue Nile and the White Nile unite to form the beautiful river of life – the River Nile.