Last few days in Africa

I have never come across a more polite country than Sudan. And I thoroughly like it. As in today - while Ajay was booking a trailer tickets and validating other tickets, a stranger helped to interpret for him, and then took him for a short taxi ride to show him all possible alternatives for hotels. Then back to the office, dropped Ajay off, and got in his own car and waved goodbye. Or yesterday - we got stuck in a salt pan which has a crusty surface but sticky wet mud, as we found out too late. So the lovely father and son helped us get conch and dried vegetation. With some effort after an hour, we were free again - I don't think this was his first time, he certainly knew what he was doing. (Ajay got to use the winch finally!) But we could not get them to take money and in the end bought a generous supply of fish. We are forever being welcomed and people asking us to carry their good wishes to the rest of the world! The country is rich with hospitality. The heat is a different thing. We've just been snorkelling in the Red Sea - but we are sunned out. So, for our last day in Africa, we looked for aircon (+ hotel!) to cool down with.
 
Yes - we have plenty of traveller tales. But I'm not sure how they will translate back into UK culture. My guess is that people have limited exposure to ask the right questions, or able to identify with us.
And maybe it's the same in reverse - I'm not sure. But one of the highlights of our trip has been enjoying the company of other adults alongside our kids. So our kids relating with other adults on their own terms, and then we mix in too! And stories have been great fun in that context.
 
I think return via Saudi Arabia is a good choice, rather than Egypt. We heard so often it was impossible to go this way. We'll know tomorrow. Then we have only a 3 day transit visa - so that will make the huge country of Saudi very quick!!! 
 
Opening football world cup last night in South Africa. Tonight we watch Argentina vs Nigeria on the big screen in the hotel garden. Funny that a country as large as this has no more than a dozen towns. I wonder how many women will be there - not many, if any.

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Sudan

Well, I love Sudan. More accurately, I love the Sudanese people. They are so curteous, polite, warm hearted and generous … and straight forward. I can't imagine a nicer capital. We have been so well treated. But – it is hot. I left a bottle of water out at 6pm, and an hour later it was too hot to put my hand in. This is the first country where it's been uncomfortably hot in both the day and the night. We are staying at the Blue Nile Sailing Club which is a dust bowl next to the Nile in the centre of the city, but also draws a range of interesting characters from Khartoum's elite. We have secured our three day transit visa through Saudi Arabia, and after snorkeling in the Red Sea off Sudan coast, we'll head off in the sun set on a ferry, and will be in Jordan within a few days. Africa over! How weird.

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