21 – To Khartoum We Will Go!

17th Dec, xxxx hrs, Hotel Al Nadi

So the next two entries will be short entries, since I am uploading from a net to phone line with no wifi. Set off early in the morning alone from Karima to Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. The bus (7am, hotel pickup by minivan to bus departure point across the river, 30 SDP) was made in China. Surprisingly good, with light refreshments, and even a packed lunch provided by the guy in the bus who goes up and down the aisle.

The bus dropped me at Khartoum in the middle of a hot Thursday afternoon. Stumped. Compared to the past few days, Khartoum is dusty, hot and crowded. The area I was in (the lonely planet recommended area) was a busy street with peddlers. Looked for the 1000 Nights Hotel recommended in LP. Well, I looked like crazy, but eventually the nice Sudanese guy from another unamed Hotel Al-Nadi called the number for 1000 Nights Hotel and found that its closed. He actually took me to see a few other "nicer" hotels, but in the end i stayed at his hotel (8 SDP a night, which is like 4 SGD). I think I am pretty hardcore, given a choice of a few hotels, I picked the cheapest and most scruffy one. I stayed in the dorm with 3 Sudanese guys. And they are nice people too! My biggest worry is security, but I think I'll just lock up my bag and leave it under my bed when I go out tomorrow for the whole day.

Looked around the area a bit, some fellow offered me to change SDP on the black market at better rates. And also found Andy and Z, back from the boat. They have been in Khartoum for the last couple of days. Took dinner with them, and then went off for some Internet. The Internet cafe is surprisingly fast, just that the PCs are missing programs like flash which makes it difficult to run any program.

Tomorrow is 1st Muharram, the new year and I would want to walk around to see if there are any celebrations.Hmm, I forgot to copy pics from today into here. But truthfully, there's nothing worth posting, so this will be a pictureless entry =P