The talent show and the camel market

As a multi-faith school, Unity High School has sufficient Catholic Christians and Orthodox Coptic Christians to warrant a school holiday for both Easters. As a result, this weekend has been another long weekend for staff and students to celebrate Coptic Easter.

Saturday night was the annual Unity High School talent show, which is modelled on the X-factor. Any student can enter, but must first audition in front of the judges on a previous day. Those who were good enough are entered into Saturday’s main show, where they perform again to the judges and in front of an audience of students. Unfortunately, I was not a judge (my role was just checking tickets on the gate) but I did watch most of the acts – all of whom were excellent. There were entries across the secondary school, from year 7 to year 11, but the winners were a group of ‘rapping’ year 9 boys, who brought the house down!

On Sunday, I went with a few friends to a camel market about 30 minutes drive north from central Khartoum. We hailed an amjad at about 10.30am, with a driver who seemed to know where we wanted to go. As we got closer, the driver did need to ask a few directions, but eventually he did take to exact place in the market where camels were being bought and sold. On arrival, it was extremely hot and a group of locals immediately descended upon us, on the assumption that we were looking for a camel ride. Well, I was keen on the idea, but not at the 50 SDG price we were being quoted!! Whilst 50 SDG would not have broken the bank, it was obviously a rip off when you consider I got a bus all the way to Port Sudan for just 73 SDG. That was a 1777km journey and this was just going to be 10 minutes on a camel. Obviously we looked like naive tourists with deep pockets!

We managed to negotiate down to 30 SDG, but it was only when we started walking away that they offered two rides for 30 SDG. As soon as we accepted I was ushered onto the camel, which was up and away before I had fully settled! A local took hold of the camel (lead? reins? – I don’t know – but he kept it under control) and took me around a short circuit. It may not have been for long, but it was a good photo opportunity, and something else to tick off the ‘to do’ list in Sudan.

As it was so hot, we didn’t stay for long. But we did wander round the market, which was fairly uneventful and seemed to be mainly selling sacks of grain and rice. However, we did have time to stop for a traditional Sudanese coffee, before walking back to the main road and getting an amjad back to Khartoum. Monday is another day off, but Tuesday is the deadline for preparing the end of year exams, so I am sure I will keep myself busy writing exams and planning for the week ahead.