The British influence on Khartoum, and Kitcheners boat

The last week has been very quiet and I now find myself counting the weeks until my flight back home to the UK. If interested, it is 4 weeks until the end of lessons at school, which are followed by exams. Then 5 weeks until the end of term for students, 6 weeks until the end of term for staff and 7 weeks until my flight home!

As I’ve found myself increasingly thinking of England, I thought this would be a good opportunity to blog about the British influence on Khartoum. Like many cities, Khartoum is actually divided into several districts. The main street in central Khartoum is Nile street, which follows the southern bank of the Blue Nile. North of the Blue Nile is the district of Bhari and North of the white Nile (which approaches from the south) is the city of Omdurman. My apartment is in central Khartoum, and to the south of this are the newer districts of the imaginatively named ‘Khartoum 2’ and ‘Khartoum 3’ as well Amarat and Riyad.

Historically, Khartoum was the capital of Sudan, but following the Mahdist uprising the capital was moved across the river to Omdurman. When the British reclaimed Khartoum in 1898, led by Kitchener, the capital returned to Khartoum. As I was at a loose end last Friday, I decided to walk with a friend to the banks of the Nile and it was interesting to see the British influence on the city as we walked. I’m not just referring to colonial architecture (which is actually quite difficult to find) but there are a few road junctions which have been designed in the image of the Union Jack! One such junction is pictured here, although it is difficult to appreciate the 8-way layout from this. I am sure it would look much more impressive from the air! (If wondering why so many of my pictures have quiet roads, it's because they are always taken on Friday).

From Nile street, we went into Blue Nile Sailing Club to see the infamous gunboat which Kitchener used to reclaim the city. Although I realised it would be not be a battleship, I was slightly dissapointed to see Kitcheners gunboat was simply a boat with a gun at the front! Apparently, the gunboat was rusting away on the banks of the river, but in 1987 a freak flood left the boat stuck in mud several metres inland, where it is now preserved (and surrounded by flowering plants) in the sailing club. When I say preserved, it’s not actually looked after very well (in fact it seems to be used for storing spare cardboard boxes), but at least it is no longer in danger of rusting away altogether.

Finally, some good news to end with – On Monday, I received a letter from the headteacher confirming that I had passed my 3 month probationary period. It may be just a formality, but it’s nice to have it in writing.

There is no escaping the sand!

As April approaches, the temperatures in Khartoum are really starting to rise. So far, the hottest day I have experienced was 42 (which was a one-off), but I am told this will soon become the norm with temperatures occasionally getting closer to 50. Whilst the apartments provided by the school do not have air conditioning, they do all have coolers. I am not sure how they work, but they require a water supply and blow cold air into the apartment (I have one in the bedroom and one in the lounge).

Earlier this week, my lounge cooler stopped working but the school was very good in arranging for it to be fixed, and I was told someone would do this whilst I was at school on Tuesday. I am pleased to report the cooler was fixed and it now works very well. However, on my return from school that day, I could immediately see why it had stopped working. The apartment had sand everywhere - on the floor, on the tables and had even got into the kitchen and bathroom. Outside the apartment was a black sack full of dust, bits of fluff and lots of sand! The man who cleaned out the cooler had clearly tried to tidy up afterwards – but not very well!

I’m not sure why I did not take a photograph of this – probably too tired – but the next day my cleaner visited and so the flat was spotless again on Wednesday. Perhaps I’ll give her a bonus this month! But I have taken a photograph of the pigeons which have since started appearing on my balcony, attracted by water which is now dripping from the cooler. Never mind, at least it works - and I’m sure the birds appreciate the water!

It should perhaps have come as no surprise that the cooler became blocked up with sand, given the amount of sand which exits in the city. Sand is literally everywhere: It is on the corner of every street, in the air, in the home and even in the water supply. With so much around, it is clearly of little value and so it is common to see huge piles of it next to any building site, where it has either been discarded or is perhaps just ‘pending’ (As mentioned in my very first blog, Sudanese are relaxed and never rush anything).

 
A violent sandstorm is known as a ‘haboob’ in Khartoum, and whilst these are rare, it is quite common to experience what I call a ‘sandy haze’ in the air. This is particularly noticeable from my apartment on the 7^th floor. The most serious sandstorm I have experienced (which was a few weeks ago) is pictured, but I am not sure if this was a ‘haboob’ or just a more severe sandy haze. There was certainly no wind on the day this picture was taken, but the sand was bad enough to leave a nasty taste in the mouth.

As for the water supply, the sand in the water is noticeable on most days, especially of filling a sink. I do have a water filter in the kitchen, which is very useful and saves me a lot of money on bottled water. This tastes fine, especially if bottled and put in the fridge for a while before drinking. Unfortunately there is no such filter on the washing machine, which does create problems for the whites!!

Following the news (and sport) in Khartoum

Following another uneventful week at school, this week’s blog will be shorter than usual. However, I have had a couple of interesting encounters this week. The first was when a strange man knocked on my door after school one day. He said he had just arrived from the desert and was clutching a couple of suitcases, hoping I would know the phone number of a previous tenant. He seemed very friendly (as do all Sudanese) but obviously I wasn’t going to let him in! To be fair, he didn’t ask to come in and left after about five minutes, but it was all a bit strange!

The other encounter was when the electrician (mentioned in a previous blog) turned up again clutching a screwdriver and looking very pleased with himself. He explained he could update my satellite decoder box, so I could receive more channels. This he did, but as I don’t pay for my TV, most of the extra channels are scrambled. I have found a new movie channel, but my favourite channel remains BBC World, which keeps me up to date on world events and makes me feel at home! There is even an international edition of Football Focus!

Khartoum also has a couple of English language newspapers, which when it comes to local news, are much more informative than the BBC. I bought an edition of ‘Sudan Vision’ a couple of weeks ago, which contained a detailed report on the official visit of British Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development. I’m sure this would not have been reported back home! In fact, I doubt there are many people back home who even knew such a minster existed! Well, he does exist and his name is Mr Stephen O’Brien. He was in Sudan to discuss UK aid in Darfur and fighting in the border areas with South Sudan. There are many unresolved issues between North and South, which makes the border area potentially very dangerous (it’s not just about oil). Apparently 200 people were recently killed following a cattle raid in the Blue Nile region. However, I don’t want this blog to be about politics, which is always a taboo subject in the Sudan, I just want to reassure everyone back home that these issues don’t affect me. The southern border is a long way from Khartoum, which is very safe (much safer than many parts of London, in my opinion).

Following sporting fixtures in Khartoum is much more difficult. There are no public sports bars or cafes and the internet connection is not usually fast enough to watch live sport online. I normally have to rely on the BBC live text service if I want to follow a Football or Rugby match. However, it is possible to watch live sport in the British Embassy, but obviously you do need to be invited. I was fortunate to watch the Carling Cup Final there a few weeks ago and I was there again last night to watch England beat Ireland in the six nations. Surely, there is no better way to celebrate St Patricks Day!

Driving in Khartoum (Headlights and brakes are optional)

The most significant event of the last week was on Tuesday, at 8:30am precisely. This was the time my geography lesson, observed by the deputy head, began. By 9.10am it was all over and I’m pleased to report it went very well. This means I’m on course to successfully complete my ‘probation’ at the end of the month.

The rest of my week was quiet, so following my coach trip experience last week, I will use this weeks blog to comment more generally on driving and transport in Khartoum. With the exception of the rickshaw, the images on today’s blog are from the internet and are therefore not my own photos.

There are many expats in Khartoum, including some from another international school, who are given a car as part of their employment package. Staff at Unity do not get this perk, but are instead allowed to book a school minibus (on a first come first served basis) for up to two hours at no cost. This may seem like a raw deal, but driving in Khartoum is a high risk activity – so I’m quite happy with no car! Traffic is simply chaotic on the main streets and most drivers are irresponsible. Given the chance, I am sure many would love to reach the speeds which are possible on desert roads, and their frustration in not being able to do so is illustrated by the number of car horns which are audible at every junction! I recently found some traffic advice for expats on the website for the British Embassy in Sudan, which highlights the risks:

“New arrivals should exercise caution when they begin driving in Khartoum. Although the traffic is not fast moving local drivers pay little attention to the rules of the road. It is common for vehicles not to have working brake lights, indicators or even brakes. Drivers tend to pull out in front without any notice or signal, irrespective of who has right of way. Driving at night is particularly hazardous. Unfortunately many vehicles do not have lights that work or sometimes just one light. Please drive slowly and extremely carefully at night. If you are driving on the outskirts of Khartoum remember that roads have a habit of ending abruptly and turning into dirt tracks. There are no up to date street maps and people therefore often use their own hand drawn maps with invitations. Khartoum can be confusing, so make sure you have clear directions. When new to the city you would probably be wise to follow someone else if going to a difficult location”

Khartoum does have a local bus network, but if you don’t speak Sudanese, it can be difficult to understand the destination of each bus. However, when both of the school minibuses are booked, I can easily take a rickshaw, amjad or a taxi instead. Rickshaws are extremely cheap, but there some areas of Khartoum where they are not allowed. Amjads are more like small minibuses, and are extremely useful if you are travelling as part of a small group. They just drive around the city looking for business, so it is easy to find one if you stand by the side of the road. In fact, if you are white and looking lost, they will probably find you! But taxis are not for the fainthearted as most of them are extremely old and many are in a state of disrepair.

My only personal taxi experience was last weekend, when returning home from Khartoum bus station, following the week in Port Sudan. My taxi had no lights of any kind - just a gaping hole where you would expect each light to be. The dashboard was clearly just for effect, as none of the lights or dials worked – including the speedometer! The doors were operated by some kind of converted coat hanger and there had clearly been a great deal of welding to keep the vehicle in one piece. When asked how long he had owned the taxi, the driver revealed he bought it in 1976!! So, older than me then!! Needless to say, I don’t anticipate any further taxi experiences.

A week in Port Sudan

The half term week was my first opportunity to travel outside of Khartoum and so I decided to visit Port Sudan, on the red sea, for five days. It is worth noting that travel outside of the capital is not as straightforward as you may expect. Desert roads contain numerous police and military checkpoints, who may insist on seeing permits and passports. It is therefore essential to have the correct paperwork before leaving. Luckily, Unity High School is willing and able to obtain permits for travel, which was a great help.

I was travelling with two colleagues from school, and we decided to travel by coach to save money. This did mean that two of the five days holiday would be spent on the road, but the tickets were only 73SDG each, which is much cheaper than flying. The only hidden cost is the 1.50SDG just to enter the central bus station. (I hope Ryan Air doesn’t hear of this, or they may introduce a departure lounge admission fee!) Never mind, we caught the coach with no difficulty at 6.30am Monday morning - but it soon became very clear to me why they advertised a 1777km journey as taking just 9 hours.

There are no motorways between the two cities, and yet for most of the journey the driver seemed to be attempting a new land speed record. It should therefore come as no surprise that within a short while there was a rather unpleasant engine smell inside the coach. However, the drivers solution to the problem may come as more of a surprise. A coach in England may call the AA, or stop at a garage, or maybe even phone the depot for a replacement coach. Not in Sudan. No, the driver thought the best solution was a can of air freshener, because obviously if you can’t smell a problem – there is no problem! Two hours and one aborted overtaking manoeuvre later, and we had a shattered windscreen. I had visions of the driver unrolling some sellotape, but instead he just lowered the sun blind. Incident number three (pictured) was a just a routine puncture, and for some reason changing the wheel in the middle of the desert seemed quite mundane after the earlier experiences.

In total the 9 hour journey took 11 hours and 45 minutes, but on the plus side, it was still daylight on arrival! Port Sudan has several high quality western hotels, including a Hilton, but we were lucky to be staying for free in an apartment which belonged to a friend of a friend.

However, it not take long for us to realise there is not actually a great deal to do in Port Sudan. There are very few expats in the city and most tourists just use it as a base for snorkelling or scuba diving. From the very first evening, I got the impression locals were not used to seeing white people when a pick-up truck sped past us in the street with locals leaning out shouting “Welcome to Port Sudan. How… are… you….?” The ‘you’ was trailing off as the truck passed, but I would not have been surprised if they had continued along the lines of Manuel from Fawlty Towers “I speak English well, I learn it from a book”. The highlight in the city itself is unsurprisingly the promenade (or corniche) where you can sit with a coffee or fresh fruit juice playing cards and watching the enormous container ships unload their cargo. It may sound dull, but it is actually quite pleasant and relaxing. The sea breeze is especially welcome when used to the dust and sand of Khartoum. There were even a couple of snooker tables on the corniche, although I did not play.

The first full day in Port Sudan was an opportunity to go snorkelling from a beach on a small peninsula, which was about an hours drive north of the city. The road north ends on the border with Egypt, and so is very quiet. It was therefore not surprising to see several camels, some of which were standing aimlessly in the centre of the road. The beach itself involved driving off road for about 20 minutes then walking for about 10. So, more surprising than seeing a camel on the road, was seeing a rickshaw arrive on the beach. The driver seemed quite impressed with his accomplishment, although I can not understand how he managed to get the rickshaw here.

The advantage with driving to this peninsula is the coral is right next to the beach, and within easy wading distance. You can then choose to swim as far out as you like, following the coral reef, and seeing all the brightly coloured tropical fish that you would expect to see. Unfortunately I am not a fish expert, but I did see a stingray and a turtle! There were also a lot of small jellyfish. Despite being harmless, it was unpleasant in some stretches of water where there were so many jellyfish it felt like swimming through soup!!

Sampling the local fish is also essential in Port Sudan, and it sometimes seems as though all life in Port Sudan has a diet of just fish. I’m not just referring to the food found in local cafes and restaurants. The street cats eat fish, the dogs who live in the gutters also eat fish. In the town of Suakin, which we visited on the second full day, there is even a fish-eating donkey!

Suakin is just 50km south of Port Sudan and prior to 1905, when Port Sudan was founded, Suakin was the only port in the Sudan and became wealthy from the slave trade. The port was also used by British forces when trying to repel the Mahdist uprising at the end of the 19^th century. Originally an island, the British built a causeway which still connects Suakin island to the mainland. I am currently reading a book on this subject, and so may include more details in a future blog. Unfortunately, most of the buildings on the island now lie on ruins, but it was fascinating exploring these ruins and imagining what it may have been like more than a century ago.

Despite its fascinating history, Suakin is perhaps best known for its ‘demonic’ cats, which the locals believe are possessed by evil spirits. The cats are abnormally large due to the large amounts of fish which they consume and they soon surrounded us whilst we ate lunch at a local fish restaurant. As it was quiet, the owner sat next to us with a large stick, which he used to keep them away. The picture shows some demonic cats fighting over the leftover fish on a neighbouring table.

 

After two busy days travelling out of the city, Thursday was the third and final day in Port Sudan. I therefore spent most of the day relaxing on the corniche, and took the opportunity to explore more of the city centre with a friendly rickshaw driver.

Friday morning was an early start, as the coach for Khartoum was due to leave at 6.15am Sudanese time. Of course, that means it was nearer to 7am when the coach finally departed. Apart from being almost forced of the road by an oversized lorry, the journey hone was fairly uneventful - but very tedious! Term re-starts on Monday, so the weekend will now be spent preparing myself for the week ahead.