Sudan – Khartoum – Blue Nile Sailing Club

Day 64. 
10-03-2011 Evening
Khartoum
11781 km since the beginning of the journey

Evening – All the day long we have had a nice cool breeze, not the killing heat. It is 9.00 p.m. But the air is full of tiny dust and it is absolutely everywhere. Blue Nile sailing Club – it is a camping located in the centre of Khartoum. Yesterday I changed my stop-place and for a number of reasons. To look over this wellknown place. And to meet perhaps someone travelling along the east coast up or down. And to excange information on road conditions and the general political situation. And usually someone suggests a particulary interesting place or advises that some places are not worth visiting or some roads are not passable now.

The next country being Ethiopia it is just the right time to collect the latest information. In general as to Ethiopia -the rules of getting visa were changed last summer. Now the visa should be requested at the Embassy of one`s residence. That means that in the Cape – Cairo route one must not take into account Kenya and Sudan. Thinking that they are neighbouring countries and no problem with visas.

And Estonian citizens will have the visa from Stockholm. Being there it took only 25 minutes. Valid to March 31 this year. So there seemed to be lots and lots of time. But because all kind of delays the present situation is that March 31 is approaching in great speed. So there are three options to choose from. The easiest way is to start moving towards Ethiopia in a few days and look around till March 31. No extra paper-work. The second way is to extend the visa at the spot and be there until the the end of March and continue as long as it is permitted. And the third option is to go to the Embassy here in Khartoum and try to extend it here. And Sudan is a big and very hospitable country and it would be nice to stay here longer.

The visa is issued for two months and there are no limits for the car. And as to the car insurance I was told at the border that Carnet is the insurance. Well, how to take it – for them it is important that while I leave – then it will be together with my car . Not complementing the local taxi park.

Before the trip I found information that in theory one insurance – Orange Card System should be valid in Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Sudan . But actually at the border I was looked at with total misunderstanding when I tried to get this Orange Card insurance. And there is no sense to ask someone else here for any kind of insurance money.

Going from Sudan to Ethiopa one more offical paper is needed. Namely – the local Embassy in Addis Abeba confirms that I will not sell my car and and leave the country with my car. As there was no Estonian Embassy there I went to German Embassy in Khartoum . Hoping to get the necessary document immediately. But I was told that it could be done through the home-page of German Embassy in Ethiopia. So after the exchange of some e-mail I got the document in two days. Somehow this document is obligatory while entering Ethiopia from Sudan. While coming from Kenya or Djibout it is not asked.

Generally, moving around here it is necessary to take into consideration „the local African time“ and the rules. There is no sense to make plans for a longer time and for certain days. Because everything can change within a few days – like in Egipt. During the last two months the situation in North Africa has changed totally and one can expect changes also in other African countries.

The phone connection – AirBaltic Card – the calls received in Sudan are free. The same was in Egypt, Jordan, Turkey and some other countries on my way. The only country one has to pay for the receivad call 0.30 euro cent per minute was Syria.

This price list is a good example of the prices of roaming.

Mobile Internet opportunities: In Sudan one can use 3G and in some places (read Khartoum) even 3,5G internet. As to myself I bought a prepaid card from service provider Zain. I am using it with USB modem. (bought from Estonia HUAWEI 1752)

The result is a bigger clip in You Tube. 

Money change while leaving Egypt:

In Aswan port it occured to us that in any case we should go to change Sudanese money. So – back again through the Border control, Customs and passport check up

These three boxes are the counter of the local money exchange

The rate is written on the box, then the trading takes place , then the first rate will be crossed and a new offer and accounting is performed.

Then the money will be counted , the packages of a quarter of a brick size are taken out....

Something has been videtaped too.