A Trip To Sudan
Feb 7, 2015, 8:15 pm
#16
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 396
Outstanding photos and reporting as always. Thank you so much for sharing your personal experience with a place I'll probably never get to go.
I had heard about the pharmaceutical plant, but I never realized the evidence implicating it in anything nefarious was so flimsy. Has the United States ever done anything else to make whole the owner or the country relying on the medicines it manufactured after blowing it up?
I had heard about the pharmaceutical plant, but I never realized the evidence implicating it in anything nefarious was so flimsy. Has the United States ever done anything else to make whole the owner or the country relying on the medicines it manufactured after blowing it up?
Feb 7, 2015, 8:43 pm
#17
Join Date: May 2004
Location: The best place in the world: Queensland Australia
Programs: UA GM, QF Bronze, Sugar and Spice buy 6 cups get one free offer card holder
Posts: 148
Thank-you for sharing DanielW - amazing unique culture there.
Loved the old Toyotas on the road - my first car was in one of your pictures - not a surprise they are still running.
Loved the old Toyotas on the road - my first car was in one of your pictures - not a surprise they are still running.
Feb 7, 2015, 10:00 pm
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Dubai
Posts: 3,301
Thank you, olgsr
.
Cheers, offerendum, you don't know what you're missing
.
Many thanks, Matthew. Yes, being able to take a plane after work at the end of the week and be in an entirely new continent in a few hours is kinda surreal!
Cheers, aaron1262.
Thanks, hauteboy. Yes, George and his brothers were very friendly and helpful. Especially with all the paperwork that had to be sorted.
I thought it would be a bit hard to fill out 2 days in Khartoum but everything seemed to fit together perfectly. The Acropole hotel had a free tour on Friday afternoon which included seeing the whirling dervishes, but was glad I skipped it and saw the wrestling instead.
The Acropole hotel organised a visa on arrival for me. Not cheap, but relatively hassle free. I told them I had UK & NZ passports, and they said the NZ would probably be easier. hauteboy visited too on a VOA so doesn't seem to be too difficult though. Khartoum is supposed to be one of the safest cities in Africa and I had no problems at all.
Although there are trouble zones in the south and west, most of the country is 'green' (i.e. safe to visit) according to the UK foreign office:
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sudan
Hard not to stick out as a westerner in Africa, but I had no real issues in Sudan. No one tried to pull one over me etc. I've actually been pretty lucky on most of my recent trips.
Many thanks, FlyIgglesFly. Definitely recommend a quick visit to Khartoum when you head to Africa this year with ironmanjt.
Thanks, thetravelingRedhead. Sudan is definitely not one of the usual African countries to visit but everyone was very friendly and helpful and I felt felt quite safe during my time there.
Thank you, Travel K. Yes, overwhelmingly men watching the wrestling, although there were a few ladies there too (you can see a few dressed in black in the centre of the first photo).
Many thanks, dickerso. Yes, the evidence for justifying the Al Shifa attack seemed to very weak. The owner of the factory sued the US govt for compensation but it was dismissed on a technicality. A good summary of the allegations and evidence for the attack is here: http://cns.miis.edu/npr/pdfs/barlet61.pdf
Thanks, ozziegumby. Yes, it was amazing seeing the Toyota's still running about the potholed roads of Khartoum. Alot of patches and other fixes but still going strong!
Many thanks, PitaPan. Yes, it was me and two other people while I was at the Pyramids. Definitely didn't need to photoshop out any errant tourists from the photo's afterwards anyway.
Thank you, steveman518. Yes, definitely recommend adding Sudan to your list.
.Cheers, offerendum, you don't know what you're missing
.. Yes, being able to take a plane after work at the end of the week and be in an entirely new continent in a few hours is kinda surreal!Cheers, aaron1262
.. Yes, George and his brothers were very friendly and helpful. Especially with all the paperwork that had to be sorted. I thought it would be a bit hard to fill out 2 days in Khartoum but everything seemed to fit together perfectly. The Acropole hotel had a free tour on Friday afternoon which included seeing the whirling dervishes, but was glad I skipped it and saw the wrestling instead.
Because my great grandfather lived in Sudan for 40 years I always wanted to go for a few days to Khartoum.
But the US State Department have safety warnings advising not to go.
Was it difficult to get a visa etc? Did you feel safe? However if I am correct you are a New Zealander? A nice neutral country.
But the US State Department have safety warnings advising not to go.
Was it difficult to get a visa etc? Did you feel safe? However if I am correct you are a New Zealander? A nice neutral country.
Although there are trouble zones in the south and west, most of the country is 'green' (i.e. safe to visit) according to the UK foreign office:
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sudan
. Definitely recommend a quick visit to Khartoum when you head to Africa this year with ironmanjt.. Sudan is definitely not one of the usual African countries to visit but everyone was very friendly and helpful and I felt felt quite safe during my time there.. Yes, overwhelmingly men watching the wrestling, although there were a few ladies there too (you can see a few dressed in black in the centre of the first photo).Outstanding photos and reporting as always. Thank you so much for sharing your personal experience with a place I'll probably never get to go.
I had heard about the pharmaceutical plant, but I never realized the evidence implicating it in anything nefarious was so flimsy. Has the United States ever done anything else to make whole the owner or the country relying on the medicines it manufactured after blowing it up?
I had heard about the pharmaceutical plant, but I never realized the evidence implicating it in anything nefarious was so flimsy. Has the United States ever done anything else to make whole the owner or the country relying on the medicines it manufactured after blowing it up?
. Yes, the evidence for justifying the Al Shifa attack seemed to very weak. The owner of the factory sued the US govt for compensation but it was dismissed on a technicality. A good summary of the allegations and evidence for the attack is here: http://cns.miis.edu/npr/pdfs/barlet61.pdf. Yes, it was amazing seeing the Toyota's still running about the potholed roads of Khartoum. Alot of patches and other fixes but still going strong!. Yes, it was me and two other people while I was at the Pyramids. Definitely didn't need to photoshop out any errant tourists from the photo's afterwards anyway.Thank you, steveman518
. Yes, definitely recommend adding Sudan to your list.
Feb 8, 2015, 2:19 am
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Dubai
Posts: 3,301
Feb 8, 2015, 8:53 am
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: GM on VX, UA, AA, HA, AS, SY; Budget Fastbreak
Posts: 27,614
A Trip To Sudan
Amazing TR! Like with the Mogadishu (Somalia) tr, it's amazing to see the close ups of humanity and where people live. Thanks for posting!
Feb 8, 2015, 2:13 pm
#29
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Staffordshire UK
Programs: FB LT Plat, BA LTG, LH HON
Posts: 273
Great report
I went to the Nubian Pyramids in 2011 and like your trip, they were deserted.
The Sudanese were one of the most welcoming and positive peoples that I've met.
I have a UK passport and had no problem getting a visa from the Sudanese in London, although I did have to sign a paper confirming that I wasn't a journalist!
I went to the Nubian Pyramids in 2011 and like your trip, they were deserted.
The Sudanese were one of the most welcoming and positive peoples that I've met.
I have a UK passport and had no problem getting a visa from the Sudanese in London, although I did have to sign a paper confirming that I wasn't a journalist!
Feb 8, 2015, 2:58 pm
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
Great report
I went to the Nubian Pyramids in 2011 and like your trip, they were deserted.
The Sudanese were one of the most welcoming and positive peoples that I've met.
I have a UK passport and had no problem getting a visa from the Sudanese in London, although I did have to sign a paper confirming that I wasn't a journalist!
I went to the Nubian Pyramids in 2011 and like your trip, they were deserted.
The Sudanese were one of the most welcoming and positive peoples that I've met.
I have a UK passport and had no problem getting a visa from the Sudanese in London, although I did have to sign a paper confirming that I wasn't a journalist!
