What tourists do in Juba, Southern Sudan, for fun...

As we were leaving a final meeting at the UNMIS (UN Mission in Sudan) camp, I remembered the one “tourist” thing we didn’t do last time here! So, off we go with our driver round the compound (quite large, with massive earthen berm and blast walls for suicide bombers, topped off with rolls of concertina wire and military guards posts), in search of the famous camp cow.

Earlier this year, Ban Ki Moon (current UN Secretary General) visited here in Juba (Southern Sudan) and was given a massive bull as a symbolic gift from the local elders (cows are the one measure of wealth here). Of course, he couldn’t take it back to New York, so the cow now lives, under armed guard, in the UNMIS camp. The UN staffers named it “Ban Ki Moo” and everyone poses for a picture with it. The horns are massive and amazingly pointed. So now I have a picture with Ban Ki Moo. This is the height of fun here in Juba. Did I mention it’s time to come home?

Travel

I’m re-reading Paul Theroux’s “Dark Star Safari” about his overland trip, using only local transport, from Cairo to Cape Town. Great read, with lots of great history and literature inserted throughout. At one point, he uses that great quote from Gustave Flaubert: “Traveling makes one modest – you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” How true.

Living the big dream in Juba (NOT!)

I'm back in RA Mango Camp here in Juba, Southern Sudan. Second time in this little slice of heaven. My container (8' x 16' inside, not including the tiny bathroom) is the first one on the left. The one with tan pack on the step. You get a sense of just how cosy, welcoming and posh this place is. No spa, room service, in-room phone or TV, pool, or fine dining. There is a bar under the stars, interesting characters, and wildlife (if you count the bugs and rodents).

The site where we're doing our training is right beside a side channel of the Nile River (Blue Nile, but most certainly looks brown) which is running fast now with rains in the region. In the weeds, on the left side of the river, we're assured are crocs lurking. Since the water is full of raw sewage and various parasites, including the dreaded Guineau Worm, we're not going to go and confirm the presence of the crocs.

Here is also our class photo from today. I'm beside the Director General of the Southern Sudan Prison Service. Great guy. Quite a strong leader here. Great class this week. Two of the students couldn't catch a flight from Yambio (town in one of the rural States) so rode two days over incredibly rough roads on small motor bikes to get to class. You have to see the roads here to fully appreciate what an experience they had to get here, and how much of an impression that made on all of us, including the Director General.

Wat Phra Kaew - Bangkok

I'd been told that if I was going to play tourist at only one spot, this was the place to see. I wasn't dissapointed. I only wish I'd gone early when the doors first open, before all the other Gringo's arrived. Big honking crowds. I'll definitely come back and spend more time - with Sieglinde. It ain't no fun doing this alone.

Went for a walk in the general area, and around the river afterwards. Had some great chats with some of the locals, and got in a taxi back to the hotel 2 minutes before it started to rain.

So, it turns out my hotel is just around the corner from one of the more famous/infamous night markets - Patpong. Famous as the big red light district, apparently is far less "red" than it was (still lot, and lots, and lots of sex for sale) and is now a massive night market. Being the rube I am, it didn't occur to me that things wouldn't really be hopping at 5:30 in the evening. Most of the stalls were still setting up and the bar girls were walking to work. So I sat at a sidewalk bar, nursed a beer and watched the world go by. Amazing how many older, single men were walking about (NOT that the description fits me!). Gosh, I wonder what they're looking for? A cheap t-shirt, some other souvenier, or...?

Personally, I was back in my room by 7:30 at night, starting to pack, sort out the files and papers I've accumulated, send thank-you notes to everyone I've met with here, and catch up on e-mail. Such a good boy!

Bangkok

Arrived here late Tuesday night (leave Saturday morning), and for the most part have only seen Bangkok through the window of the cab, windows of meeting rooms, or from the 28th floor of my hotel. The heat and traffic are the only real two significant negative factors so far, both of which I can get used to.

I did have Friday off, and managed to do a little sight seeing (next set of pictures).

Great people, incredibly inexpensive, fantastic street food, and the beer is cold.

Did I mention the traffic?

I'm the tall one in the middle

We went outside (in between the showers) to pose for end of course pictures. Anh was behind the lens, so didn't get into the group pictures. And yes, I did push out the other males so I could pose with the women students...

Driving in VietNam - it's not for the faint of heart

So there we (by "we" I mean the UN driver, and I'm simply the lump in the back seat watching the world go by) driving along this typically narrow suburban street (more of a lane) amidst the usual motorbike chaos, and here in front of us is a motorbike passenger balancing this large sheet of marble (must be incredibly heavy!) through the crowds and they struggle through traffic. Sort of like a snow plow effect on traffic and pedestrians.

Leaving Hanoi

I'm in Bangkok now, watching the news of the continuing floods in Hanoi and northern Vietnam. Truly amazing sights, and the death toll continues to rise.

Foolishly, I didn't take my camera to lunch last Friday when we had to go wading through foot deep water (just what is that in centimeters?), but one of the police did get this picture of me in the shallow end of the parking lot. I hear women dig this look.

It's still raining in Hanoi

The rain started Thursday night, and now on Sunday afternoon, it's still raining. The worst flooding was Friday during the day, but many streets are apparently still flooded. 19 reported dead, some areas without power, and over 100,000 without reliable drinking water. Worst rains and flooding in the city in 30 years, with 450 mm of rain falling in 1 twenty-four hour period. I didn't manage to get any pictures Friday, although where I was (the People's Police Academy) was under a foot of water, but did manage to find these two pictures online today. They accurately reflect what I saw on Friday evening. Truly amazing.