Day Twenty Two - 4th of July in Sudan

Happy Independence Day to all you Americans out there.

I was packed and ready to head to the airport at 7am this morning. It was very overcast, therefore nice and cool. Nicole and I waited at the airport until 10:30 when my little plane arrived. I scored a window seat right behind the pilot on the flight to Wau. It seemed like it took longer than 30 minutes to get from Aweil to Wau, but I sat back, enjoyed the view and some good tunes.

I think I would like to meet James Maskalyk, author of Six Months in Sudan. Have a conversation with him. It would be very interesting. He seems like a person I would enjoy talking to. I recommend this book to all of you out there….

Back in Juba at 3:30 after a horribly turbulent flight. UGH…I was so nauseous for most of the hour and 15 minute flight. It was raining when we landed. Our driver James picked us up and took us to Transmillenium, where instead of a tent, I was given a room at the back. It has walls and a concrete floor. Quite luxurious except for the fact there was no outlet…which was a problem because all my electronics were dead.

Nicole, Natalie and I went to the UNMIS compound and walked the track there, which is really just the road around the compound. It was very muddy but next time we go I want to try running instead of walking. I think it would be a decent distance run and I certainly don’t want to lose my endurance entirely…it is probably already gone after 3 weeks of not running. We went for supper at the restaurant in the compound, My Place. I had fish and rice, which was delish. It was a nice evening.

Now I am back at camp, writing this on my computer with the plan to post it later. I am quite sleepy and my bed in this room has a legit mattress that does not have a worn out spot where the previous people have slept. Bam! Nice mattress.

There is a giant locust in the bathroom stall with the toilet…I must say I was very excited to use a real toilet and not a squat toilet but that locust has dashed my hopes of that…

T-minus 5 days until Southern Sudan’s Independence.