There is a reason why WFP (World Food Programme), which is the plane we take when flying, has had the acronym WFP altered to mean WFP (Waiting For a Plane). After experiencing the exquisite atmosphere of the Juba airport waiting room for 6.5 hours, yes six and a half hours, it was starting to lose its Juba charm. With the oh-so-stuffy air and dilapidated couches it was not where I would have chosen to spend the majority of my Wednesday.
We arrived at the Juba airport at 8am, after many phone calls to our late driver. Much to our dismay it really did not matter that we were late. We rushed through a breakfast of eggs and untoasted toast accompanied by a delicious latte (first one ever in Sudan). 8:50 we walk back through security and find a seat in the waiting room. 9:00am rolls slowly past, which was our original flight time. By 9:30 I was not surprised that the plane was late. It’s Juba, it is going to happen. A voice came over the incredibly crackly loud speaker and made an unintelligible announcement. The only words the three of us understood were Rumbek and Wau so we got in line, cattle-lined our way on to the bus to take us to the tarmack, exited the bus and were immediately told to get back on, this was not our flight. OH JOY.
There were only 10 people on the 50-passenger plane. I cried a little inside at the though of how wasteful and harmful to the environment our flight was just to get 10 people to Rumbek. *sad face*
We made it to Rumbek after a much needed nap. What did we do when we landed? Found a tree to sit under and wait for UNHCR to pick us. They never came/we didn’t have any contact information for any of the Rumbek staff so we asked the men sitting under the tree if there were taxi’s or boda boda’s we could take. We settled for the boda boda, but then some random guy called the hotel we are staying at to come pick us. It worked out wonderfully. A nice Kenyan man named John picked us and drove us the short distance to Safari Style Hotel.
We got settled into our lovely self-contained rooms. They are huge! Bachelor suite size minus a kitchen, I definitely appreciate it. I have a wardrobe! I can hang up my clothes. So fancy. I am not going to want to leave. AND my mattress! Oh my goodness. Let me tell you about my mattress. There is no evidence of any other person sleeping in this bed. It is the same thickness no matter where you lie. Fancy that eh? No mattress groove = happiness. There is a pool here. It looks nice. And internet which seems to only work at strange hours during the day and of course when it is not raining.
All of our meals are prepared here at the hotel. It is nice not to have to search for a place to eat. I have informed them of my vegetarian needs and they are very accommodating.
There is some breed of deer roaming around the hotels compound. The little ones are cute.
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