Selfpotret van 'n baie dors en moeg mens in Khartoem
Saterdag tot Sondag
Beginpunt:
Eindpunt: Khartoem (Soedan)
Afstand: Saterdag 234 km, Sondag 535 km
Ek het Saterdag voor sonop uit
Vir die eerste keer het ek ten duurste swartmark petrol gekoop (byna R 30 per liter) net om weg te kom.
Anne en Anja se bestuurder, Wubeshet, het Donderdagaand met die afskeidsete vertel die pad grens toe is sleg en hy sal bid. Hy was reg. Dit was vir lang ente eerste en tweede rat en stof eet van rye vragmotors wat van voor gekom het.
Drie-uur Saterdag was ek by die grens, vuil en stinkend.
Toe beleef ek die wonderlikste grenservaring ooit.
Die Soedanese immigrasiebeampte bied my ‘n stoel aan.
‘n Ander een bied my ‘n beker koue drinkwater aan.
Ek moes iets by die fiets gaan haal. Toe ek terugkom, is my stoel deur ‘n ander beampte geneem. My beampte bied my toe sy stoel aan!
Toe ek dink ons is klaar, neem almal hul stoele en gaan sit in die skadu langs die geboutjie. Ek en my stoel word saamgeneem. Ek sit ook toe maar en kyk na die mense wat deur die grens kom.
Elke keer as ek in die kantoor inloer, wys die enigste werkende een vir my met sy vingers nog 5 minute.
Ons sit en kyk maar verder.
Toe staan al twaalf op en gaan binne toe. Ek bly sit. Dit was verkeerd. Hulle kom haal my. Op die tafels staan vier bakke kos en brode, en ons begin te eet. Hulle maak plek vir my en met die regterhande eet ons diep in die bakke in.
Na die ete bied hulle my twee bekers koue water aan. Ek drink maar altwee toe leeg.
Ek gaan sit weer op my stoel en wag. Verkeerd. Een kom haal my. “Pudding”, sê hy.
Ek kom binne en daar staan ‘n bak met geel bloemaans. Ken jule bloemaans? Ek weet nie hoe mens dit spel nie, maar julle sal verstaan.
Elkeen het ‘n lepel, ek kry ook een. En ons eet daardie bak leeg. Ek eet tot niks meer oor is nie.
Ek gaan sit weer op my stoel buite. Een van die beamptes kom aangestap met ‘n glas tee. Dis vir my. Ek drink toe nog die tee ook.
Toe niks meer te eet en drinke was nie, maak hulle toe my dokumente klaar en kon ek ry.
So, almal wat gesê het die Soedanese mense is die vriendelikste, julle is reg! Moet net nie haastig wees nie.
Ek is toe te laat by die grens weg om enigsins Gedarif in daglig te haal. In die eerste 30km van die grens het ek ten minste 3 masjiengeweerposte gesien en drie 14.7 lugafweerkanonne op voertuie in die bosse langs die pad. Ek het toe teen my planne besluit om wild te kampeer.
By die eerste statjie stop ek en vra toestemming om daar te kamp. ‘n Gryskop sê ek moet eers saam koffie drink. Ek kry toe drie koppietjies swart soet koffie. Toe ry een van die manne voor my uit en gaan wys vir my ‘n plekkie waar ek
Toe my tentjie klaar staan, kom nog ‘n seun aan en vra in foutlose Engels wat ek sou wou drink. (Graag ‘n bier maar alle alkohol in Soedan is verbode). Ek vra ‘n koeldrank en hy sê ek moet net tien minute wag. Hy vlieg weg en tien minute later is hy terug met ‘n koue koeldrankie en broodjie. Hy wou nie ‘n sent daarvoor hê nie!
So het ek Saterdagaand na ‘n byna volmaan gelê en kyk tussen Soedanese grashutte, omring met menslikheid soos ek dit nog nie beleef het nie.
Sondag: Ek is met sonopkoms weg van my vriendelike gashere. Die rit Khartoem toe was hel, ‘n woestynhitte soos wat ek dit nog nooit beleef het nie. Teen die einde kon ek nie meer as 40 km ry sonder om nie eers te stop om iets te drink nie.
Ek is vanaand biltong, uitgedroog.
Groete uit Khartoem. Ek staan nou vir ‘n paar dae want ek moet eers hier registreer en dokumentasie regkry voor ek verder
Rina, baie dankie vir die vertaling!)
Saturday to Sunday
Starting point: Gondar (Ethiopia)
Destination: Khartoum (Sudan)
Distance: Saturday 234 km, Sunday 535 km
I left Gondar on Saturday before sunrise, but all in vane. Al the petrol stations were without petrol and the surrounding towns were affected as well.
For the first time I had to buy costly black-market fuel (almost R 30 per litre) just to get on my way.
Anne and Anja’s driver, Wubeshet, told me at Thursday’s farewell dinner that the road to the border is bad and he’ll pray for me. He was right. For long distances I had to drive in first and second gear, eating dust and rows of trucks coming from ahead.
I arrived at the border Saturday at three, dirty and smelly.
I then experienced the most wonderful border crossing ever.
The Sudanese immigration officer offered me chair.
Another, a mug of cold drinking water.
I had to go and fetch something from my Kawa. When I returned my chair was taken by another officer. The immigration officer then offered me his chair!
When I thought we were finished, they all took their chairs and went to sit in the shade next to the building. My chair and I were taken along. I then also had to sit and look at the people coming through the border.
Every time I peeked into office, the only working officer showed me with his fingers that it will be another 5 minutes.
We sat and looked on.
All twelve then stood up and went inside. I remained seated. That was a mistake. They came to fetch me. On the table stood four bowls with food and plates. We stated eating. They made space for me and with our right hands we ate from the bowls.
After lunch they offered me two mugs of cold water. I emptied both.
I went to sit on my chair again. Mistake. One came to fetch me. “Pudding”, he said.
I enter and on the table is a bowl with yellow blancmange. Do you know blancmange? I am not sure of the spelling, but you’ll understand.
Each one of us got a spoon, I got one as well. And we emptied the bowl. I ate until nothing remained.
I went outside to sit on my chair again. One of the officers walks towards me with a glass of tee. It is for me. I drank that as well.
When there was nothing more to eat or drink, they finalised my documents and I was able to leave.
So everybody that said that the Sudanese people are the friendliest, you are right! Just don’t be in a hurry.
I left the border post too late to reach Gedarif in daylight. Within the first 30 km from the border post I saw three machinegun post and three 14.7 anti-aircraft defence on vehicles in the bushes next to the road. I decided against my plans to camp in the bush.
I stopped at the first village to ask permission to camp there. A grey haired man said that I must first drink coffee with them. I got three cups of sweet, black coffee. Then, one of the men then drove off ahead of me to show me a place where I can camp. There they gave me a bucket with water for washing and an extra bed if I were to sleep outside.
When my tent was pitched, a boy came and asked in perfect English what I wanted to drink. (A beer, but all alcohol is banned in Sudan). I asked for a softdrink and he said that I must wait just ten minutes. He took off and ten minutes later he was back with a cold softdrink and bread. He didn’t want a cent for it!
Saturday evening I lay looking at an almost full moon between Sudanese grass huts, surrounded by humanity as I have never experienced it before.
Sunday: I left my friendly hosts at sunrise. The drive to Khartoem was hell, a desert heat as I have never experienced before. Towards the end I couldn’t drive more than 40 km without stopping for a drink.
Tonight I am biltong, dehydrated.
Greetings from Khartoem. I am stranded here for a few days because I must register here and get documentation in order before I can travel further.
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