I reached the boarder of Sudan, Wadi Halfa on the 13th of September at 11.30am after a 19 hour journey via a boat that could hold up to 600 something commuters. I was told the boat to Sudan leaves the port at 10am so I had hurried there by 7.45am. It was 5pm when the boat finally left. The immigration check points were a complete nightmare as I checked out of Egypt and checked into Sudan. It took me almost nine hours to just complete the series of check points in Egypt and another three hours to complete the check points upon landing in Sudan. I made friends with a middle age man from France who said he has never experienced any immigration check points like this and I could not agree with him more.

Today, 19th of September, I have cycled more than 420 kilometres and am at Dongola. I am having some difficulty here, I am broke. There are only local banks here and they do not recognise my international bank cards. They do not have Western Union or Money Grams too. Since this is a small country, I can find such services only in the capital city, Khartoum but for that to happen, I would need money to travel. So I am stuck here, waiting for money to be wired into a local Korean friend’s bank account so I can go further.

Except for money matters, things are going almost smoothly. People are very friendly here and it is a lot safer here than Egypt. Hotels mean an open sky ground, here we just pay for a bed and it is beautiful to sleep under the sparkling stars. I am saying it is safe here because I leave my camera, laptop and my belongings out in the open like everyone does and it has already been six days. Nothing has been stolen; there has not even been an attempt. I do not have to worry about locking my bicycle. I have also made friends along the way who has offered to let me spend a night in their family home.

It is 43 degree Celsius. I still have not gotten used to the heat and I have been told that this year they are having it lucky if not the temperature would have soared higher than just that. Another problem I am facing is lack of water. I got the chance to bath just yesterday and I can hardly find drinking water with very little shops and with the heat even seven litres of drinkable water is not adequate enough.

I like the hospitality nature of Sudanese. I think I will be enjoying myself thoroughly here. I look forward to exploring more of Sudan and spreading my messages to the people.