Sweltering in South Sudan

 

Arrived in South Sudan a day late following a very comfortable overnight stay in Nairobi.   The airport was still chaotic with queues everywhere.  Luckily we got a flight to Juba where we were picked up by VSO.  Unfortunately our luggage did not arrive until the day after.  I think we were very lucky to get it considering the chaos.    We’ve had a very busy and interesting training week with VSO.  There were 8 of us in the group, 7 VSOs and 1 accompanying partner.  We’ve had a lot of fun too.

 

It’s very hot and dusty in Juba, I don’t think my feet will ever be clean again and my shoes will be ruined.  We are staying in a local guest house where we have generated power in the afternoon and overnight. The power is great at night, I sleep with a fan on but I won’t have that luxury where I’m going.  It’s usually around 30C when I go to bed.  The owners are from Eritrea and have looked after us very well.

 

Juba has a huge mix of different culture, different tribes and refugees from other countries and areas of conflict.  It’s better developed than I imagined it would be with lots of new buildings but lots of poverty too.  There are small compounds within the city of traditionally built mud and straw houses. There is no water or sewerage system.  The water is pumped straight from the Nile and taken in tankers and sold to people.  The waste water is also collected and presumably goes back into the Nile.  It’s very dirty water and typhoid is rife.  We use hand sanitiser after washing our hands.  The main roads in town are tarred but most of the roads are dried mud and very rutted, they turn to rivers in the rain.

 

We visited Juba hospital and College of Nursing.  The college, which has separate funding, was palatial compared to what I’ve seen in Africa.  It had a great library, skills lab, computer room, class rooms and offices.  The hospital was a different story.  In the paediatric ward there were patients on the floor and 3 to a bed.  There were 3 children in with gunshot wounds.  They had typhoid, malaria, other infections and trauma all together.  Some of the wards had no running water.  In one of the wards we found the trained nurses having a sleep on the beds.  They had a bed each.      No one said the job was going to be easy.

 

It’s not acceptable to take photos, one of the group was seen trying to take a photo of an animal carcass in the street and was stopped.  We were also accused by soldiers of taking photos when we walked over the bridge over the Nile, it felt a bit threatening.  If you act in a respectable the manner the local people are very welcoming and polite.  Unlike Malawi they do not pester you or ask you for money or try to sell you things.     We have a free weekend then Liz and I are flying to Wau early on Monday morning.    Unfortunately my accommodation will not be vacant until next weekend so I’ll have to spend next week in a guest house.  So its work next week and a whole new adventure.

 

Thanks for your comments, its great to hear from home x

Greetings from Nairobi

Uneventful flight to London from Edinburgh where we did some last minute shopping and shared a bottle of champagne.  I don't think I'll be doing that again for sometime however I'm sure I'll discover some new cocktail recipes in South Sudan. 

 Liz is in the middle and Holly to the right, my companions, friends and supports for the next year.

After some discussion and uncertainty, due to the fire at Kenyatta Airport, we took off as planned.  We landed in a smouldering airport with hoards of people who had been delayed from the day before.  It took so long to get through immigration, which was in a gazebo, we missed our flight to Juba.  The chaos at the airport was impressive, there were queues everywhere, ample misinformation and people losing the plot.

 

 

After hours waiting in queues we were taken to a very comfortable hotel in Nairobi where we have been looked after very well.  The plan is to try again tomorrow.  We have been told that we are on a 7.40 flight but we'll see what happens.  We don't know where our luggage is, but hope it will turn up in Juba at some point.  We are due to be picked up at 4 am so its an early night, no champagne or cocktails tonight.

14 Hours To Go

 

 

Packing done, well just about. Goodbyes said, unless the phone rings again.  Checked in for my first flight.  As you can see from the photo I'm chilling out with friends, sharing a bottle of wine.

 

Many thanks to everyone for their good wishes and very kind gifts which will make my stay in South Sudan much more comfortable. 

 

Big adventure starting tomorrow.  I plan to meet Liz, who is going to Wau with me, in Edinburgh Airport tomorrow.  We will meet Holly, who is going to Yei, in Heathrow at the champagne bar before our second flight.  So its goodbye to Tesco, a comfortable car, flushing toilets and broadband and hello to a new and developing country where everything will be different, challenging and exciting.

 

Hope to hear from you via the blog.  As soon as I get a mobile number in South Sudan I'll let John know so if you want to text me he will be able to give you my number.  A week in politics is a long time but a year in South Sudan will fly by.  Keep in touch, see you soon.