Kathmandu Goodness 2012

What do you do when you get bored in Sudan? You pack your weekend rucksack, you grab your Canon and head to Kathmandu and spend the next few days basking in the pure goodness of the glowing sun, eat loads of egg pokhara, momo dumplings, curry and drink delicious beer. Alongside that, you must breathe in the spiritual wonders surrounding you and be capitivated by the multitude of colours of prayer flags fluttering around, the sound Buddhist chants and the smells of burning incense. You must do the above in solitude and be amazed at how little you missed frivolity and the daily conversations of routine life.

Khartoum Times May 2012

Writing

José Saramago, the Nobel-laureate Portuguese novelist, poet, playwright and journalist recalled [of his grandfather who suffered a stroke and was taken to Lisbon for treatment], "He went into the yard of his house, where there were a few trees, fig trees, olive trees. And he went one by one, embracing the trees and crying, saying good-bye to them because he knew he would not return. To see this, to live this, if that doesn't mark you for the rest of your life," Saramago said, "you have no feeling."

Rocking

Courtesy of LB. Soaking in the view on Eagle Shit Rock.

Eagle Shit Rocking in Khartoum

So the girls and I thought we do what we’ve always wanted to do together – go camping. Desert camping specifically. So a bunch of misfits packed the car and went to Shendi, about 3 hours north of Khartoum. Specifically we were heading for a place called Eagle Shit Rock. Everything about the day was just right. I could feel it. We had everything ready. We even packed Uno cards.

Finally we got to Eagle Shit Rock.

Now what this place really IS a desert with rocks, boulders and on top of these boulders, more of them and at the very top of it is presumably the biggest boulder with tainted white eagle poo. Whether it is really eagle’s poo remains a mystery. I was maybe slightly disappointed but quickly I realized me (small me amongst those big ass rocks) just being there was already cool enough. We had a wander around checking the environs. It was 4pm and it was strikingly hot. We found a favourite boulder and attempted to do some climbing. I gave my friends small rocks and marbles for trying to climb, for telling alien jokes, for introducing the finer intricacies of the Swedish culture and for simply just being all good mushy fun.

We set our mats, sheets and sat around watching day turn to night. Gunther set up a bonfire (yes like a real bonfire). The sheesha machine was put together, and the meat all marinated and ready to be roasted. I sat there and took it all in. Wow. Freaking unbelievable. What were the odds that I find myself in the desert in Sudan, the stars twinkling above me, watching a real bonfire, drinking a whiskey and being around some of the finest company I could ever ask for? 

When it was time to sleep, I lay my head down and stared right up. Amortksi “Same Stars We Share” was playing. If I tried hard enough, I might be close to touching those sparkles above me. 

Khawajas paying homage to the Eagle Shit Rock (top right)

Preparing for goodbyes

"Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation"

- Kahlil Gibran

Globalization tells me the world is much smaller and more connected but that chasm of distance and longing sometimes cannot be so easily remedied by a plane ride for a weekend together or a telephone call. Kahlil Gibran was right then and still right today.

Who's going to help me eat all that food at our favourite Asian restaurant in town?

Photo Essay on Sudan - Dominic Nahr

Dominic Nahr, a photojournalist, had a recent photo essay capturing what's going on in the Nuba Mountains. It hit me how much I have grown to love and miss Southern Kordofan when I read this, "The reason I was so happy is because the Nubans are as inviting as their mountains that spring from the ground giving refuge and protection. The feeling of a struggle shared by Nuban civilians and rebels alike is innocent and pure. With almost no outside support they have learned to rely on themselves."

Read more: http://lightbox.time.com/2012/04/23/tracing-the-consequences-of-war-in-divided-sudan/#ixzz1tKtFaGjZ

Sharing one of my favourtite pictures taken in April 2011 when I was based in Kadugli. Villagers heading to the polling stations. And this one below: taken by JH. One of those weekends, we went hiking up.