This morning we took it slowly since the restaurant only opened at ten. We had pizzas for breakfast and only started driving at half past eleven. For the first time we saw cemeteries. The tombstones look like those small name tags that you stick into the ground to identify plants/herbs. I still want to Google the reason why it is so. Since Friday is the Muslim Sunday the roads, towns and even Khartoum, our final destination, were less crowded than usual. Anja and I also served as Lodie's early warning systems since the roads have no shoulder where one can pass. The Toyota is right-hand-drive and we drive on the right hand side of the road.
We arrived in Khartoum after 14:00. The city is still under construction in most parts but other parts have neat, modern buildings. I saw Adidas, Mango and Diesel shops. The robots even digitally show you how many seconds need to pass before the light will turn green. I haven't ever seen this in any European country that I have visited.
Our accommodation for the night is at the Blue Nile Sailing Club. We pitched our tents this afternoon and started chatting to a British couple, Bob and Jackie. They have been driving since April and will eventually end up in Cape Town. We drank fresh, ice cold, fruit smoothies.
I washed my hair at the outside washbasin and afterwards we went for our farewell dinner at…wait for it… Steers! I could not believe it when we drove by, but there was a Debonairs Pizza as well. Juicy hamburgers greeted us as well as the most excellent air conditioning.
The last part of the day we sat in the outside area that looks out on the Blue Nile and drank some more fruit smoothies. The air in Khartoum today was light gray, a big dust cloud. I do not know if it is like that every day. Tonight when the electric lights came on, it looked like Luke Skywalker was getting together an army since the lights reflect so brightly against the foggy air.
I would've liked to experience more of Khartoum since the city totally surprised me, but as all good things come to an end, I leave for South Africa on Saturday.
My trip is almost over and I hope I helped Africa to tell her story.
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