The North African Gypsy

I don't think I have done so many countries in 1 1/2 months. I've been away from the place I consider home today (Tripoli) since the 15th of September, since then I've been to Egypt trice, to Sudan twice and once to Ethiopia and caught a total of 6 planes and 2 long haul busses.....

My wardrobe looking suitcase feels like my snail shell, it not only weights a tonne so makes me move like a snail, but it also takes things along as I make my way from one country to another.... I've collected coffee, wooden statues, scarfs, jewelry and bags....

These past 6 weeks have been great and jam packed with loads of activities and experiences many of which I have experienced for the first time such as cultural clashese with Sudanese, Scuba Diving in the Red Sea, Quadbiking, visiting a camel market, Ramadan in Sudan etc etc.....

I am now looking forward to going home where I will be able to sleep on the same bed for more than 2 weeks, speak to the friends I miss and eat food that won't make me throw up......

A glimpse of the highlights.....

Ramadan in Sudan
Sudan is the second Muslim country in which I've experienced Ramadan. It is very different from the Egypt one. The whole concept of Ramadan in Sudan is family, friends and tranquility. Most of the Iftars are held as picnics, infront the house with neighbours, on the green patches by the nile, on the green patches on roundabouts, Khartoum was like one big family breaking the fast together....... People sit, eat and chat and relax together......

Ramadan is an awful time for a non-muslim foreigner to be around...... as only one or 2 place in the whole of Khartoum are open anytime before 6.30pm...... and if you want to catch a cab at 6.30 to finally go and get yourself some food, not a soul is to be found!!!!

However I got to enjoy a couple of Iftars with Sudanese Colleagues as well as Egyptian Colleagues working in Sudan..... I thus found some cool hangouts in Sudan... and most importantly places where you can find the best ice-cream and waffles......

Sudanese Camel Market

Not too many camels to be seen.... but the drive to the place and the market place was enough to leave a Maltese, Ethiopian, Egyptian and Indian satisfied!!!

Egypt - Sinai - Dahab

After Sudan, I managed a 2 day hop to Egypt and a 3 day work rush in Ethiopia..... when finally I got back to Egypt and the ultimate 'Thea holiday' in my favorite place in the world..... the holiday was great...... a good mix of Thea time, Adventures and friends time...both old and new..... I got to do the things I've been wanting to do in ages... such as getting my Scuba Diving PADI certification, Quadbiking.... and eating goat bedoin style.... as well as enjoying a couple of beers with people who mean a lot to me..... a glimpse of Dahab....

The highlight of the week was definatley the Scuba Diving..... many of my friends in Malta and Libya dive..... I love the sea, I love fish, so I figured why not combine and dive..... easier said than done...... my instructor probably thought I was a nightmare student..... a very common sight throughout the course was me trying to swim up to the surface and my instructor holding me down by my fins or Scuba Jacket..... at the end I thanked her for doing that...... as the feeling of floating between water bed and surface is amazing.... the underwater life - he evil muray fish hissing at you, the chilled out fairy baslets swimming past you as though you were part of the reef, and the occassional octopus trying to pretend he was the reef, the ability to float in mid 'air' the moon walking on the sea bed and the laughs and chats with fellow divers after the dive are memorable......

I am now on the last phase of my long trip before I head back to Tripoli..... Khartoum will be my chiling zone for the next 10 days then home sweet home..... can't wait......