Have now been in Sudan for two weeks and in Southern Darfur for just over a week. In all that time the temperature has never dropped below 80, either during the day, or so it seems, at night. Having worked and spent months in many countries of Africa, both north and south of the Equator, I have never before experienced the sort of consistent dry heat we have here at the moment.
The climate of this central area almost certainly influenced by the presence of the Sahara desert further to the north. However, yesterday morning everything changed for a while when the wind suddenly decided to blow really hard. Not the pleasant sort of breeze we experience in England but a very hot, almost blistering type of wind, which, combined with the sand and rubble covered streets created a dust storm, providing even more difficulties for people as they made their way around the town. Fine sand particles, together with all types of rubbish, including the highly coloured plastic bags of the cheap supermarket variety, rose up, swirling and dancing around the streets as if there were no tomorrow. Bits of debris flew everywhere, the sand being particularly harsh to bear as it tore into faces and eyes, getting into ones ears and up ones nostrils and generally making life a little less pleasant. As if it wasn’t quite difficult already. It is now that I am beginning to appreciate the traditional style of dress worn by many of the people of the hot and desert lands of the world. White light weight cotton cloth to reflect the heat, a loose covering style to allow air to circulate underneath and with headdresses to keep the sun off the head and to provide coverage for faces where necessary. Unsuitable for many modern occupations but highly practical and probably the only type of garment specially designed to cope with the ever constant grinding and soul destroying heat and the occasional dust storm. Walking in the wind along the streets, I had an appointment to keep which needed to be kept, my eyes soon felt very gritty and it was difficult to see at times as the dust, the dirt and the debris were charging about everywhere and seemed to be coming from all directions. But just as suddenly as it had started, all was calm again, and we were left with a changed scene as the various items of highly coloured rubbish gradually settled into their newly found positions.
At dusk, groups of women can be seen; returning from the fields, riding on donkeys laden with very large bunches of greenery. Fodder for the livestock I suppose. How they managed to climb aboard the donkeys and sit on top of the loads escapes me. Many carts are to be seen moving around the town, with scraggy brown horses pulling sometimes impossible looking loads. The owners I am sure appreciate the value of the livestock and try to look after them as best they can. But life is hard and particularly uncompromising in this region, unlike many others parts of the world. How lucky we are to be living in the English countryside with its ever-changing seasons.
Of the wildlife around Nyala I have only seen a few different species so far. Birds that look in every detail similar to small sparrows are everywhere, and pigeons, also looking remarkably like the English variety, are quite common. Small blackbird sized birds are in abundance, they have what can only be described as having dark fluorescent blue plumage with a very sharp looking beak and are seen rooting for insects on the trees. Occasionally a more exotic variety of small bird can be seen flitting amongst the few trees remaining in the streets. Amongst the buildings many birds can be seen looking for insects. They are not particularly flamboyant, having black heads, dark grey backs and almost white undersides. The shape and plume on the back of the head making them looking similar to the Common Jay in the UK. This morning I came across a group of Ibis, I think that’s what they are called. Largish black and white birds about one meter tall with stalk like legs and very long curved beaks. They were scavenging amongst the rubbish in the middle of the street oblivious to the small amount of traffic and pedestrians moving past. Those, and a few other non-descript varieties are all that are to be seen so far. Domestic animals such as dogs are few in the streets, while cats, as thin as rakes, stalk about the place looking for scraps. On seeing a stranger (a white man dressed in shirt and trousers) they shoot off as though frightened of meeting a fate worse that death. They, and all the other animals, have to compete with the herds of unattended cattle and goats, which also roam around the streets, eating every piece of vegetation they can find. Small lizards are everywhere, scurrying up or lying motionless on walls and roofs waiting for the odd fly to sail past. All manner of crawly insects abound, with large beetle like looking creatures, an inch or so across, quite harmless I have been told, wandering about the floors looking for goodies to eat. Of course the usual ant colonies are everywhere with their ever constant marching armies of thousands, moving remorselessly backward and forward in a steady stream from food supply to store across the floor, before finally disappearing from view in a hole in a wall or a tree, or just underground. Remarkably though, with the rainy season now over, there are relatively few flies and mosquitoes to be seen. Everyone still sleeps under mosquito nets however, and as I caught malaria a few years ago in South Sudan, am taking no chances myself.
Its 11pm and I have just heard my first mosquito of the day buzzing around, so will have to run for cover. TTFN.
Have a nice day.
J.