Trip to Maban

Now we´re talking, the picnic is over. Getting to Juba International Airport was easy enough, until it was discovered at checkin that I brought 53 kg instead of the allowed 20 kg (personal bag 20 kg, IT box containing mainly food and water 25 kg and 8 kg hand luggage on top of that). A call to Caroline took care of that and now I have a signed and stamped "Cargo Movement Request Form". But it's only saying "1 bag 35 kg" so this might still get interesting tomorrow...

The flight on the UNHAS (UN Humanitarian Airline System) Dash 8 was smooth and we landed almost on time in Malakal. Lars continued directly to Bentiu but I had to stay the night before I can continue to Maban. Transports from all kinds of UN agencies and NGO:s showed up and people started to depart in all directions. And suddenly I was standning there alone in the heat in the middle of nowhere. Another call to Caroline and an hour later I was at the WFP compound. Malakal is a Regional Capital in the northern part of South Sudan immediately by the Blue Nile but it´s still not a very big place. Very few cars but a lot of pedastrians and donkeys. Even the school bus was a chariot pulled by a donkey.

After lunch (which my local host very clearly indicated was supposed to be paid by me) I got a desk in the server room. There was internet so I spent a few hours reading mail and sorting some files and photos. When that got boring and the business day started to approach it's end I started to wonder why my host never stareted to act on getting a room at the guest house, information on flight times for tomorrow and reservations of transportation to the guest house and to the airport. But suddenly a local incartion of Caroline showed up (male this time) and started to fill out forms. Half an hour later I was installed in barrack number 8 at the Guest House 9 km away, pickup was arranged for 7.00 in the morning, I new that the flight was about to leave at 8.00 and the cargo form was printed.

The UNHAS Cessna Caravan taking off from Maban.

This is what a Wider looks like after a month in the field. The temperature alarm is flashing more or less constatnly but after providing more distance between the boxes it seems to work better.