Made it to Juba

At the end of my first week in Nairobi, I finally got my luggage situation all sorted out.  Once the call came in that they had found some luggage that may or may not have been mine, I didn't really care--I was just glad to talk to somebody who didn't keep blowing smoke up my ass and telling me to be patient and that this was all a process.  After getting cleared by security and talking with the baggage guys for a while, I found both of my backpacks under a pile of suitcases pretty much in the same condition I had sent them.  Every night I kept imagining them wandering around Nigeria somewhere and had pretty much given up hope that they would be found.  Not too bad.  I celebrated by eating three lunches.  Justice baby!  

I took a ten o'clock flight from Nairobi to Juba, Sudan, which lasted about an hour.  After touching down at the airport and stepping out on the tarmac, I was a bit taken back by the sudden change in weather.  I had gotten used to the nice cool air in Kenya and forgot what it was like to like in a hot humid hell.  Today actually was just fine, but I had apparently gotten spoiled in Nairobi.  Juba airport is not so big.  Mostly its just a huge runway with a large building to the one side.  Two huge white UN cargo planes were taking off and several of the white UN cargo choppers were sitting in the grass.  Walking inside, I was greeted by a sign from an oil company welcoming me to Juba and Southern Sudan--"Our Country, Our Land, Our Oil, Our Liberty."  

Juba is a huge city.  More in size than in population.  The dusty streets are filled with white Land Rovers as well as teenagers on motorcycles.  The Save the Children compound was only about a 15 minute ride by Land Rover from the Airport.  The Country office is composed of a couple of small buildings surrounded by a brown wall and a gate.  There are about 20 staff and everybody has been very friendly.  Juba is a safe city--one of the safest in Africa.  Sometimes though, people do break in to the NGO compounds looking for anything of value.  Late last night, the SC compound was hit by a small group who beat up the guard and wrecked the safe.  

The guesthouse is just a short walk down the street.  I'll head over there once the generator cuts off at 7 (in about 20 minutes).  I'm excited to head out to Pagak tomorrow.  It hasn't rained for about a week so the ground out there should have dried up enough to walk around without it becoming a mud bath.  

Thanks everyone for all of your help and support this past week.  Even without having any of my stuff, I felt great just knowing that I have such a good group of friends.    

My next update should be from Pagak.  One of these day's I'll try to get some pictures up.