Lonely planet guide to Aweil…

Like many travelers I consulted the Lonely Planet guide before heading off on my trip. It didnt give much information about Sudan, and basically all it said about Southern Sudan is that you shouldnt go there. The Australian Government web site "Smart Traveler", another excellent source for travel advice, went further by giving the reasons you shouldn’t go - you might be shot, abducted or tread on a land mine; you might contract AIDS, cholera or typhoid; Your plane might crash or you might get eaten by a lion. All of which should be taken quite seriously. However if you have the good fortune to travel to this special place some time here is some advice to assist your journey...

Money...
Cheques, travelers cheques and credit cards are useless here. There are no ATMs and you cant withdraw money from a bank. The only thing to do is carry cash. Cattle can also work well but it is hard to carry them on the plane. A Sudanese Pound note which looks like a piece of paper picked out of the garbage will work fine. But a crisp, spotless US note will be scrutinised carefully. It seems a US$100 note dated 2006 is worth about 200 Sudanese pounds. If it is dated 2003 it may be worth half that. I had one dated 1999 - still in perfect condition - and they refused it altogether!

Toilets...
Going to the toilet in Sudan takes some preparation and shouldnt be left till the last minute. First you need to apply repellant, locate your toilet paper and find a jug of water for you to flush the latrine. No matter how much of a hurry you are in, take care to duck your head (as I found out on my first day!) and lift your feet at the same time. If you are not sure how to squat, dont worry. Take a short walk around town and you will see many children willing to demonstrate - without even being asked! They will even smile, wave and call "Kawaja" at the same time. In the corner of the latrine you will find a stick placed for your convenience. This is to assist "flushing" the latrine - which is not designed for toilet paper. Please take care to pick up the stick by the correct end. No matter how much of a hurry you are in to leave, take care to duck your head and lift your feet at the same time. And no matter what you suspect the neighbours are saying as you leave, give them a smile and return the water jug to its place.