One-Way Ticket: Colorado to South Sudan

[trailsurfer]

Thanks so much for posting up this report! Fantastic images and great information!

[Containerized]

Warrenpfo - Huawei makes a series of these units that accept USB dongles from overseas (African and Asian) Internet providers. There is a powered port (USB 2.0) on the device, plus an Ethernet plug for any devices that don't have wifi. Other than that, it works just like a regular router. I suspect it is Cisco-based (or a Cisco licensed clone), as its setup log-in at IP address 192.168.1.1 is very similar to Cisco's WRT54/64 line of routers. The key is to make sure you have the 12v for something like this router on a separate circuit, as it's not really made for an application like this and you want to make sure it's stable. I put an in-line DC controller in the door (probably not necessary) just to make sure a power surge (during winching or jumping, for instance) wouldn't fry this. Remember also, obviously, that this should be grounded locally to the device.

[Containerized]

Christian,

Good questions. I had no issues with Somaliland and the visa was easy to obtain. I had traveled there before, so I knew a local commander and had dealt with the "embassy" (not much of an embassy, more of a small cubicle on the top floor of an office park building in London's East End) before. I had a very friendly conversation with the staffer there, discussing the region and my plans, and he was eager to have me as a tourist. As an index of how many visas are issued there (not many), my previous Somaliland visa #138 (three month, single entry) was issued December 6, 2010. My current one is #167 (one year, unlimited entry) was issued October 5, 2011. So in about one year I suspect London only issued about two dozen tourist visas.

Here is my current visa, for reference:



As you know, half the battle with planning this sort of thing is the paperwork:

[BlitzleBlat]

Do you have more information on the four day medical training course?

[Aubrey]

Welcome to Africa!

Do you use a GPS? There is a group in Africa (www.tracks4africa.co.za) that is compliling actual GPS data into maps for the continent. Please have a look at the website ...... the maps work on Garmin and all new data is very valuable as you well know ...... roads markings and directions in Africa can be a hit and miss affair. You can also download online so you could be fully aware of just how lost you are in minutes Please don't hesitate to contact me aubrey.r.moore "at" gmail.com if you need assitance. I am in Johannesburg but have contacts widely dispersed

I see you carry a lot of stuff in North Face bags ....... have a look in Nairobi or Dar es Salaam (maybe even Kampala) at a 4x4/camping store and ask for Wolff packs ...tough as nails and used by most African travellers ...stack easily and are robust.

What do you use for water in remote areas? Boiling ? Chemicals??

I am enjoying the story ......keep it coming

Cheers

Aubrey

[4x4x4doors]

Containerized: One more weighing in with appreciation for your sharing info, pics and stories.

[BobA]

Thanks for sharing

[Containerized]

Blitzle - We used "Aid Training" in the UK. They are excellent and have trained colleagues' teams before they were sent to Afghan, etc.

http://www.aid-training.co.uk/

No affiliation, not an employee, etc. Just a satisfied customer. They will do custom courses from 2 to 5 days.

[Containerized]

Aubrey - Thanks for the tips. Will look into the GPS database though, as I said, I've been pretty impressed with Garmin's East Africa map and it's pretty easily augmented/modified.

On the bags, I've been traveling with TNF Base Camp bags for years and have gotten two free ones, even when the bag's destruction was completely my fault. No complaints. I'd say 80% of our stuff is TNF or Prana and I have no complaints about either. For dry or fragile stuff, we have half a dozen Pelican cases that have served us well.

We boil water at home in Uganda (our water comes from a local borehole and we have a tower tank at the house) and when on the road. Three minutes at rolling boil.

[maxingout]

Awesome trip report.

I love that section of the world. When I lived in Arabia, I visited the Emirates and Oman by road. And when we sailed up the Red Sea, we stopped in Oman, Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea, and Egypt which were very interesting. I would love to visit the same areas again in my own vehicle. There are advantages doing to the trip by land as compared to doing it by sea.