New neighbours

I used to be alone in apartment in a big villa since 18 month ago, I was not very happy to have neighbours especially the curious ones, i would prefer if calm couple or something….

I came from my days off from London, my sleepy guard said to me ‘’there are new people in the second flat’’ hoping they are not suddenness, I whispered to my self.

Then after a couple of days I discovered they are two men from china, I never expect to live beside theme, difficult to talk or to understand in addition to their smelly kitchen.

One day while I was sleeping I hared someone knocking my door, was the landlord, I said well what can I do for you. Please show me which electricity meter you are use? He asked me. I surprised, I pointed to mine, and then I said what is going on.

He said ‘’those gentlemen complain that you are using their electricity, I said what are you saying, I am here since 18 month and the other meters where zero of electricity this does not sound logic, does it?

One of them said I paid 200 USD and finished quickly, so I think you use some of our electricity, listen I have no time for what are you saying, I said.

I went to continue sleeping and never saw them again, they never come out of the flat, I am wondering what sort of business they are doing, just be inside the flat!

I still have the feeling that I am living a lone nothing changed except that I found a bag of rubbish at the front of my door each next day this is the only difference between neighbours and no neighbours so far.

Ramadan in Sudan

I used to fast since i was Little boy, 10 years or might be younger, fasting was never a problem for me, may be because a lot of things to do in Egypt.

I can remember that in Ramadan, i and my best friend we were chatting every day like 8 hours at least before breakfast and most of the time we continue after the breakfast, such long time to have with any one.

my friend his name is Ahmed too, i think i never liked any one in my life like him, we were so close more than brothers and can't wait to see each other, now never like before.

that is why i was busy while fasting when i was young, since 4 years i am travelling a round for business most of the time like having no home to stay in.

with time I'm losing friends cause almost i am not home most of the time and if i am home i do not stay in Cairo, just going around.

now I'm fasting for the second time in Sudan, its so exhausting and tiring, in the mid day i feel like i am not able to do any thing.

Try to find things to do, nothing except the TV, DVD and reading

Sudan has one face for all the year and all occosions, never changes

its fair to say Ramadan in Egypt is completely different with family and friends, i like it so much in Cairo, in Sudan or any other place no real meaning or feelings like i used to in Cairo. But it was my choice to work oversees, i enjoy it some ways and sometimes.

Rosa in London, she is a lone as well with the difference that she could find a lot of things to do while i am in Sudan so limited choices.

that is enough for today i am hungry and i need to go.

Visit to Oman

Lucky i was invited to attend the region meeting in Oman, usually its for the top management, but this year they decided to invite a lot of employee and i was one of theme.

Oman is so nice to see and to visit but i guess one time is enough, not more. the hotel inside the mountains in so impressive location on the ocean and its looks like a castle.

every day meeting from morning till evening then dinner and drinks, the best thing was drinks for free.

this meeting was so good chance to meet most of the top management staff and one day i set with sales vice president for dinner we had a chat for a couple of hours, it was good chance for me.

one day we went for cruse in the ocean and snorkeling in a place between the mountains, i found swimming in the ocean is really difficult and tiring, the water is so salty.

Oman is very nice country but looks like no people there, i went one day for shopping i found nothing good to buy and no people to see as well.

while coming back, i had all my things in back bag to avoid waiting in Khartoum airport as usual, inspite of that i had to wait because the network was down and they did not let us to get in.

i had to wait only 20 minutes then evey thing was ok, first time to avoid waiting for a copule of houres for my lauage.

When i came back from Oman it was first day of Ramadan, of course nothing to eat in the house and i was so lazy to cook any thing for my self.

I called a freind and went out for breakfast in very nice place called solitaer, it was so nice eating and chatting a bout every thing, then we said its wonderful chance to do that each next day, especially he is a lone like me.

in the next day my friend called my saying want to see me' i am going to go for emergency' might not come back.......

this is hard in sudan, meet friends and say goodbye shortly after meeting theme.

now i am going to cook something for my self as i have no one to have the breakfast with....

Still in London

We were so keen to go back to London as nothing to do in Leicester, Rosa successfully got a good job in London and consequently it was a lot of things to do related this job, we went to every where together and manage to sort every thing out.

one night we saw the musical play, billy Elliot its such good play.

I found out days running so fast then i had to go back to Cairo, i could not believe that i had stayed in London for 3 weeks.

stayed in Cairo a couple of night then flew to Sudan the place i have ever missed.

in London

Once i got the visa in my hand every thing becomes OK, nothing more to worry about.....i went to Egypt for a couple of days rushing a round to finish things with my company, bank........

any way, i have travelled so many times but this time was so different...first time to go to UK so i was so excited and can not wait to see Rosa.

meet Rosa in the airport, so many people coming from everywhere, we lost each other in the underground...funny, lucky i know how to go to the hotel so easily using the underground like i know London very well!!

the hotels looks so nice and beautiful on the Internet and i was so happy to have such hotel only for £50/day. But once i am there i discovered that the pictures on the Internet show how they see the hotel of course different view than ours, any way its so Central and near to every thing we need.

the hotel room is so Small that only one of us could move around the room at the time and to go to the other side we must walk on the bed, i did do that but Rosa did every morning......

London is so nice, pretty good, flowers every where so many places to go..for free though...i loved London more than i though i would. not too crowded like Cairo... directions are so clear and so many people ready to help us.

we bought our oyster then jumped into a bus we do not know where we were going, then get off in North Fichely had a lunch in so nice restaurant then went back to the hotel so easy

after a week we went to Leicester to visit Rosa's friends, they are lovely we having a good and relaxing time with theme.

Leicester is so quite town but nothing to do there, i liked it some way because its really pretty and clean, walking is very nice.

then we decided to go back to London....
P.S i am busy now kissing Rosa ......................................

Live Nubian Wrestling

Live Nubian Wrestling

Today is Friday, one of things i could do in khartoum is to go to see a live Nubian wrestling, i ever seen a life one in my life.Two teams were there ready to play, the first time is 'kalb al asid' that means lion heart and the other one is 'Algdyan' or goats (i'm not sure names should be translated or not)

the picture for lion heart team

when i went there i found a lot of audience, shown in the above pictures, I have understood to what extent its popular and a lot of people like it. its interesting even though I do not like wrestling that much because of the violence.

About the game,Each individual wrestles several rondomly chosen matches at a tournament.

Wrestlers are free to refuse to compete against an opponent if they wish.Awrestler dances into a ring, looks challengingly around, assumes a fighting stance, elbows on his knees and waits.

whoever accepts the challange enters the ring, now two men up to play. to over awe the opponent they whirl with springy steps, shake arms and shoulders. then after a lot of trials by arms one of them lifits the other and do his best to throw him to the ground but the other one try to stop this and try to throw the other one. once the buttocks touchs the ground the match is over and the next one will start and so one.

when i have finished and decided to go back home, it was nightmare to get my self out of the place, i just reversed my car out to the street then found my self trapped between too many cars, i am not sure where they want to go. i was like a littel boy lost his mummy and try to find her in so crowded railway station in Cairo, for sure he will never till the end of life.

i though its better to be very low profile in a place you do not know and it was good idea, after 15-20 min, a man over there helped me to get out to the main street then i was not to difficult to go back home.

Oh today is Monday, already I was decided to go to the British embassy without the invention letter though.

Of course I went yesterday to the place where is Nile river meets the white Nile, nothing new to see over there just a water running underneath me without any thing cherish to see.

I had attached all documents and every thing I have, like Bank statement, HR letter, resume and I felt that it would be more than enough.

Night time before sleeping I said it would be nice also if I attached the passport copy of Rosa at least they would know I am clear and have a good reason to go UK.

It wasn’t so important to give such loads of data but I tried to feel that nothing more I could do after that, so if I failed I will not regret or feel guilty.

Morning time I printed it and wrote that ‘this is a copy of my fiancé passport I am going to meet her in UK for holiday then we are coming back to Sudan’.

Finally I submitted my application and honestly I feel happy and comfortable like almost I have it in my little pocket.

After I left the embassy I get a call ‘Ahmed, How are you, good I am said, we received you invitation letter to apply for you visa’ shit I whispered.

This was from the business man, really its so good help from him, even though it was late a bit, at least he was true and at my expectation while the other one forget the whole subject!!.

I called a friend of mine has a good experience in sort of these things and explained him every thing so what do you think now, said you should not submit the invitation letter as it will be confusing for them, well I said.

Now I am waiting to get the visa once I get it I will go straight a way to London to meet my love and to continue my adventures over there.

Usually I like travelling at least I meet new people; see new things mostly for the first time in my life; and a lot of other things I think its not in my mind right now to mention. I feel so relax and completely different person while travelling for pleasure or business though, I think this is because of no pressure while I am way away from my work and people around me who driving me crazy sometimes.

In the fact I dream to go a lot of places like Ethiopia, Malaysia, and Australia and…….

Before I was travelling a round a lone or rarely with mates, it was fun as I am not have to wait someone to do any thing, I was doing what ever I do like. But when I was a lone I was not in rush to go any where I was delaying thing to unknown appointment and my plans were a long term ones often.

Now it is different I have my partner and I do love to go with her any where, just to be with her and to share every thing with her.

I discovered lately travelling a lone is not really good like to travel with a partner who could share you all the moments and memories, the good and bad ones either I mean.

Any way the next post will be after coming from UK; sure I write every thing I will do over there.

In the upcoming posts you could see a lot of information about Sudan and good things to do.

Going to Uk

Planning to visit UK.

Originally I was thinking to visit England and some of west Europe countries, I was informed by my manager that I will go to England to attend training course, I said WOW.
Its usually wonderful to travel especially when someone pay you the airfares and 5 star hotels.

When I failed to get a visa for Rosa to come back to Sudan, she said we could go to England for a while then go back to Sudan.

I said oh, its good chance to see England and have relaxation with my GF who I did not see 5 month ago!

Rosa is my GF, she is an Australian I was meet her on 15-06-06 in Sudan, it was a wonderful chance. She is so smart, inspiring and pretty women.

First step to go to UK.

Getting a visa,

generally I hate to apply for visas, as I feel that my application will be rejected, I do not know actually why I feel like this but I do.

First thing I do need was my bank statement, I called the bank, please I need the statement to apply for UK visa, is it ok to send it to me by the e mail, no we can’t’ the girl told me, I said no problem send it to me by DHL and back charge me, we can not do that though.

I said no way, I need it urgent, I said please advise me what could I do right now as I am in Sudan, she said we could do it for you, it takes 4 working days then you must delegate some to take it to send it to you by courier.

It’s so long, why 4 days? any way it’s ok i had to say that, i wrote the delegation and E-mail it to my brother Mohamed, to get the statement and DHL it to me.

i get a call from Mohammed after 4 days, 'Ahmed I am sorry they refused to give it to me' I said why, let me talk to the employee, I said he is my brother may I know the problem, we can’t accept scanned papers, it must be original the employee said to me.

eventually after 15 minutes of smooching, they agreed to give to my brother.

I had to wait a couple of days to get it by the DHL.

The other issue was the invitation letter.

I have called Trish, she is a sweet English girl I have meet her in Sudan, please I am going to visit UK and need an invitation letter to get the visa. In the week end we could sort it out she said simply, ok i replied.

Then called another business man for the same thing just as buck-up he said you are most welcome just send me an e mail and no worries after that.

After a week I get nothing either from her or him.

I decided to apply without this damn letter by Monday, I decided that after I lost the hope to get any help from any one and on the other hand i said i am ok, for sure i will get the visa.

Meanwhile i was thinking what i could say to Rosa i failed to get the visa, especially we had a lot of plans and dreams about going to Uk.

I though what could i do now, no thing in my hand really, oh its better to go to see where the white Nile meets the blue Nile ' this is one of the best things you could do in sudan' or i can go to the Tuty island where you could find nothing to do, to eat or to drink though.

P.S to know if I got the visa or not see the next post.

introduction

I was so reluctant to do my own blog, smpliy i am not good talker about my self and sometimes i can't express my self in right way, but eventually i did it.

also i have a littel things in my life worth to talk about but i feel like i am going to do a lot of things with my partner.

My background is petrolume engineering, my career drilling engineer but my profession is sales and evaluation engineer.

currently i am working for a british company but unfortionatly i had to relocate in Sudan, a lot of people does not know what is Sudan, briefly its hell demo.

inspite of that i have meet my soul mate overthere and this why i liked Sudan.
currently i am a lone waiting for my darling to come back to me, actually she was almost going to fly to sudan but in the last moment i called, oh darling......ummmmmmm......i am sorry your visa fallen through. oh dear what i should do now' she answered.

i have tried many other options to get the visa but i could not go through, it might be the first time in my life to fail to something i really want to do.

it might because i am in sudan where i feel i am powerless and surrounded with idiots who acting like over brilliant.

A visa in Sudan seems to be like a visa to heaven or may be more, its really so hard to issue one for any one.

another posts will follow when i have time