Journey Impressions: Khartoum

Khartoum: approx. 1.41 m inhabitants (2009)
Sudan: approx. 41.3 m inhabitants
Population growth (2008): 2.1%
People per km²: 16.5
Gross national income per person in 2008 PPP: 1,930 USD


05.11.2010 Khartoum: A car was waiting at the exit to the terminal to take us to the Canton hotel. The handling agent confirmed that we were sitting in the right car and we would then be driven to 5th Avenue. After arriving, the chauffeur said goodbye and we walked into the hotel in high spirits. At the reception we discovered to our surprise that we were in the wrong Canton hotel. It was 15th Avenue that we had to go to. A hotel car took us there and our luggage was stowed in the boot for the second time. The friendly young lady at the reception explained to us that she couldn't find any bookings from us at all. After I showed her the booking, she said in a friendly manner that this reservation had not been confirmed and was merely an offer. She also went on to say that the hotel was completely booked out and she unfortunately couldn't accommodate us there. She shook her head when I asked her whether she could help us book another hotel. I just smiled at her and asked: 'Couldn't you help us in Khartoum?' Eventually she actually made a few phone calls and got us two rooms in the Rotana Group's Hotel Al Salam. She assured us it was the best 5-star hotel in the whole of Khartoum and they had rooms free there - at pretty acceptable prices of 300 dollars per night and person. We agreed and had a glass of fruit juice while waiting for Hotel Al Salam's chauffeur who then took us back through the city. After an odyssey of three round trips of the city, we eventually reached Al Salam. It really is a good hotel to 5-star standards.

In the hotel, we spread out in a lounge on the fourth floor and had something to eat. I then noticed that my room had a lovely view, but also a loud electrical device that would make sleep impossible. Unfortunately I had to complain and switch rooms again. But then I had a wonderful room.

In the evening, we were able to organise a meeting with Dr. Franz Stadtbäumer and his co-pilot Max. Max and I have known one another for several years. Dr. Stadtbäumer is an enthusiastic pilot in Africa and has spent many years flying in different parts of the continent in a Cessna 172 or Cessna 182. He also takes fantastic aerial photos. Max, his co-pilot had already been part of a crew that flew round the world in a Diamond 40 - on a similar route to the one I flew in 2007. Mr Stadtbäumer's crew was on the way to the airfield to fly back home in an airliner. He is keeping his plane on the ground for a month here, so that he can then fly to Ethiopia to take more aerial photos. Mr Stadtbäumer put us in contact with a very important person in Khartoum who got us some avgas. He's called Marvan El Rasheed from the Sabal Group, a major electrical company with an affiliated avionics sector. One of the Sabal Group's projects is rebuilding Khartoum's main airport. As we were to find out the next day, Mr Marvan was the most important person to ensure we got avgas for the next two stretches from Khartoum to Addis Ababa and Addis Ababa to Kampala.

06.11.2010 Khartoum: As several trips by car from the airfield proved, Khartoum is a pulsating city with heavy traffic. Today a meeting with our handling agent and Mr Marvan is planned to refuel 'Marie'. However, the whole procedure took from 10.00 a.m. to 5 p.m., so that we weren't able to see any more of Khartoum. We only caught a glimpse of a wedding that took place in our hotel's wonderful green garden. Mr Marvan kindly brought us back to the hotel. He assured us he would send the bill for the avgas by e-mail, so that we could pay it via one of his banks, the Dresdner or Commerzbank. This level of trust is rare in Khartoum. Normally everything here is paid in hard dollars.

We're expecting to take off without any complications.