Kassala, Sudan - Friday 12 January 2007 - We managed to land in Kassala in Sudan

We are now reporting from Kassala in Sudan, country number 19 since February last year. I think I am starting to get a bit proud of my traveling companion Betsy, but don't mention it to her, she might get fussy... And this was quite a day for us, we started one hour before dawn and because of my dazzling days in Asmara, I had no idea that we had to drive in the dark for almost an hour. Well, the roadwork in Eritrea has been nothing but great and it is a lot to pick on when it comes to the Eritrean government and their behavior, but the roads are impeccable.

From Asmara to Keren it was hills and curves like Burundi's little Switzerland roads and from there onwards flat as pancake. Already here I imagined that we were in the Sudanese desert. The rivers were dry and the fields deadly yellow. From Asmara to Tesseney I passed through 10 roadblocks and the last one could have resulted in a disaster. I drove out of a small village, just stopped and registered at the first roadblock heading into the village. On my right side there were three kids riding a donkey in these characteristic white long shirts. I was driving about 40-50 km/h, half my body out the window, smiling and waving at the kids. And then BOOM... I smashed into the rope that looked like someone put there ugliest clothes out to dry, kept together with big oil barrels. I managed to move the entire setup five meters before I hit the brakes. The hot asphalt was fuming and I expected the military police to do the same or worse, fire up the Kalashnikovs... I looked back and I laughed and so did the police. He said; didn't you see it? don't worry, no problem, go on... and he gave me the warmest smile as he was Santa Claus himself. We managed to arrive safely in Kassala Sudan, the hospitable costumes officers allowed me to camp in there back yard. Luck has not yet vanished!!!