Enjoying My Time in Khartoum

Even though life in Khartoum is not similar to Kuala Lumpur, there are still some breather here and there. Only way to keep entertained is to go round the city looking for some cool places to have some drinks (not alcohol term).

On Tuesday evening after work, we went to Ozone. Really cool place. Just look at those water being sprayed all over the garden. My colleague was enjoying those spray, just right behind him.

It's an al fresco cafe located at a roundabout with cars circling round and round. I'm like a bat now. Will appear publicly during sunset.

My hot chocolate drink ....... mmmmmmmm. It's 5 Sudanese Pound for that drink.
My mini fruit tart. Cost me 7 Sudanese Pound (2 Sudanese Pound = US$1.00).










The rest of the guys ordered Cinnamon on something something .... and Donut. Most of the pastries would cost about 5 Sudanese Pound.













This is one of those air-conditioned shop at Ozone where they will sell their foodstuff on take-away basis. If you were to dine-in, a waiter will serve you.

That guy on the left in this picture saw me taking this picture and came to the door telling me that I can't take any picture there. Why? I know you can't do it at the airport due to security reasons but here also?

We had checked with our Sudanese lawyer before on the reason for not allowing us to take pictures in Sudan to which he said - no such laws. But we are still careful with it.

After our drinking session, we went to a shop called PC Shop that doesn't sell PC (PC is understood as Personal Computer in short).

This shop sells Swiss penknives, jungle trekking knives, kitchen knives - Swiss Army, Victorinox and Wenger brands (all three are in the same family) / Swiss watch -Victorinox and Wenger brands / SIGG water bottle / Parker pens and another german watch (forgotten the name).

They have this wonderful giant collection, the world's largest penknife. Manufactured by Wenger.
This is the certificate stating the world record. Now, in order to use this penknife you would have to bring the object to the penknife ...... hahaha ...... defeats the purpose of having a penknife.












This is part of the penknives showroom. Back in year 2004 when I first stepped into Sudan, we were shocked to see this branded shop in Khartoum itself. The only branded stuff in the whole country.

This shop is generating good business with the many expats working in Khartoum. You don't even find such a boutique in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.
Tags: Khartoum, Al Fresco, Cafe, Fruit Tart, Hot Chocolate, Ozone, Victorinox, Wenger, SIGG

Night Rendezvous in Khartoum

I left my house at 11pm, a big mistake in view of my flight being at 12.55am. Not intended but due to bad fever, eyesight deteriorated too. A seven hours flight brought me to Dubai. Stayed in transit hotel till 12 noon before checking out to go to Dubai Airport. Flight was at 2.40pm but delayed for one hour and finally arrived in Khartoum International Airport at 6.20pm (Malaysian time, 11.20pm). A solid 24 hours trip.

Good thing I was on Business Class so the luggage bags came out quite fast. Thanks to two of my Malaysian colleagues who came to pick me up. They waited for a very long time. The best thing is you can't enter the airport's arrivals hall. You can only wait outside, breathing in the fine sand filled atmosphere. No notice board or any digital board showing you which plane was landing or departing. Just guess by the hearing of an airplane's engine sound behind the building ...... hehe. Welcome to Sudan.

No photos here as it was not allowed. I still remember my first trip to Sudan in year 2004. Upon coming down from the plane, I entered a shuttle bus which will ferry you to the arrivals hall. Inside the bus itself, I snapped a picture of a row of planes that lined up nicely, with each of the plane's cockpit nose pointing out.

Soon, a man in plainclothes, shouted at the bus driver to open the back door of the bus. I was instructed to come down. Three guys came at me. I was the tallest amongst us but felt very small indeed at that second. They spoke in Arabic pointing at my digital camera (the worse thing is that was not my camera). I knew there and then that I was not permitted to take photo and courage built-up instantly telling them that I could erase that photo.

One of this security fella tried to press this and that button hoping to do something. In fact, he doesn't know but ego wise, wouldn't want to hand it to me or his colleague. The third security fella could understand a bit of english and I told him that the picture could be deleted from my camera but first, hand it to me. You wouldn't want to snatch it from them.

Coolly, I took the camera from the ego nose sticking up fella who looked at me angrily and showed them the step by step to delete that picture from my camera. Then showed them again by snapping a picture of the ground and delete it too.

They allowed me to board another bus to go to the arrivals halls. When that situation was happening, the first and second bus' passengers were looking at the commotion. Malu lah!

Can't blame them, not all have seen a digital camera. So, this was a very tough lesson that I have learnt on my very first second touching the ground of Sudan. What a memory! Priceless and money or any credit cards can't buy it.

Only armed with my Sony P990i mobile phone's camera, this is the best that I could do. We can take photos privately but try not to capture other people's wife or girlfriend lah ....... otherwise we can't save you too.

Here, my colleagues Nazril and Fairuz.
Peter and Amin (enjoying his Grape juice). I ordered Mango juice.
Feri in red. It rhymes.

Don't know what's the name of the shop. It was in Arabic. Tell you the name also no point as you won't come to this place. We were served with raw vegies, something like those french loaves and that spicy sauce in the small plate right in the centre. My, the carrot was really tough. The green leafs were spicy naturally.
Our real meal came later. This was the lamb's bones where its meat has been taken out to be served on a different plate.
The roasted chicken. I can say it's really well done!
With me just recovering from my fever, this fellas brought me to this place to eat such over roasted and well burnt chicken.
This is the fried lamb meat in cube form now. Not very tasty but it was edible (that's the most important). After the dinner, straight back to our home. Only entertainment was our TV or internet.
Tags: Lamb, Roasted Chicken, Khartoum, Sudan

Flew With Emirates Airlines to Sudan

Walked straight to the Emirates Business Class Lounge to relax. Upon entering, there was a man complaining that the lounge was too full and he wanted to go to the other lounge at the other end of the airport.

When I went in, it looks ok to me. Maybe his favourite sitting area was full. He walked away anyway.
This is the dessert counter which I saw first ..... slurp!!! Must take main course first. Didn't take any photos at the main dishes' counters as the food were covered and you have to lift the cover one by one in order to take the food.

I had Iranian chicken cooking style, zerach rice and beef stew. Need to replenish my body due to fever since Sunday. Continued with pasta covered fully with tomato paste .......... fantastic.

The can drinks are for you to take, no limit. Three coffee maker machines are available to quench the travellers' thirst.














Noticed this Apollinaris bottled water where it's known as the Queen of Table Waters.

Tried it and its like Perrier water, with carbonated taste. Don't really like it. Yeah, it's expensive but that doesn't mean it's nice to everyone. That's the reason why they still serve the common mineral water (with the blue cap).









Those who likes hard liquors will laugh at this spot. It's free! How come no Anglia Shandy? Please consider people like me also.

Took one of this Cornish Clotted Cream of Rodda's. Don't know what was it but it was put besides the various form of breads. Assumed it was related to butter.

Having tasted it, could attest that it has almost similar taste like butter. Why go for butter when you can try other stuff.

Will I be corny after consuming it? Better not! Sudan is a strict muslim nation.
Boarded the plane at 2.10pm, half an hour before my plane departs. The plane was supposed to depart at 2.40pm according to schedule but it didn't. Reason given by the captain was they were looking for passengers that have checked-in but have not boarded.

Looks like Emirates Airlines were not serious with their publicised statement where they will unload your bags from the airplane if you hadn't board the plane 15 minutes before departure.

How long did we wait for this invisible passengers? Solid one hour for them to locate the passengers and then decided to remove their checked-in luggage bags (16 pieces as announced). Why did Emirates Airlines took 45 minutes to make this decision? Were these missing passengers some kind of 'big shots' that have different kind of treatments?
Spacious seatings, meant for my size of course. I have told my friends before that I was born for luxury. Owing to my height, I would feel more comfortable in big saloon cars or business class seatings in airplanes. Body built for it ..... hehe





They served you with welcoming drinks upon you coming to your seat. Champagne, orange juice and apple juice were offered.














Given this a copy each of the meal's menu and wine list.











As the plane took off, we were served with assorted nuts and I ordered tomato juice and orange juice to flush down those tiny weeny bits of nuts stucked in between the teeth.













This was the appetiser. Seafood something that came with fresh fruits, garlic bread and a normal soft bread.
Then the mouth watering beef tenderloin with mashed potatoe and fresh vegies. The brown sauce that comes with it was excellent taste.
Everything ends with dessert. Chocolate mousse cake with a cup of tea. Mama mia!

Thank God for the quick recovery. Otherwise would have missed those wonderful food.
Tags: Emirates Airlines, Dubai, Dubai Airports, Emirates Business Class Lounge, Apollinaris, Rodda's, Chocolate Mousse Cake, Seafood Appetiser

Arriving at the Dubai Airport

The roads leading to the departure hall of the Dubai Airports were jammed up with cars. Moving but slow. Traffic police tried their best in controlling the traffic there.
There was a major highway construction just right in front of the airport and barricading certain part of the road doesn't help the situation. Saw the sign 'Obayashi' at the side of the under construction highway. Should be the highway's main contractor.

Checked-in through the First/Business Class hall. Even though you were not travelling in either class but you have a Skywards Silver, you would be permitted to use this check-in area.

Mine was Business Class this time after exchanging my Skywards' points for it.
Saw David Beckham's Motorola advertisement for their latest Motorola Razr models.










The really long walk again back to the terminal building which houses all departure gates.

Didn't really walk much but let the travelator did its job. A good five minutes stroll.
At last, arriving at the Sheikh Rashid Terminal.

The showcase of jewelleries.

If you buy raffles tickets at the Dubai International Airport, you could stand a chance to win this Jaguar XK8 150 Coupe. Only 1,000 of such tickets, at 500 Dirhams each, are being sold.
If you don't have 500 Dirhams then you could opt for this legendary motorcycle, Harley Davidson Road King Classic, that may cost you US$17,999 in the open market . For this, raffles tickets are being sold at 100 Dirhams each.



This is the place where I normally shop for my perfumes, ordered by friends, relatives and family members.









To my shocking discovery, there was this P9521 Porsche Design mobile phone. This model would have cost you 6,800 Dirhams (US$2,000).













The Electrical section was packed with shoppers (passengers of course) too.
The payment counters were attending to customers who bought various stuff at the food & tobacco section.









They put a lot of efforts to decorate and beautify the airport.
Tags: Dubai, Dubai Airports, Skywards, David Beckham, Motorola Razr, Mobile Phone, P9521 Porsche Design, Jaguar XK8, Harley Davidson Road King Classic, Obayashi

Continuing My Sick Journey

After alighting from the airplane, will be on such travelator (initially put walkalator but corrected by my colleague) to the Dubai arrival hall to exit the airport. Long way to walk. It took me almost 10 long minutes to get out from the airport from the moment I took this photo.

As I stepped out of the airport, goodness me, it was really hot out there at 4am plus. The sweater like shirt was suddenly too thick. Anyway, I need to sweat for the sake of my fever.

Took a shuttle bus provided by the transit hotel, Millenium Airport Hotel. The bus only moved on when it was full, in a way to maximise the trip. So, if you were the first one to board, you'll wait till its full. This is the actual scenario. But when you ask the hotel representative at the arrivals hall, that man would say the shuttle bus service is every ten minutes.

Registered at the reception and got this guy who attended to me who seems to be in a constipated mood. He doesn't smile and won't look at you when he was talking to you or when I was replying. I knew it was 4am plus. But that doesn't mean you can show your tiredness. What about me? Sick but still holding on as best as I could.

Got a coupon for my light refreshment and ordered the tuna sandwich. Beverage was up to you to take - fresh milk and fresh orange were my drinks.
The restaurant was empty at that time even though it was opened for 24 hours.

They assigned me a room which took me ages to reach. Almost at the end of the hotel building on the 3rd floor. Was the hotel that packed till I was assigned this room?

With my fever still lingering around my head, it was really a big effort. The moment I saw the bed, it was nothing else in my mind.









Woke up at 10.30am and thought of going down to the same cafe for my breakfast but was late. The buffet breakfast has ended at 10.30am. They said that I could order the sandwiches again. Yucks!

Ordered chicken sandwich this. Had to eat something to fill stomach so that I could take my medicine. While having my breakfast, saw this picture in the newspaper showing the proposed development around the world's tallest building, Burj Dubai.

It's going to be a huge development.



This is the hotel reception where most Emirates Airlines' passengers will stay during their transit.










The little guidebooks to various places around Dubai city. For once, I didn't go out for a walk in the city due to my fever. Was trying to recover as much as possible for my connecting flight.












Stayed put in hotel room till 12noon before checking out at 12.20pm and took their shuttle bus service back to airport. This time I have read my flight's timing properly.

Finally, realised that I was getting back to normal.
Tags: Dubai, Dubai Airport, Millenium Airport Hotel, Emirates Airlines, Tuna Sandwich, Chicken Sandwich, Shuttle Bus, Burj Dubai