Aug 26, 2009

monkey in the headlights

the return trip to juba was a little over seven hours, and we probably only covered 350-400 kilometers. evening is spent allowing all the inner organ to find their original spot after being bounced around for so long. the wadis were all passable with plenty of mud and debris leftover from the previous flows. other than a flat tire, the return trip was uneventful. we travel with an armed escort anytime we leave juba. with banditry and rebel groups on the prowl; particularly the lord's resistance army LRA from northern uganda, has been reeking havoc on villages in the south. additionally, armed gangs target vehicles to high jack, and just last week some people were killed on this exact stretch we drove. it has now been highly recommended to travel with an escort that is showing guns to deter any aggression.








the other danger that arises is from the migrating landmines, with every storm there is a chance that mines are washed up and swept on the road.

there was not a lot of wildlife along the route; some monkeys, a large iguana, a dead snake and of course the myriad of birds; weaver birds with their ball shaped grass nests, parakeet looking thing, red bishops and countless others. they say most of the wildlife either vanished during the war or has been hunted to disappearance.

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