Papers please...

Travelling to Sudan isn't quite as easy as strolling down to the shop to pick up a carton of milk, and requires a bit more paperwork than taking a vacation in the that strange place Norwegian calls the South (ie; somewhere warm and not Norway).

It's even more complicated than going to the US, even after the latest changes to the rules for doing that...

Anyhow, the last piece of the puzzle fell into place today; I got an electronic copy of my ticket. So now I got my Service Passport, my little yellow booklet with my vaccinations listed, my Entry Visa, my Travel Authorisation and my ticket... and add to that the entry form I need to fill out in flight with the address I'll be reachable at in Sudan and you got it all.

Okay, I kept you reading long enough - what you really would like to know is when I'm leaving, right?

My flight out of Norway is Sunday 19th at 10:20 in the morning, via Frankfurt and on towards Khartoum. I should arrive in Khartoum at 22:55 at night, which would be 21:55 Norwegian time and 15:55 in the afternoon EST.

Due to the fact that I have to check in at least two hours ahead of time (flying international and all), I need to take the bus that leaves from Moss shortly after 05:00 in the morning. Seems like my deployment day is going to be a very long day...

Lines of communication and cake

Just in case not everybody is aware of it, the following is my lines of communication:

• The blog is for things that are not private.
• For things that are private but not time critical, there is email.
• For things that are private and time critical, there is phone (satellite or UN copper)
• And there there is snailmail

Also, today I was asked to swing by work around lunch time (I'm currently burning vacation days), so my fellow officers and civilian co-workers could have the chance to wish me a safe trip. Nothing fancy - thankfully - but touching nevertheless and much appreciated.

Schedule changes

As the date creeps closer, some things are slipping. Like, say, the date.


I got an email today - in response to a question I asked - indicating that I won't be shipping out on the 13th. But then I always knew that there was a good chance of the date slipping somewhat. The latest info is that I'm likely to ship out on the 18th or 19th - if the UN in New York gets around to sending my paperwork in time that is.


The good thing is that it gives me more time to get everything in order around the house, as well as more time to learn how to use my latest gear.

More gear has arrived

As the date for deployment creeps closer, the last of the new gear has arrived - a new digital camera, since my old one is slooow to start and have started to eat batteries faster, and a hand held GPS just in case I get lost or separated from the team while in Sudan. I've actually been lusting for a GPS for a while now, but couldn't really justify one for biking to work... but now that I had a proper reason I got one.

The other big thing has been getting everything ready at home for me to be away for a prolonged period of time - the problem is that while I know I'm getting home on leave, it's impossible to say before I'm at the team site when my first leave is going to be. It can be one month after I deploy, it can be up to three. The average seems to be two, but we cant plan based on that.

Part of the preparations is to stock up on dried and frozen goods, and there is no cheaper place in Norway for bulk shopping than in Sweden. So I grabbed the new camera and the new GPS and went on my way...

Three lessons learned:

1. The basic map built into the GPS is very basic - thankfully I know where to get more accurate maps for free.
2. The GPS is quite accurate (if you put the coordinates in the photo into Google Earth and Google Maps, you'll discover what parking spot I was using).
3. The camera requires a little bit of getting used to to make good photos.

The things I pack

I've started to pack, and among all the other things I've packed two 'things' I hope I wont need.

One is my huge bag of medications, bandages and field dressings - I've must have gotten more bandages and antibiotics than most people will use in a lifetime. Hopefully I'll bring it all home unopened - apart from the anti-malaria medication , that is ;)

The other is my 'protective gear' - my ballistic vest, helmet and respirator. All in tasteful UN blue, which goes so well with my blue eyes... The vest is a Class IV vest by the way, so it's pretty damn heavy to lug around.

Like the medication, it's dead weight until it's needed. And if it's needed I'll be very happy to have brought it with me.

It's heavier than it looks, but the armour plates can quite literary stop a speeding bullet

 I also discovered a neat touch with the vest - the apron that protects my groin can be velcroed in an 'up' protection, giving my guts and chest an extra layer of protection if I'm sitting in a car. The collar can also be folded up, at the expense of limiting the mobility of my head - but doing so will eliminate the gap between my helmet and the vest.

Of the stuff I pack that I do plan on using, it's mostly clothes - uniforms, socks and shirts - and off course the 'sundry items'; a pair of extension cords, a small ½l water boiler, sunscreen, sunscreen and more sunscreen, as well as food and utensils. Most of my food will off course come from local sources, but all indications points towards how nice it is to have something quick, simple and Norwegian for comfort food. With that goal in mind, as well as the need for food that will keep well unrefrigerated, I've invested in an ample supply of dehydrated dinners and instant soups. To top it off some crispbread and instant oatmeal will make it into the box as well, along with - perhaps - a sleeve or two of dry cookies...

Dehydrated dinners - simply add boiling water, wait for five to ten minutes and enjoy.

No Real Norwegian would forget to pack coffee...

Lots of spicy soups to combat the bland food - rice and beans feature largely in the local cuisine.

Sunscreen, sunscreen and more sunscreen.

For eating on the go - proper plates I'll get once I've arrived and gotten my bearings.

For when I'm REALLY on the go - courtesy of the Swedish Armed Forces (got it in Finland from one of the Swedish
instructors)

All told I have two medium sized bags filled with soft goods, a small (60x40x40) Zarges box with various 'observer gear' and a large (80x60x60) Zarges with everything else. In addition comes the backpack and bag I'll carry on the flight as luggage - which will include what little civilian clothes I need to bring along.