Acropole Hotel, Bike Assembly and Camel Market - Khartoum

Today's inaugural meeting of the group to launch the TDA 2014 began after breakfast at the hotel Acropole, our local lodgings run by an affable Greek Sudanese gentleman who is a legend in these parts. Our tour leader, Randy, breezed through an agenda of items: overview of the entire route, health concerns, bike maintenance, mealtime rituals, practical attitudes, etc. Randy is an articulate, experienced mensch; he has done this tour five times in addition to his many other expeditions around the globe. Staff were introduced and they are all affable, helpful folks.

We were invited to assemble our bikes on the terrace. Our South African mechanic, Alex, and Randy helped put the bikes together for those who wanted or needed a trained hand. Here is mine after assembly in front of the legendary Acropole

The hotel staff offered to arrange a driver to take us out to the camel market in the edge of town, where the brick houses give way to the desert. Several of the group wanted to see the display so we packed in and became acquainted with the camel trade. You can see that these animals are valuable as the owners tie their legs to prevent escape. One camel was lifted on to a pickup truck and it was not a happy creature.

The Sudanese offered us rides on their animals and some took them up on the offer. I settled for the photo op. The going rate for these desert beasts can run over a 1,000 U.S. Perhaps that figure is inflated for foreigners. They are very strong and durable so they earn their keep.