UN flights

If you were to look at a map of Southern Sudan, I live in the western-most corner, somewhere in between nowhere and nothing. Roads are scarce, distances are large and there is a lot of jungle between me and the nearest... well the nearest anything really.

One of our cars, pulling another car out of the bush after an accident. 
Road accidents are really frequent here.

If I want to get to South Sudan's capitol, Juba, by road it takes 8 bumpy hours in an occasionally smelly Land Cruiser.

Luckily, there is an alternative.

The UN operates a humanitarian air service. This means that they have regularly scheduled flights in and out of the places where they and other NGO's work. (Generally places that no commerical carrier with a shred of sanity would fly) Three days a week, I can get on a UN plane and in a short 1.5 hours I can be in Juba (barring flat tires on the runway).

The UN plane on our "runway" in Yambio.

Beyond the saved time, the novelty and the improved smell, there are some seriously cute pilots on these flights.

If by some chance, someone reading this knows the pilot on the right with the adorable accent who laughs at my jokes...  you let him know that I'd like to share a cold Coca-Cola on a hot runway some time...

Anyway, last time I flew, I was one of 2 people on the flight. Check in works like this:

• Plane lands on dirt runway
• Pilot opens windshield and climbs out of plane
• Pilot walks across runway, dodging chickens and children who have gathered there
• Pilot takes a folded, wrinkled piece of paper out of his pocket and asks you for your name.
• You respond (hopefully with a name that corresponds to the list)
• You walk back across the airstrip

The "aiport" in Yambio. To my left, just out of the frame is a small building with a desk and some chairs. Call it airport security, the departure lounge, the ticket counter... really whatever you want. 

Yambio from above