Meat and poultry. Chicken is usually stewed and served in a broth, while lamb can be skewered as a kebab, or cooked on a bed of coals and served with salad. This dish can also be made with beef and is known as shayya.
For those whose taste runs to offal, there is kammonia, a dish made from the stomach of a sheep, stewed and served with onions and tomatoes. Liver and kidney dishes are also popular: kibda is skewered or stewed liver, and kalawi is chopped kidney, often served with bread and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Fish. The most popular fish seems to be Nile perch, which is available in the towns of Khartoum and Omdurman. It is fried in batter and served with red peppers.
Bread. There are two main kinds of bread to be had. Kisra is a thin, unleavened bread made from maize flour, and gurrasa is its thicker counterpart, often used as a base for meat and vegetable stews.
Drinks. Tea (shai) is a popular drink, served in small glasses with or without milk, and sometimes flavoured with cloves, cinnamon or mint. Coffee is always very strong, served in small cups or china bowls. Jebana is a variety of coffee, often spiced with cinnamon or ginger.
Fruit juices, such as guava, grapefruit, orange and mango are also available. Alcoholic drinks are officially banned under strict Islamic law, but 'bootleg' liquor can certainly be found. Araqi is a clear, strong spirit made from dates, merissa is a type of beer, and tedj is the name given to a range of wines made from dates or honey.
Vegetables. Most vegetable dishes are served with a piece of meat in a thin broth, with a dash of oil. Beans are popular and are served in a variety of ways. Fool is a dish of stewed beans, often mashed and served with salad. Fasooliyya is another bean dish, made from slightly smaller beans. Boiled potatoes are known as batatas and are usually served with a thin, meat gravy. Very popular are yellow lentils, known as adaas, and bamya is okra, or ladies' fingers, often used as an ingredient in soups or stews. A dish called mahshi consists of tomatoes or aubergines stuffed with minced lamb or rice. Salata, as the name suggests, is a salad, usually made of tomatoes, lettuce, onions and green peppers, and dressed with lime juice.
Desserts. The favorite dessert is probably zabadi, which is yogurt served with a thick syrup. Hoshab is a cold sweet made from a mixture of chopped bananas, figs and raisins.
In the central region around Khartoum, temperatures are slightly lower, with an annual average of about 26.7 degrees C (about 80 degrees F). About 254mm (10 inches) of rain falls annually, mostly between the months of June and SeptemberSouthern Sudan has an equatorial climate, with high temperatures, high rainfall and very high humidity. The average annual temperature in this region is about 29.4 degrees C (about 85 degrees F), with an annual rainfall of more than 1015mm (more than 40 inches). In the extreme south, the rainy season can last for almost nine months.
International Camel Races were first held in the town of Kassala in April 1993. This may become a regular event which is worth watching.
At the base of the mountain range lies the town of Nyala, and this town forms a good starting point for exploration of the surrounding mountains cuntryside. it is a beautiful region of hills, rivers and orchards, and an intersting spot for walking enshusiasts. there is a water fall near the village of Quaila and some hot springs near the carter of valcano itself.