Wadekona is a fairly sizable town, typical of just about everywhere here in South Sudan. Thatch roofed huts called Tukels, a few corrugated metal structures and the odd mud brink building. This place, at least, was well laid out and looked quite neat actually.
As usual for an air patrol, the local forces organized "transport" for us on arrival (in the truck taking pictures is our Indian Army Col from the Melut Team Site protection force).
The photo of the kids who gathered to see us off (seeing white guys is cool, but seeing helicopter is obviously way cooler) is a good representation of how sometimes it seems the UN views things here. We were not very happy with this air patrol. Despite our best efforts and the cost involved, the UN bureaucracy that runs the flight ops would only give us 45 mins on the ground. In a place visited by the UN no more than three times a year. Insulting to them really.
Our assessment after the patrol - we will visit much more regularly, for much longer periods. Hopefully stay over a few days.
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