Sat 27 Nov

After teaching a few lessons, and feeling at a bit of a loose end, I wandered into Omdurman souq, looking for inspiration or distraction. I found some wooden boards that are prepared and sold for Koran scholars to use as writing "slates" while they are learning their scriptures. I thought one would be useful as a kitchen chopping board. Shortly after I bumped into one of my students and we went to get something to eat. Later, as we were walking back to my house, he asked about the board and I told him why I had bought it. He grinned. Either he thought this quite amusing or he was nervous at my audacity. Then he suggested I cut the knobbly bit off the end in case I was ever caught chopping tomatoes on it by "the man with the beard". I was not sure who he meant. The local imam has a beard, or maybe he meant God?