A to B, J to Y

What's stressful about trying to get from A to B in Juba, more than most places, is that you don't know whether you'll be delayed by random political or criminal events. From the security bulletins we receive it's not uncommon (although it would still be unlucky) for NGO workers to be harassed whilst driving in the city. On the face of it the relationship between the government and most NGOs is reasonable, yet in a context like South Sudan, you cannot predict how tribal rivalries, corruption or desperation could play out to affect your journey.

People's lives here are marked by a series of events that are hard to comprehend. As I paid my bill and noted that I was heading to Yambio, the cheery barman said he'd only been there once: to rescue his sister when she'd been stabbed by an abusive man. Earlier in the week the same man told me he'd been abducted as a child in Eastern Equatoria and forced to live in a training camp for child soldiers. He escaped. Poni's boyfriend Kennedy was hit by a car last night, she said as I left the house, matter-of-factly. This was after she'd been rushing around doing my washing and brewing mint tea.

I departed Juba for Yambio, which is always the welcome end of a long, staggered journey. Yambio has not escaped South Sudan's conflict without problems, and there have been a couple of high profile events, but on the whole it's a much more stable part of the country. It's crap for communications and comfort but still worth breathing a sigh of relief to have arrived there unscathed.

Mixed feelings about the UK election result. Delighted at a swing to the left and that an over focus on austerity and uninspiring soundbites has not caused any right-wing gaining of ground. Frankly that would have been ridiculous to try and compute. Information has been hard to access from here but as the day draws to a close it seems like Theresa May is trying to form a majority government in a coalition with the DUP; who oppose abortion and gay rights and don't believe in climate change. This may turn out to be a disastrous move; eliminating whatever credibility she has left from anyone left-leaning but also centrists in her own party who will not want to be associated with the DUP.