My name is Leyland Cecco, and I’m a freelance journalist based in Toronto. My litmus test for travelling is: if you tell people where you’re going, and their response is ‘Why would you ever go there?’, then it’s going to be a great trip. Sudan can be tricky to travel in, because travel permits are required anywhere outside of Khartoum. The north is a fairly well-trodden tourist path (although I use the term ‘well-trodden’ liberally - the region generally gets very few tourists). The most important thing to remember when travelling in the region: be patient. Things will happen eventually, so you might as well drink a ginger-spiced coffee while you wait.