Egypt

15 May – Marsa Matruh EGYPT

We made it but what a palaver to get here! We started the day by leaving the hotel in Tubruq at 8am. We arrived at the border before 10am and initially all went well. We handed in our plates, got 50LD back for them and then at the last hurdle it all fell apart. We were missing some stamp in our passports which they wanted to send us back to Tripoli to get. Fortunately they settled on us going back to Tubruq so off we went. We had no idea what it was that we needed but we managed to get it written in Arabic, also who to see. Fortunately it all worked out OK but due to one thing and another (generally waiting), we only got back to the border at 2pm. We at least got to spend almost all of our 50LD!

Next was Egypt. Hell! We got our passports stamped with no fuss but then came customs. They demanded that we take everything out of the car for them to examine. Scott had to carry all the boxes alone – no one would help – and I had to open them for inspection. A very cursory inspection it was too, damn them. Scott then had to take the car off for an inspection which I missed but he tells me that they ripped it apart. They looked under seats, tapped body panels, drove it over a pit to check it underneath and even removed door panels. We had not expected this and took no precautions with our money but even with all of this, they didn’t find the safe. Sigh of relief.

After this, we had to load the car up again. Scott carrying alone and me standing guard. They were getting very stressed while Scott was gone with the car because our stuff was taking up so much space. They kept asking me to move the boxes but I refused. I said they were too heavy and if they wanted them moved to do it themselves. No chance of that obviously lazy buggers.

After this, it was still not over. The Carnet chase came next. Read Scott’s version for all the nasty details but suffice to say that after much to-ing and fro-ing, 4 hours and 300USD later, we made it out of there. It was nearly 6pm Libyan time, 7pm Egypt time, before our escape. Nowhere have I read warnings of this and we got lucky – a French guy on a bike arrived 3 hours before us and only left 10 minutes before we did!

We pushed on for Marsa Matruh in the dark. Foolish and not something we’ll do again and here we are in a crappy seaside hotel but at least in Egypt. Totally wrecked and going to sleep!

16 May – Cairo

Yes, we made it here! We are camping at Giza within sight of the pyramids. It is a bit of a way outside the centre of Cairo but no way are we getting the car any closer to the centre of town!

Today was really another driving day – we got to the campsite at about 4pm so other than heading out to make some phone calls home and buy a take out dinner we haven’t done much else. Finding the campsite was interesting – we hit Tourist Info and then had an interesting experience. The info guy found a friend to take us to the shop of the man who owns the campsite. We had drinks there and then squeezed four people into our car – friend #1, who instead of getting a E$4 tip from Scott got a E$40 tip and was a very happy man and another guy, this time one to show us to the campground. The route to the site is awful. It reminds me of Kathmandu – right down to the water buffalo and the cesspool of a canal. Fortunately the campsite itself is not too bad. Good settings, bad facilities and all to ourselves. Lots of insects but it is to be expected I guess – we have trees and water so it is a perfect recipe for them. The good thing is that the car will be safe and we have all the space we need to do a re-sort again. This time we want to put all the foodstuff into one box instead of having some stuff in the ammo box and then needing two boxes to make a meal. That’s it for today – it’s getting dark and I don’t want to switch on lights because we have more than enough insects as it is. Tomorrow Ethiopian Embassy and tour of Cairo.

20 May – Cairo

Well, I have been out of action for 3 days with a terrible bout of travellers’ diarrhoea. We went into Cairo on the 17^th as planned and had no luck with the Ethiopian Embassy because if you plan to enter Ethiopia by land you have to get your visa at the neighbouring country. Next we went to various shipping agents only to find that there are no boats to Port Sudan from Suez. Final stop was the Egyptian museum. By this stage I was already feeling ill but managed the museum which was well, well worth the effort.

After this Scott took things in hand and decided we would leave the terrible campsite for a hotel where I could relax and recover. The campsite owner is an important man and he called the local Movenpick where he got us in at 80USD for bed and breakfast. The normal rate is 150USD so it's OK! This turned out to be a really wise move because I spent the entire night running to the bathroom – the works was happening to me along with terrible cramps. Scott got the doctor in the next day and we both got some medication. He was a little affected too. The Tue and Wed I pretty much spent in bed – not eating and getting weaker but by the Wed night a light supper went down wonderfully and today I am pretty much OK. We went off to see the Pyramids and Sphinx this morning and I spent 3 hours walking around in the sun. It was fun but I needed my rest this afternoon!

So, where are we in our plans? Scott went in to Cairo again yesterday but still found out nothing about Wadi Halfa ferries. We have also not met one other person attempting an overland route which is a little worrying. We have decided to head on South tomorrow, skipping out the Western Desert oases on the theory that we have seen plenty of oases so far. Also, we will go down the Red Sea route – see something new. We will try to find out for ourselves in Aswan and if we have no luck the cargo ship option looks like to only one we can follow. Damn.

While he was in town yesterday, Scott also sent off updates and a mail to mom telling her how we are. Robin and Silvia called last night which was awesome of them and Joyce sent a fax. I am hoping to hear from Mom and Dad before we leave here tomorrow.

I am a little disappointed not to be seeing more of Cairo but also pleased to get out of here. The place is a pit and everyone wants something from you. I am sure that the rest of Egypt is pretty much the same but hopefully smaller towns are not quite as bad. Also, poverty in a city seems to be so much worse than poverty in a rural area. Hopefully I am fully recovered and at least get to enjoy Luxor and Aswan.

21 May – Hurghada on the Red Sea Coast

Another good day today. We headed out to the Red Sea as planned. We stopped off at St Paul’s Monastery in the desert – pretty isolated place – and drove down South to Hurghada. We arrived around 4:30pm, found a hotel and had time for a swim in the Red Sea and a walk about town before having a really excellent dinner – vegetable pasta for me and chicken kebab for Scott. This town is great – small enough not to be overwhelming but extremely well stocked with everything you could need. Pastry and OJ for breakfast tomorrow!

Last night we saw the Sound and Light show at the Pyramids – really impressive stuff. The Pyramids and Sphinx look really great with the different coloured light on them. The show also gave some history which was interesting but got a little repetitive towards the end. Still, it was money well spent.

Didn’t hear from Mom and Dad – guess they didn’t check email. We got 15min Internet time today and sent them a message anyway to say that we are both well and had recovered from our illness. We both felt fine today but will still be careful for a while.

Tomorrow we hope to be able to camp at Luxor

22 May – Luxor

We left Hurghada at + 9am and headed South to Port Safaga. From there we turned West to head to Luxor, only to find that this had to be done in a convoy! Fortunately one was leaving as we arrived so no time was lost but we didn’t even know that this existed. The convoy was for all vehicles with tourists - mainly buses and mini-buses. In fact we were the only private vehicle in the convoy. Qena, about 40km North of Luxor is apparently where the Muslim fundamentalists are based. Remember the attack on the tour bus in 1996? Well, now they herd a pile of buses together with a police car in front of them and one at the back. I don’t know if it is any better.

Got to Luxor in time for lunch and it is HOT! We aren’t camping, Scott says it is too hot and dusty. He’s right but this is getting expensive. From here South though, no more hotels. We still have no idea how we’ll get into Sudan, if at all.

Our touring today was the Luxor temple. It is impossible to do anything in the heat of the day so we swam instead and went to the temple at 6pm. It was wonderful, The statues are in an incredible state of preservation and so are lots of the hieroglyphics. It was great, all that I was expecting and more. Hopefully we got some good photos. To show how hot it was today, even though we were at the temple at from about 6pm to 7pm, we saw 3 people collapse/faint in the heat. I’ve never seen anything like it before and they were all adults but also still young, so it was not due to age or anything.

We are eating pretty well here but I am still suffering from some cramps and diarrhoea – nothing like before but still enough to make me careful. Scott seems to be OK – cramps once today but nothing more. I hope this passes soon, I can lose a lot of weight this way. Then again, never a bad thing!

23 May – Luxor

The main news is not what we saw, which was awesome, but what we heard. Some people were apparently camping here last week who had come up from Sudan on this famed private ferry!! It is still only hearsay but at least it is something positive and hopefully we will know more tomorrow.

Today was Valley of the Kings day and what a day! Firstly we found out that there is no longer any car ferry across the Nile but there is a new bridge about 7km South of town. One thing – buy tickets before getting to the Valley of the Kings! We were let in but given a hard time! You pay £E20 for any 3 tombs but £E40 extra for Tut’s tomb. Since we have already seen all the contents of his tomb, we decided to skip the tomb itself. I think we picked well, the first one Ramses (maybe?) was busy and OK. The second was awesome. We were alone and the caretaker gave us a torch and let us crawl under the lid of the sarcophagus. If you think someone was buried there it is a pretty sobering feeling. He more than deserved his tip! The last tomb, what’s his names, was awesome for the colours. You can not believe how vivid the colours of the walls and ceilings are after so many thousands of years. I know the climate helps but the state of preservation is incredible. The Valley is hot, hot, hot. I now really admire the archaeologists who worked there. We looked at the outside of the valley of the queens but didn’t go in. There are only 2 tombs in there and entrance to Nefertiti’s costs £E200! All in all though, it is a pretty incredible place. This huge area of desert is covered with all sorts of ancient monuments, some well hidden like the tombs and some clearly visible like the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memmon.

After this we returned to Luxor and had lunch. What a lunch! We ended up in a tiny place with only four tables, all by ourselves. I was nervous about the food but they even used new oil for our chips so I think it was all OK. We had baba ganoush (sesame seed paste and eggplant), eggplant salad which is some kind of marinated eggplant and tasted wonderful and some chips. This plus a 1½ litre bottle of water came to £E9, what a bargain!

After the regulation swim and siesta we headed to the campsites to see if there was anyone there. No luck, but both managers claimed visitors last week who came over with cars on this private ferry!!! One site looked pretty good until 29 young Australian overlanders (as in Asia) arrived and took over. Glad I don’t have to live with them – travelling like that does not appeal to me.

We also spent some time tracking down the convoy info. We went to the tourist info, tourist police, convoy police and 2 hotels and got different info from all of them! Eventually we got lucky and saw the Hurghada convoy leave. This gave us a place and the cops there gave us a time we liked (11am) which matched about half of the other times given. So we’ll see, if it doesn’t leave at 11am we’ll try again at the other favourite time – 3pm. We’ve also heard rumours about a convoy at 7am but we want to visit Karnak’s Temple so that’s too early for us.

Dinner was not so good. Our chicken sandwich was just that – a piece of fried chicken in a dry bun. Can’t get lucky with every meal I guess!