Lake Nasser

26 May – Aswan Dam

It has been a hectic couple of days and we are somewhere I was starting to believe impossible – on a barge and heading for Sudan! What a mad rush it all turned out to be. Today is Wednesday. We arrived in Aswan on Monday and at 6:30pm went to the Nile River Navigation offices to see if maybe they could help us in some way. Not only could they help us, but they told us that there was a barge leaving on the following day! It had been booked and paid for by a Swiss group and he was sure that they would be amenable to sharing space and costs. He didn’t know where to find them but thought that they may be camping. They were there and were more than happy for us to join them. From there it was a rush off to buy some basic stocks for the journey and the unknown of Sudan, send off an email to tell the world of our luck then dinner and off to bed for a sleepless night.

Yesterday, Tuesday, we met Felix and Alfons (father and son) at the campsite at 8am. We had been told to be at the port at 9am sharp and ‘do not be late’! We arrived at 8:30am but were not allowed in and had to wait outside. We stayed there until about 11:30am when Scott and Felix finally managed to convince the guard to let us in. From there it was to the car office to sort out the plates and carnet. What a disaster! The others had lost a number plate which proved to be a major stumbling block. They went backwards and forwards – even going back to Aswan to sort it out while we did the paperwork for our car to get onto the ship and tickets for ourselves. We were done by about 1:30pm and waited until 3:30pm for Felix to get back from Aswan. By this stage the boat was loaded and everyone claimed to be waiting for us. This may have been true but when we got to the boat, only then did they start thinking about ramps to load up the cars.  We got going at about 4:30pm, I had expected 2pm (we were told 9am) so was way out! It was a hellish day – hot, hot, hot but we made it – carnet stamped and passport stamped. Hopefully now we get into Sudan!

Right, about the boat. It takes 3 days and costs £E5870 independent of the number of cars. There is a boat which runs regardless but what we did is basically hire a big flat barge which gets tied next to the boat and moves along with it. We are still really on day 1 on the boat (less than 24hr here) but we already know why it takes so long. Last night at 7:30pm we tied up at an island to spend the night, getting going again at 6am this morning. Oh well, we’ll turn this into our personal Nile Cruise! We slept under the starts last night, it was pretty warm but at least bearable.

This morning we were up at 6 and I have done the washing – underwear stocks were at an all time low, and Scott has done a mini-service and an oil change. It is now 10:30am and I feel as if the day is hours old. It is but I am expecting lunch by about now! It is hellishly hot and the wind caused by our forward motion helps a little but not nearly enough.  We have rigged up a shelter so that at least we have shade.

I’m still struggling to come to terms with how lucky we’ve been with this. Not only did Felix and Alfons do all the hard work in arranging the barge, they took over 2 weeks to do it and we walk in the day before they are due to leave and get the benefit! The timing is scary – neither of us even want to think about the consequences of being even 24 hours later. We skipped the oasis route and left Cairo as soon as my health permitted – both of which turned out to be very lucky decisions. Even better is that they are 2 really nice guys and we have made a decision to travel through Sudan together which makes all of us feel a lot better. Scott is also happy that we don’t have to separate – one of us staying with the car and one on the regular ferry. So, things are looking great – we are ahead of schedule, heading for Sudan and have excellent travelling companions. OK so three days on a boat is boring but small price to pay! 850USD!!!

29 May – Aswan Dam

Saturday morning and we’re still here! After getting on the boat on Tuesday, this is turning into a long, slow process. We are currently tied up just outside Wadi Halfa harbour. We got here yesterday morning but Sudan appears to close it's borders on a Friday – at least it does here. Fundamentalist Muslim government and all. We are supposed to land today but now at 8:30am after a regular 6am start, there have still been no moves made so who knows when it will happen?

About the boat trip itself, well it was long, hot and pretty boring. The heat was the worst. We rigged up our tarp for shade but it was still terrible. We were nervous about swimming because my medical book says bilharzia is a risk, even in deep water. So we sweated! The highlight was seeing Abu Simbel from quite close. The dam is narrow at that point and we got a pretty good view of the monument. It is very impressive and I don’t know which is more incredible – building it in the first place or moving in a couple of thousand years later.  

Lowlights were sleeping on deck in a windstorm and getting covered in a layer of sand. Yuck! We used the opportunity to figure out a way of sleeping in the car. We have slept inside for 2 nights now and it works pretty well. A tent is still preferable but if we have to camp wild in Sudan, we will feel safer in the car.

Yesterday must rate as one of the most boring days I have ever had. At least when we were on the move we had an occasional cooling breeze, a few boats passing us, changing scenery (vaguely) and above all, the feeling of progress, of moving towards a destination. Yesterday we had none of that – just stagnation. At least I am getting on with the reading of my Spanish book!

We are all starting to get edgy and nervous about what lies ahead. We are all more and more retreating into our own private space and not socialising much. I guess it is better than arguing and bickering. I am fully recovered from my sick episode but yesterday Felix was not feeling well, also his stomach, at least he feels better today. We’ll have to see how it goes I guess and can do nothing until we get off the boat. I just hope that we all get into Sudan OK, this waiting eats away at the nerves.

Our engine is running now but we are still firmly tied up and moored to shore so no idea what is happening.