EGYPT

The Pharaohs’ would be disappointed

As we disembarked from the ferry, we were met by Mr Kamal who introduced himself in broken English. He soon had us moving through customs, introducing us to the Chief of Customs on the way. Clearly Mr Kamal is well connected with the customs and immigration. He even gives some of the key players a lift home from the port into Aswan.

Mr Kamal told me that Proper Job was now loaded on the cargo boat from Wadi Halfa and would be here late on Sunday. He took my mobile number and said he would call me when he hears the cargo boat has arrived. The basic plan was that he would collect us from the Hathor Hotel in Aswan and we would clear customs and complete the car licensing in one day. Mr Kamal gave us a free lift to the Hathor hotel which is located on the Nile. We checked in and got a room with air conditioning for EP110 (UK11) per night. We soon caught up with the Lizzybus crew who had stayed on in Aswan for a few extra days to get their car license and plates extended for two extra months. That evening we went to a local restaurant with Dave and Jane and caught up with events.

The following day I went down the main street and found an internet café. Reading my emails, I opened one from fellow overland travellers Venu and Anita, pointing to a Horizons Unlimited website article. The bad news was that the new Italian owned Visemar car-passenger ferry between Venice and Alexandria had just been cancelled due to the ongoing problems in Syria. In some ways it didn’t surprise me as we had heard that only a handful of passengers were arriving on the ferry each week. I spoke to the company and they confirmed that the service had indeed been suspended. Now I was back to my original plan of shipping via cargo from Alexandria in Egypt to Europe. I recalled that before I started the journey to Africa I had read a blog from another overlander that had done the same and they had given me the contact details of a shipping agency. I retrieved the file and called the contact person called Mrs Nashwa El Hossany of Marina Shipping Agency in Alexandria (export@smarina.com Tel: 002-03-4863647 Mobile: 0129136600). She speaks excellent English and advised that there is a RoRo ship weekly that leaves from Alexandria to Southampton. She requested my car details and promised she would send a price for shipping. In addition, she said that the company has contact with an English speaking agent that can assist with the clearing of the necessary paperwork required to export vehicles from Egypt.

On Saturday we arranged to visit the Abu Simbal temple complex which lies about three hours south of Aswan. We had actually passed these magnificent structures whilst travelling on the ferry from Wadi Halfa to Aswan. The best way to visit is by a tour bus and the cost is EP80 per person. The bus leaves at 4.30am in the morning and arrives at Abu Simbal at 7.30am. The drive has to be done in convoy because the region you pass through is Egyptian military controlled. The temple was built in memory of a great Pharaoh called Ramesis II. The entry ticket cost EP95 and once purchased we went into the information room and read the story on how these magnificent structures were relocated due to the rising waters caused by the damming up of the Nile River to form the huge hydroelectric dam that now exists. The engineering exercise involved in removing, and replacing, the huge statues and priceless tombs was a colossal feat. Basically the whole structure was cut out of its original placement and rebuilt stone by stone over a man made steel strengthened dome. The project was a great success and looks like it is original. We walked around the outside and admired the huge stone carvings that reach over 20 metres high. These 3500 year old statues are some of the most famous and photographed works from the Pharaoh era in the whole of Egypt. However, although impressive, they fade into obscurity when you enter the actual tomb and see the wonderful inscriptions and objects chiseled into the walls. You can even see the original colors that were painted by the ancient artists at the time of creation. One can only marvel at the quality and imagine how splendid the figures and scenes would have looked at the time they were painted. We spent a couple of hours staring at the wonderful works of art, before making our way back to the coach which was due to depart at 9.30am. The visit was well worth it, even though it meant getting up at 3am in the morning to do so.

We arrived back in Aswan at 2.30pm and headed to the local McDonalds to have a burger. I had not had one of these for at least five years and it tasted very good. That evening I called Kamal and he confirmed that he would meet us at 8.30am in the morning to take us to the port to clear Proper Job. That evening we headed to a local restaurant with the Lizzybus crew and had pizza. Dave had managed to learn the Arabic 1 to 10 and ensured, using the menu for Egyptians, that we paid local prices. Here, they use two menus; one for tourist and one for locals. The tourist menu is 40% more expensive than the local menu. Choosing the pizza though is a bit hit-and-miss, but if you persevere with the waiters they generally provide enough hints to get you there. Aswan is alive with shops and places to eat and the choice is very good. The people continuously badger you as you go by and it seemed we were in for another infuriating few weeks with the local people.

The following morning Kamal was there on schedule and after stopping to pick up the Chief of Customs we went to the port. At the port gate we needed a copy of our passports and paid EP10 each for an entry pass. Mr Kamal guides you through the whole process. He then took me, as the owner of the vehicle, to customs to start the paperwork. John went down to the dock to collect Proper Job. The customs officials completed the paperwork and I paid EP600 for a three month import license. I didn’t really need three months, but this extra charge gave me the ability to extend at no extra cost provided I did so in Aswan, Cairo or Alexandria. Dave from the Lizzybus had extended his the previous day and had paid another EP145 on top of the EP500 for the typical one month license. I was pleased to see that Proper Job was in exactly the same condition as when we had left the port in Wadi Halfa. It was great to see Proper Job again. Next Mr Kamal collected a traffic policeman to perform a rubbing of the chassis number so that we could get Egyptian plates. That done, Mr Kamal asked for a further EP225 (of which EP175 was for the car insurance for a month) and my carnet and drove from the port customs to the car licensing office which is located somewhere outside of the main gates. A couple of hours later he returned with the plates and the necessary licenses. After a small payment to the customs official the total for the clearance process was EP865. I have a number of reference prices from other travellers and, although the line items seem to be different, the total is about the same. I fixed the Egyptian plates to Proper Job and we were ready to go. Another group of overlanders arrived who were travelling southwards and Mr Kamal was assisting them as well. He is efficient and gets you through with minimal fuss and I can recommend him on the Egypt side. As he works well with the equally effective Mr Magdi on the Sudan side, using the pair of them is an obvious choice. To contact them: Wadi Halfa, Sudan - Mr. Magdi (nubatia51@yahoo.com, mobile 0121730885),– Aswan, Egypt, Mr. Kamal (mobile 201 05322669).

We said our thanks to Kamal and paid him EP150 (UK15) for his services. He is worth every penny. I then remembered that I still had a couple of small bottles of Glenfiddich whiskey in Proper Job and figured Kamal would be a good recipient. The trouble was that being in a Muslim country you may very well offend someone by offering them such a gift. I decided the best tact was to say it could be given to a friend of his. No such chance, Kamal soon made it very clear that he loved good whiskey and kissed my hand and comically hopped around with glee on the spot.

I drove Proper Job into Aswan and managed to find a parking space along the main road a hundred metres from Hathor Hotel. We headed up to the hotel swimming pool and relaxed for a few hours before heading out to a local bar for a couple of cold Sakara beers. I later sent an email to Nashwa at Marina Shipping with some additional information on Proper Jobs weight and dimensions that she had requested earlier that day. The following day the Lizzybus departed for Luxor whilst we decided to stay an extra day to look around Aswan. That evening we went back to the pizza restaurant and I grabbed the Egyptian menu and pointed to the medium size tuna pizza, telling the waiter the exact price in Arabic. He was quite surprised and asked if I spoke Arabic. I lied, and told him I could only read it. We paid Egyptian prices the whole of the evening.

The following morning we drove northwards along the east bank of the Nile towards Luxor. Along the way, you go through countless police blocks. In the past this was a road I had been warned about but it seems that now the police don’t even get up and you never get stopped. The drive along the Nile takes you through a green belt of agriculture which flanks the mighty river and runs inland for some way wherever they have created irrigation channels. It is in stark contrast to Sudan where the same river flows but there is almost no agricultural enterprise. About half way to Luxor we crossed the Nile to the west bank to visit the Temple of Horus, the most intact temple of its kind in Egypt. I followed the direction the GPS indicated and ended up in a large Muslim cemetery, to the bemusement of a number of people. We eventually found the right place and spent a couple of hours roaming around the magnificent monument. Again I found myself trying to put into context the old historic sites that we have in the UK with these in Egypt. They don’t compare as these are many times older than our oldest. It reminds you of how advanced the people of Egypt were at a time when most Europeans were emerging from caves.

We approached Luxor at around 4pm via the old road which is lined with colourful bushes and trees. We passed the Lizzybus parked up by the Gaddis Hotel and a little further on found ours, the Lotus Hotel, right on the river. Because of the recent revolution the prices in Egypt are extremely low and there are real bargains to be had. The 4 star Lotus Hotel cost us a total of UK30 per night including breakfast and dinner. I called Dave and Jane of the Lizzybus later that evening and we met up at a local bar that they had discovered which sells cheap beer. They are a great asset to have a couple of days in front of you as they have an uncanny knack of finding very good value places and deals. The river banks are lined with many large hotel ships that were all empty. You have to feel sorry for the people that rely on tourism here. There are so many that do. I doubt Egypt will ever be anything but a moderate Muslim country as, if their tourism industry dies, millions will be out of work.

Over the next couple of days we visited the Luxor Museum, the Mummification Museum, the Luxor Temple and the Karnac Temples. All these are well worth the visit. We also visited the Information Centre next to the railway station and enquired about the options to go across the Nile to the famous Valley of the Kings. We weighed up the options and decided driving ourselves was the least favoured. The best deal was to hire a micro bus complete with a guide for EP375. The itinerary included the Valley of the Kings, Temple of Rameses lll, Temple of the female god Hatshepsuit and the Temple of Memnon. We ran over this option with David and Jane later that evening and they quickly realized it was the best option. David’s parents had also just arrived for a short holiday so that made six of us, which reduced the cost per person to EP60(UK6).

The following morning the bus picked us up at 7.30am and took us over the Nile to the first stop, the Valley of the Kings. All the temples are on the east bank because this is the side the sun rises. The tombs are all on the west as this is the side the sun sets. The day was very hot and we were all glad that we had chosen the tour bus with its air conditioning. We paid for our entrance tickets and walked into the valley. The heat grew fiercer the further we entered the valley and it looks absolutely lifeless. The Pharaohs’ built a ‘special village’ for the workers who constructed the tombs. Workers were expected to live and die there. Some escaped and, apparently, became the tomb raiders. We were all totally blown away by the magnificence of the tombs themselves. Some extend for a hundred or more metres into the limestone rock. I marveled at the sheer effort that would have been expended to excavate these declines and underground chambers. At least the rock was limestone and not granite. The artists and scribes created such wonderful pictures of their Gods and kings and even the beautiful colors can still be seen in places. They are true works of art and tell the stories of the rites and passage of the Pharaohs from life and through the underworld, helped along the way by the Anubis. The history of the Pharoahs stretches back more than 3500 years and it is difficult to take it all in and link it all together. It would be well worth studying in details at some time in the future. I decided to pay the extra fee to visit the Tomb of Tutankhamen. He was a minor Pharaoh and, when you consider the mind boggling treasure he had with him when he was buried, you can only imagine the glittering horde that major Pharaohs’ like Rameses ll possessed before their tombs were raided by the thieves. It is such a great loss to the world that so many of these priceless treasures have disappeared and the gold objects simply melted down.

We all enjoyed the day and for me it was a great way to spend my 48th birthday. That evening I had asked David to track down a top class restaurant and invited them all to dinner. None of them knew it was my birthday, and that is the way I preferred it. We met at our usual bar and after a couple of bottles we headed to the restaurant by horse drawn carriage. David mentioned that the Sofra restaurant however did not sell beer. This was not as hoped, so we made a quick detour to a shop and bought sufficient cans of cold beer to take into the restaurant. Upon arrival I asked the owner if he minded and he said drinking was not allowed. I took him aside and offered to pay him some money but he didn’t budge. I then told him it was my birthday and we were celebrating. He eventually agreed but told us that if the police came in and caught us that we were to say that he knew nothing. We quickly agreed and cracked open the beers. The food was excellent and we had a great time reliving some of the things that have happened to us during our journeys around Africa. I made a small speech and wished the Lizzybus the best of luck on their trip around the world. I will definitely keep in touch with them and follow their journey through the continents. I really got to like them during our encounters in Africa. David’s ‘brummy’ wit, born in Redruth, Cornwall, is constant and endearing. Somehow, although I may be wrong, I felt that this would be the last dinner we would be sharing in Africa.

The following morning we checked out of the hotel and drove around to say farewell to David and Jane. I unloaded all the remaining cans of food from Proper Job, only keeping the honey, peanut cooking paste and pineapple jam (which is for my sister Jane) and gave it to them. I also gave them two bottles of +50 factor sun cream for David’s bald head. I joked with David that I couldn’t think of anything else that I had that would be of use to them. In a flash he reeled of a list of other things that he could use from Proper Job. We laughed and went on our way.

The drive to the Red Sea coast covered 250km. The route took us partly along the Nile and then through a dry barren landscape. We reached the coastal town of Safarga at around 3pm and soon found a mid sized hotel next to Nemo Hotel with its own private beach. The friendly owner called Hakim stated a price for a room. We chatted with him about the quietness of Luxor and the prices we had paid there for a 4 star hotel. He succumbed and gave us a much reduced price. Basically we got a room with a sea view plus breakfast and dinner for UK10 each. I don’t think there are many places in the world where such low pricing exists. We spent the afternoon on the beach and the following morning headed northwards towards the resort of Hurghada which was about 200km away. When we arrived we found a huge town dominated by hundreds of hotels geared up for the package holiday industry. We checked into the Princess Hotel and found a great parking place along the main road. The hotels, and Hurghada, are suffering heavily from the perceived problems in Egypt. The people are depressed and the whole place has a somber atmosphere due to the desertion by the tourist. There is nothing much going on and the hotel was not worth the money as the pool was dirty, the beach was awful and the continual hassle was infuriating. We checked out the following morning and found a better place called Hor Palace which was just down the road. The same atmosphere pervaded but at least the food and the pool were acceptable. Hurghada for me was the worst two days on the trip around Africa. It has nothing that remotely interests me and after a second night I was pleased to be leaving.

We headed once again along the coastal highway northwards and decided that Zafarana would be a good target for the day. The further we drove the more deserted the coast became and the ocean became bluer and bluer. When we arrived we found a small town with a motel called Sahara, right next to the Mobil petrol station. The owner was sitting outside and told us that many overlanders stay here on the journey south. He also mentioned a very interesting fact; the disputed area between Sudan and Egypt along the coast had now been resolved and in two weeks time the road was to be opened for all traffic. Previously you could only get from Sudan to Egypt via the infamous Wadi Halfa-Aswan ferry. If what we hear is true then future overlanders will be in luck. I would take the coastal road between Egypt and Sudan any day over the ferry. Also the cost would be much reduced. The Sahara motel was a nice place to stop for a night.

The following day we drove northwards through a huge wind farm that is reportedly the second largest in the world. We again drove along the coast and every now and then came across huge abandoned holiday accommodation projects. They looked as if they had been stopped a few years ago and are a real eyesore. However, I bet some hedge funds have snapped them up for 10 cents in the dollar, to resell for 100’s percent profits in a few years. After a couple of hours driving we reached Ain Soukna where we decided to stay for a night before heading into Cairo. We were told by the owner of Sahara motel that the Stella di Mar hotel was the one to stay at so we drove to the entrance gate to check in. It is a huge complex of privately owned villas, and popular with the Cairo crowd. The hotel was clean and smart and for the money, although more expensive, was a much better deal than Hurghada. We spent the afternoon on the beach and later I gave Proper Job’s prop shafts a final greasing. The restaurant food was excellent and I think this may be the most luxurious accommodation we have, and will have, on this trip. The following day we checked out at midday and started our journey in land towards Cairo, which lay 120km away. We had booked a hotel called Delta Pyramids which has a view over the nearby famous Giza pyramids. Unfortunately we had not read Trip Adviser before booking, as the reports we later read that evening were all very negative. It will be interesting to see what we make of it when we arrive.

When we got to Cairo we were soon in the thick of it with road works and detours all over. We managed to stay roughly on track towards the region of Giza and the pyramids. When we approached the pyramid zone we decided it was time to ask for some directions. Being completely lost in this chaotic city with its crazy drivers was not what we wanted. The first person we asked told us to go up the road and right where we should ask someone else. I have heard similar vague advice many times on my travels and they had mostly been fruitless. Hence, I decided that the best thing was to hire a taxi to lead us to the hotel. We were glad we did as the way to King Faisal Street was complex. When e arrived we managed to park Proper Job directly outside the hotel in front of the security guards. We were met by friendly hotel staff and we requested a room high up and at the back where it would be much quieter. One of the negative articles we had read referred to the terrible noise from the traffic into the early hours. We were pleasantly surprised at the quality of the room and felt that for the price of UK18 a night - booked online through Travel Republic (a brilliant website for finding good deals) - it was well worth it. The view from the roof terrace of the pyramids was spectacular and this alone was worth more than the price of the hotel.

That evening we jumped in a taxi and went down town to Zemalek Island, where we had been told there were a few decent cafes and bars. The driver first took us to a river boat restaurant complex called Nile City which was not very good. He then took us to another which was worse. We were now going around in circles and whatever we asked him was revolved around and back to square one. I am sure that this Egyptian technique of leading you around and around in mind game circles should be classified as a form of mental torture. The whole episode was frustrating and mind numbing. At one point I even got out of the car and walked away to regain my composure. Eventually, after another few goes we got him to take us to where we originally wanted to go and we found a great little Irish pub where we had a few beers. The taxi driver waited for us for two hours and then drove us back to the hotel, which took another one hour. The charge though was very reasonable at UK12 for four hours.

The following morning we went to reception at 8.30m to meet with the taxi driver that had originally led us to the hotel. He didn’t turn up so we ended up going to the pyramids with the brother of the driver we had had the previous frustrating evening. He was even worse and the Egyptian mind games were being played again. I purposely let John do the talking and enter discussions with him as I had had enough from the previous evening. After about 15 minutes of the circular mind torture treatment John angrily declared he had had enough and got out of the car and walked away. The driver looked astonished and I couldn’t help but laugh. Eventually John returned and the driver drove us to the pyramids. He told us he would wait for us and would not charge us for waiting. He also warned us of the many mafia types that hang around the pyramid zone. We got our tickets and queued to get into the complex. An Egyptian approached and started discussing how he would take us around. He even attempted to grab our tickets. At this point I firmly told him to back off, accusing him of being the mafia and that I would call the tourist police if he didn’t. He looked shocked and insulted and called others over to explain that he was an official guide working for the complex. I still didn’t believe their collective lies. We got through the gates and walked to where our taxi driver was. One of the proclaimed ‘official guides’ followed us and insisted on proving he was not a mafia type. He said he was there to show us around and there was no charge for his services. I told him if he really wanted to walk around with us then he was free to do so.

We went to the main pyramid which is around 100m high. They are amazing structures and are even more so when you realize they are around 4500 years old. We went inside one of the pyramids and climbed along narrow inclined tunnels to reach the chamber where the mummy of a pharaoh had once lain. The stone work was truly impressive and again I could imagine how Wilbur Smith had been inspired by such things when he wrote his books. When we came out we witnessed a scene where Egyptian ‘master con-men’ convinced a tourist that he should part with many notes from his wallet. It was quite funny to watch and I could not believe how naïve this person was. The two Egyptians vigorously shook hands with each other after they had completed their job.

We were soon approached by our so called ‘free guide’ who said we should get a camel or horse to go to the Sphinx which, he said, was too far away to walk to. We told him we wanted to walk and the mind games started again. We walked away and he said something along the lines of how rude it was to do so when he was speaking. We laughed and he started to get the picture that we were not easy pickings. Then he came out and asked for some money. I laughed again and told him he had not done anything to deserve payment and that we had not even wanted him to come along.


As we walked towards the Sphinx, a number of men on camels started hassling us to hire their camel for a ride. We told them no, regardless of the price, as we did not even like camels. They just kept on following us so we told them we would call the police if they did not leave us alone. By now I am sure the reader is getting the picture on what the people are like in these tourist areas of Egypt. Tiring and frustrating does not even come close to describing them. The Sphinx was smaller than I expected but again was well worth the visit. Even with the non stop tardy scams that the locals use to attempt to extract money from you, the Giza Pyramids are great to visit.

Later that afternoon we headed down to the Cairo Museum. We spent a couple of hours roaming around the myriad of rooms with their artefacts. However, by far the best display was the one holding the gold treasures that came from the Tomb of Tutankhamen. His face mask, containing 11kg of gold, is spectacular and beautiful. His inner sarcophagus is of solid gold and has amazing engravings. I guessed that this weighed much more than his mask. Indeed the world is lucky that the complete tomb and treasures of a pharaoh was not discovered by the grave robbers before being discovered and preserved by archaeologists. We headed back to the Deals Irish bar for a few cold beers followed by a tasty pizza in a nearby restaurant. That evening I got a call from my ‘fixer’ Mr Ahmed in Alexandria and discussed our schedule and meeting place. When the question of money came up I insisted we meet beforehand to discuss the right number. We agreed on this and the meeting as set for 8.30am at the Sofitel hotel in Alexandria on Monday morning. On the way back to the hotel we had more ‘fun and games’ with the taxi driver and after a brief argument about price we paid a much deflated asking price and called it a night.

The next day we easily found our way onto the Desert Highway that leads to the northern coast of Egypt and to Alexandria, our final destinations. The drive took about three hours and we eventually made it into the chaotic coastal city of Alexandria. The traffic along the coast road through the city was filled with cars and busses and you need nerves of steel to drive here. The locals see nothing wrong with being one inch away from the side of another car. There are lots of horns blowing and everyone is swerving in and out of their lanes just to gain a few metres advantage. Luckily Proper Job looks quite daunting to a Lada taxi driver so I was able to make my way to the Aifu Horizon hotel, opposite Montaza Palace, without too many near misses. Later I emailed the Lizzybus and gave them key GPS coordinates to ease the way in finding the hotel in Cairo and Alexandria. They had decided to come north for a few days to visit some local places and also to see us off.

The following morning we met Mr Ahmed at the Sofitel and I was surprised to find a 71 year old man who got around on a 25 year old Vespa scooter. He has been assisting with importing and exporting vehicles in Alexandria port for 51 years. We agreed on a price that I felt was fair and he felt was worth it if I could give him a few references. That done we started the process of getting Proper Job out of Egypt and back to the UK. First we went to the traffic attorney and cleared my Egyptian license. The process is complicated and I could not see that it would be possible to do these necessary clearances without a ‘fixer’. Next we went to Marina Shipping Agency where I met the very competent Mrs Nashwa. I paid for the passage on the MV Mediteraneo belonging to the Grimaldi Shipping Line. The boat was due to arrive in three days time, the 23rd June. The shipping cost came to around Euro500. That done we headed down to the huge port of Alexandria to obtain my port entry card. John was told he would not be allowed in as only the registered owner of the vehicle was allowed to enter. After a couple of hours waiting whilst the authority was given, we left the port and headed back to the hotel. These tasks had taken us around 5 hours to complete. I was to meet Mr Ahmed on Wednesday 22nd at 8.30am to begin the customs process.

That afternoon we went to the Montaza Gardens where we found a McDonalds restaurant to eat a late lunch. The Montaza Palace is a stunning looking Italian design building and we did a lap of the grounds before retiring back to the hotel. The sea front in Alexandria has loads of restaurants but they are all expensive and they do not sell beer. We had expects the northern part of Egypt to be much more westernized. We eventually found a fun bar in a weird sort of gated community, and this had the cheapest beer we had found in Alexandria. It was still much more expensive than in any other part of Egypt we had visited.

The next day we visited the famous Alexandria Library, but were disappointed with the collection of old books and manuscripts. Later that evening the Lizzybus crew arrived and we had a fun evening with them. Typical of the two of them they soon found a really good restaurant in the back streets. The food was excellent and cheap. John had a huge chicken meal for UK2. It was the first time that we had seen David fail to finish all the dishes off.

The following morning I drove alone down along the coastal road to meet with Mr Ahmed. I hoped that I would not have a prang on my last drive on this Africa trip with Proper Job. Luckily the traffic was light and I arrived early. Soon Mr Ahmed appeared on his scooter and I followed him to the port gates. The time was 8.30am. The next few hours were quite an experience. Unless you can speak and read Arabic, clearing a vehicles through customs, the traffic department and the delivery to the shipping line storage facilities is something that is impossible to do without a ‘fixer’. There is paperwork by the reams and it seems each has to be signed by three different people, often in three different offices. Mr Ahmed has been doing this for 51 years and they even have him running around and jumping through hoops. Actually he has an assistant to do all that as he would not be physically able to do so at his age. At each stage there are facilitating payments to be made and this is done through a hand shake where the money is passed over. Nothing would happen here without these payments and for a foreigner trying to do so, the expense would rack up. Five hours later we were finished and I drove Proper Job down to the Marina Shipping holdings and handed the keys to the company official, who would insure that it was loaded correctly the following day on the ship to the UK. Well I hope so anyway.

Mr Ahmed is worth the money and anywhere between Euro 200 and 250 to export your vehicle, everything included (except storage) is a good result. Believe me not much of that actually goes into his pocket. I jumped on his scooter and we found a small café where we enjoyed a cold fresh lemon drink. I paid him the balance of what I owed and bade him farewell. On reflection, for those who do the same route through Egypt and Sudan, I would recommend Mr Ahmed in Alexandria, Mr Kamal in Aswan and Mr Magdi in Wadi Halfa. With these three, you will find the whole experience much less stressful and you will be successful in getting your vehicle through.


I arrived back at the hotel and John had booked up our flights for the following day. We would depart Alexandria at 6.30am on the 23rd June 2011 and arrive in Cornwall around 5.40pm the same day. Our safari buddy Jane would be at Newquay airport to pick us up.

It will take me some time to reflect properly on my trek around Africa. I am tired now, not from the distance travelled but because of the Egyptian people. I am not saying that they are all annoying and irritating but enough of them are to give you the impression that they all are.

However, without a doubt this trip has been amazing and has been the challenge of a lifetime for me. It has taught me much and has given me a renewed belief and confidence in many things. I have really enjoyed the sub Saharan African peoples and their cultures. The wildlife has been amazing and the continent varied and vibrant. There have been many good times and some bad ones. There have been many challenges along the way. I have been able to meet again with some old friends and also meet new ones. Each of these encounters has made the trip more memorable.

I realize driving around the continent of Africa is something very special and rewarding. My journey, with my trusted carriage Proper Job, has taken me through 24 countries and over 58,000 kilometres. A tiny fraction of the worlds’ population both now and in the past, have travelled the circumference of Africa. For me this fact helps put the journey into perspective. People along the way have been bemused and asked me why I have done such a trip. My answer is Why Not ?

I will certainly feel sad leaving Africa tomorrow, but already am formulating plans to ship Proper Job back to Southern Africa so I, and friends, can go on other safaris in the future. I am looking forward to seeing my family and friends in Cornwall and Canada again.

Deep down, I feel that this journey has changed my outlook on life.

What next is the big question.