So we ended up spending two nights in Wadi Halfa waiting for the truck to arrive. There is not a great deal to do in Wadi Halfa so we were all pleased to get back on the road again. As it was late afternoon by the time the truck arrived and we had restocked with food, we just had a short drive out into the desert before finding yet another fantastic bush camp. Great to be out in the desert again, enjoying the solitude and fantastic camp food - pumpkin soup for dinner was amazing!
We encountered a few scorpions and camel spiders (or Colins as Clare calls them) the following morning. One even managed to make its way on to the truck which livened up our journey. Friday was a long, hot driving day. The desert is really dusty so we were all happy when after some skilful off road driving from Rogan, we found a spot by the Nile for a refreshing swim. The cold water felt fantastic particularly as we had not showered properly for days (a bucket shower doesn't count!).
Saturday morning, we left camp early to climb up Jebel Barkhal (Holy Mountain). Then it was more driving and more sweating on the truck, interspersed with one of Bruce's quizzes from time to time to keep us entertained. The outside temperatures are so hot that opening the windows just means you get blasted with hot air and dust. Even at night, the temperature doesn't drop enough to stop you sweating so sleep is difficult. Those of you reading this in the UK will probably think us mad, but we all just longed for rain. So imagine our delight when it actually did start to rain. Albeit only a brief shower, it did help us cool down a little. It also made for interesting times trying to get to our camp when the truck got stuck in wet sand. Still, I guess that's what the sand mats are for. Getting stuck, along with quite a few police checks that day, meant we got to camp late. Despite that, Alison still managed to bake a chocolate cake for Sue's birthday. Bad luck for Sue having a birthday in Sudan as alcohol is banned and anyone caught with it is subject to forty lashes. Sue's birthday celebrations will have to wait until Ethiopia..
Sunday morning, we got up at sunrise (well, some of us) to climb over the sand dunes and visit some temples. We then drove to the town of Shendi where we got some cold drinks and wandered round the markets whilst Alison and Rogan did some food shopping. Our 45 minute stop became considerably longer when the security police decided they wanted us all to go to their office so that they could check our passports and visas. Despite being the largest African country, Sudan is not exactly inundated with tourists due to the ongoing civil war and unrest in the south west. Whilst the north and east of Sudan through which we are travelling is peaceful, tourists are rare so we attract a lot of attention. The police then decided they wanted to see our cameras. Photography in Sudan is not permitted without a permit and you can only obtain one in Khartoum, the capital. As we hadn't yet reached Khartoum, I guess they knew we wouldn't have permits and were thinking they could make some money out of us. We quickly removed memory cards before handing over our cameras to be checked. The language barriers make all the negotiations difficult but eventually they were satisfied and let us go on our way without us needing to hand over any money.
Later in the day, we headed off road to visit some temples. However, conditions were too boggy to get the truck through so we ended up aborting that plan and heading to Khartoum a day early. We are now in a camp site with showers (oh, the joy of being clean!). Tomorrow, we continue on through Sudan and then into Ethiopia. Not sure when my next blog update will be as I understand internet in Ethiopia is not the best...
Western Sahara 2016
Monday 30 May 2011
Thursday 26 May 2011
Lake Nasser Ferry Photos
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| The ferry |
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| The loading of the ferry |
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| The crowded top deck. Even the life boats are occupied! |
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| The Odyssey refugee camp |
Tuesday 24 May 2011
Lake Nasser Ferry
Wow! Getting to Sudan was an experience. We arrived at the port around 9.45am. With the help of our local "fixer", we managed to get through immigration and on board the ferry by around 11am. Africans don't queue so it is a case of pushing and shoving to get anywhere! Once on board, there is no fixed seating arrangement. You just find your spot and then hang on to it. We decided outside on the top deck would be the best option, but as the ferry was not due to leave until 4pm, this meant sitting in the blazing heat all day. With creative use of sarongs, towels, washing lines, hair bands and safety pins, we managed to erect some sort of shade. The loading of the ferry continued all day long. There were around 700 passengers but many of them were clearly traders who had entered Egypt purely to purchase white goods to import into Sudan. The boat was piled higher and higher with boxes which seemed to contain mainly TVs and food processors. There is no organisation or loading system - it is every man for himself. Stuff would be loaded through the toilet windows, the restaurant windows - basically any entry point that could be found! By the end of the day, it was like embarking on an assault course to get below deck to use the toilet as you would have to clamber over boxes and sleeping bodies. As this is Africa and nothing operates on time, we finally left the dock at 7pm!
Your ferry ticket entitles you to one meal whilst on board. Fortunately, we had also bought plenty of food with us because the meal on board was probably worse than prison food. And the toilets....well, as one of my travel companions commented "these are worse than the toilets on Indian trains". Sleeping on deck was the right choice though. Whilst not exactly roomy, at least you got a decent breeze and could enjoy the starry night skies. We also got a good view of Abu Simbel (one of Egypt's most famous monuments) the following morning.
Almost 28 hours after boarding the ferry, we finally arrived in Sudan. Considering the amount of people and stuff on board, you can imagine that disembarking was also something of a challenge! And yet more forms needed to be filled in before we were allowed off the boat. This was probably our fifth form since leaving Egypt. I'm not sure why the authorities require quite so many forms, especially considering they also ask for the same information every time. But finally - hot, sweaty and tired - we made it off the ferry and on to Sudanese soil. Despite all the discomfort we've had to endure to get here, I think it was worth it. Not many people get the opportunity to visit Sudan so I feel quite privileged to have made it here.
Once off the boat, our fixer in Sudan made sure we got through customs very quickly and with the minimum of hassle. In fact, the people were all incredibly welcoming and friendly. To quote one officer, "Welcome to Sudan. It is very hot and there are lots of scorpions"!! Haven't seen any scorpions yet, but it is bloody hot. We are staying in a settlement just by the port called Wadi Halfa. Our accommodation is a very simple mud brick house (can't really call it a hotel). We sleep three to a room. The "shower" is a bucket and the water is always hot. Whilst there is an internet cafe in town, I would happily sacrifice that for a cold shower right now!! Average day time temperatures in Sudan are 40 degrees, but April to July is the hot season so we are experiencing temperatures in the high 40s. I have never experienced heat like it. It does not even cool down at night so you are constantly sweating.
So today we are waiting for the truck to arrive. Until she arrives, we are stuck in Wadi Halfa with nothing to do. She was on a barge at the dock when we left Egypt. Let's hope she is now on the water! Our fixer seems to think she will arrive today but I suspect that will be much later on which means spending another night here before we can head off into the desert and get back to camping and truck life...
Your ferry ticket entitles you to one meal whilst on board. Fortunately, we had also bought plenty of food with us because the meal on board was probably worse than prison food. And the toilets....well, as one of my travel companions commented "these are worse than the toilets on Indian trains". Sleeping on deck was the right choice though. Whilst not exactly roomy, at least you got a decent breeze and could enjoy the starry night skies. We also got a good view of Abu Simbel (one of Egypt's most famous monuments) the following morning.
Almost 28 hours after boarding the ferry, we finally arrived in Sudan. Considering the amount of people and stuff on board, you can imagine that disembarking was also something of a challenge! And yet more forms needed to be filled in before we were allowed off the boat. This was probably our fifth form since leaving Egypt. I'm not sure why the authorities require quite so many forms, especially considering they also ask for the same information every time. But finally - hot, sweaty and tired - we made it off the ferry and on to Sudanese soil. Despite all the discomfort we've had to endure to get here, I think it was worth it. Not many people get the opportunity to visit Sudan so I feel quite privileged to have made it here.
Once off the boat, our fixer in Sudan made sure we got through customs very quickly and with the minimum of hassle. In fact, the people were all incredibly welcoming and friendly. To quote one officer, "Welcome to Sudan. It is very hot and there are lots of scorpions"!! Haven't seen any scorpions yet, but it is bloody hot. We are staying in a settlement just by the port called Wadi Halfa. Our accommodation is a very simple mud brick house (can't really call it a hotel). We sleep three to a room. The "shower" is a bucket and the water is always hot. Whilst there is an internet cafe in town, I would happily sacrifice that for a cold shower right now!! Average day time temperatures in Sudan are 40 degrees, but April to July is the hot season so we are experiencing temperatures in the high 40s. I have never experienced heat like it. It does not even cool down at night so you are constantly sweating.
So today we are waiting for the truck to arrive. Until she arrives, we are stuck in Wadi Halfa with nothing to do. She was on a barge at the dock when we left Egypt. Let's hope she is now on the water! Our fixer seems to think she will arrive today but I suspect that will be much later on which means spending another night here before we can head off into the desert and get back to camping and truck life...
Sunday 22 May 2011
Chilling in Aswan
It is a half day drive from Luxor to Aswan in the south of Egypt. The road follows the Nile and it is fascinating to see how green the land right next to the Nile is, but how quickly it turns back into desert. With 95% of Egypt being desert, the available farmland is precious and there were people hard at work tending their crops. That said, there were also many men sat in cafes drinking tea and smoking shisha pipes. This seems to be the main occupation of many Egyptian men. Women are less frequently seen in public (presumably they are hard at work in the home). When you do see women out and about, many of them are dressed in full burkhas. Even dressing conservatively, it is impossible to blend in as a westerner here!
Aswan is smaller than Luxor but still relatively touristy (it has KFC and McDonalds!). The hotel is a definite improvement on the last one and even boasts a roof top pool and views of the Nile. It has been very pleasant sat on a sun lounger enjoying some chill time. To be honest, it is too hot to do much apart from sit in the shade catching up on emails and reading my Kindle (thanks to my friends who gave me this - it is the best present ever). Later today, we are taking a sunset feluuca cruise which I think is a "must do" in Egypt. I'm really looking forward to getting out on to the Nile and seeing Aswan from a different perspective.
Other than that, our time in Aswan has been about preparing ourselves for tomorrow's 20 hour ferry trip to Sudan - buying food, getting laundry done, packing a smaller bag, etc. Athena (the truck) has already left us with most of our stuff as she is going on a barge to Sudan. All land borders from Egypt to Sudan are closed so driving is not an option. The barge will take longer than the passenger ferry so we are expecting to spend a couple of days waiting for her to catch up with us when we reach the other side. We are all secretly hoping that Athena is already en route but in reality I suspect she will still be sat at the port when we board our ferry tomorrow. This is Africa and patience is required!
Aswan is smaller than Luxor but still relatively touristy (it has KFC and McDonalds!). The hotel is a definite improvement on the last one and even boasts a roof top pool and views of the Nile. It has been very pleasant sat on a sun lounger enjoying some chill time. To be honest, it is too hot to do much apart from sit in the shade catching up on emails and reading my Kindle (thanks to my friends who gave me this - it is the best present ever). Later today, we are taking a sunset feluuca cruise which I think is a "must do" in Egypt. I'm really looking forward to getting out on to the Nile and seeing Aswan from a different perspective.
Other than that, our time in Aswan has been about preparing ourselves for tomorrow's 20 hour ferry trip to Sudan - buying food, getting laundry done, packing a smaller bag, etc. Athena (the truck) has already left us with most of our stuff as she is going on a barge to Sudan. All land borders from Egypt to Sudan are closed so driving is not an option. The barge will take longer than the passenger ferry so we are expecting to spend a couple of days waiting for her to catch up with us when we reach the other side. We are all secretly hoping that Athena is already en route but in reality I suspect she will still be sat at the port when we board our ferry tomorrow. This is Africa and patience is required!
Friday 20 May 2011
Templed out in Luxor
After the peace and tranquility of the desert, Luxor is a shock to the system. It is hot, noisy, dirty and smelly. You are hassled constantly and pickpocketing is rife. You have to bargain for everything as they think nothing of charging tourists five times more than the local price, even for basics like a bottle of water. This can become very tiresome but at the same time, you have to feel some sympathy. With tourist numbers low, times are tough for many people.
That aside, the concentration of monuments, temples and tombs is astounding. Although this is a group trip, the activities you do are your choice and we are able to make our own plans for our time here in Luxor. I've been to Luxor Temple, Avenue of Sphinxes, Karnak Temple, Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut Temple - or Hot Chicken Soup Temple as she is known locally. There is much more you could see but that is enough for me - I am definitely templed out!
Luxor Temple at night was particularly spectacular, all lit up, and much more enjoyable in the evening rather than in the heat of the day. Luxor is by far the hottest place to date. Temperatures in Cairo were really pleasant and in the desert, there was always a breeze and it was cooler at night. The heat here in Luxor is relentless and we are all starting to worry about how hot it might be in Sudan.
For the sake of clarity - and just so people don't think I am doing this trip in style - I should point out that when I refer to staying in hotels, these are very basic hotels i.e. shared bathrooms, no air con, and you provide your own towel and even toilet paper. More like hostels really. Still, when you have been camping in the desert for four nights, you are just grateful for a bed and running water....
That aside, the concentration of monuments, temples and tombs is astounding. Although this is a group trip, the activities you do are your choice and we are able to make our own plans for our time here in Luxor. I've been to Luxor Temple, Avenue of Sphinxes, Karnak Temple, Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut Temple - or Hot Chicken Soup Temple as she is known locally. There is much more you could see but that is enough for me - I am definitely templed out!
Luxor Temple at night was particularly spectacular, all lit up, and much more enjoyable in the evening rather than in the heat of the day. Luxor is by far the hottest place to date. Temperatures in Cairo were really pleasant and in the desert, there was always a breeze and it was cooler at night. The heat here in Luxor is relentless and we are all starting to worry about how hot it might be in Sudan.
For the sake of clarity - and just so people don't think I am doing this trip in style - I should point out that when I refer to staying in hotels, these are very basic hotels i.e. shared bathrooms, no air con, and you provide your own towel and even toilet paper. More like hostels really. Still, when you have been camping in the desert for four nights, you are just grateful for a bed and running water....
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| The location of our hotel in Luxor |
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| Luxor Temple |
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| Hatshepsut Temple |
Thursday 19 May 2011
The Western Desert Loop
Sat 14th May
Today we left the craziness of Cairo behind and headed out into the Western Desert. After 4 hours driving, we stopped at the side of the road for lunch. With a fairly brisk wind blowing, sand really does get everywhere - sandy sandwiches for lunch anyone?
After another hour's drive, we reached our camp site. Today has been all about learning how the truck works. It is not a big space for 22 people (20 guests and 2 crew), so there is a system for making things run smoothly. Everyone is allocated a task, e.g. unloading tents from the roof, unloading bags, security, setting up tables and chairs, cleaning, running the bar (the most important task!). We are also split into groups of four for cooking so that you are on cook duty every fifth day.
Great camp site in the Bahariyya Oasis. After dinner, we made the most of the hot springs. It was amazing - like having a hot bath under the moon lit desert skies. A perfect end to the day...
Sun 15th May
After a leisurely start, we headed to the town of Bawiti where we stocked up on essential desert supplies such as water, toilet roll and matches. For the next three nights, we would be wild camping (for the uninitiated, that means no toilets or showers so the matches are for burning your toilet roll and lighting the fire!).
Whilst you might think that driving through the desert would get boring, the Western Desert actually has some of the most diverse desert scenery imaginable. Today we drove through the Black Desert (yes, you guessed it - black sand) and then on to the White Desert. Here the sand is like talcum powder and the rock formations and colours are incredible. Really quite spectacular scenery which words cannot do justice to.I will try to get some photos up soon.
It took a while to find, but our first wild campsite was beautiful and well worth the effort that went into locating it. The day was rounded off perfectly with gin and tonics at sunset.
Mon 16th May
On we drove through the stunning White Desert, stopping at a hot spring to wash. We encountered several road blocks and police checks on our travels today. The police ultimately ended up following us. Not entirely sure why but apparently it is not unusual on Egyptian roads to have to travel with a police guard. They were not very happy with our plans to camp wild but eventually agreed we could as long as the guard stayed with us all night.
Tues 17th May
We continued on our way with the ever present police guard! In the morning, we stopped off at Al-Qasr village. Some local children attached themselves to us and gave us a guided tour.
Late afternoon, we found another amazing campsite on the edge of the sand dunes. After pitching our tents, we climbed up the dunes to find yet more sand dunes as far as the eye could see. I ran for about ten minutes across the desert to reach the highest dune I could see. The vastness of the desert is just incredible and I have never experienced scenery like this before. Definitely a trip highlight!
After dinner around the camp fire, I slept out under the stars.
Wed 18th May
Definitely ready for a shower now! The desert scenery has been stunning and worth all the dust and sand that gets everywhere, but no one was complaining about the prospect of a shower when we arrived in Luxor! Three nights in a hotel in Luxor to get clean again, then two nights in a hotel in Aswan, before we take a 20 hour ferry to Sudan on Monday.
I can hardly believe that I have only been away for a week. Already, I feel that I have seen and done so much yet there is loads more to come..
Today we left the craziness of Cairo behind and headed out into the Western Desert. After 4 hours driving, we stopped at the side of the road for lunch. With a fairly brisk wind blowing, sand really does get everywhere - sandy sandwiches for lunch anyone?
After another hour's drive, we reached our camp site. Today has been all about learning how the truck works. It is not a big space for 22 people (20 guests and 2 crew), so there is a system for making things run smoothly. Everyone is allocated a task, e.g. unloading tents from the roof, unloading bags, security, setting up tables and chairs, cleaning, running the bar (the most important task!). We are also split into groups of four for cooking so that you are on cook duty every fifth day.
Great camp site in the Bahariyya Oasis. After dinner, we made the most of the hot springs. It was amazing - like having a hot bath under the moon lit desert skies. A perfect end to the day...
Sun 15th May
After a leisurely start, we headed to the town of Bawiti where we stocked up on essential desert supplies such as water, toilet roll and matches. For the next three nights, we would be wild camping (for the uninitiated, that means no toilets or showers so the matches are for burning your toilet roll and lighting the fire!).
Whilst you might think that driving through the desert would get boring, the Western Desert actually has some of the most diverse desert scenery imaginable. Today we drove through the Black Desert (yes, you guessed it - black sand) and then on to the White Desert. Here the sand is like talcum powder and the rock formations and colours are incredible. Really quite spectacular scenery which words cannot do justice to.I will try to get some photos up soon.
It took a while to find, but our first wild campsite was beautiful and well worth the effort that went into locating it. The day was rounded off perfectly with gin and tonics at sunset.
Mon 16th May
On we drove through the stunning White Desert, stopping at a hot spring to wash. We encountered several road blocks and police checks on our travels today. The police ultimately ended up following us. Not entirely sure why but apparently it is not unusual on Egyptian roads to have to travel with a police guard. They were not very happy with our plans to camp wild but eventually agreed we could as long as the guard stayed with us all night.
Tues 17th May
We continued on our way with the ever present police guard! In the morning, we stopped off at Al-Qasr village. Some local children attached themselves to us and gave us a guided tour.
Late afternoon, we found another amazing campsite on the edge of the sand dunes. After pitching our tents, we climbed up the dunes to find yet more sand dunes as far as the eye could see. I ran for about ten minutes across the desert to reach the highest dune I could see. The vastness of the desert is just incredible and I have never experienced scenery like this before. Definitely a trip highlight!
After dinner around the camp fire, I slept out under the stars.
Wed 18th May
Definitely ready for a shower now! The desert scenery has been stunning and worth all the dust and sand that gets everywhere, but no one was complaining about the prospect of a shower when we arrived in Luxor! Three nights in a hotel in Luxor to get clean again, then two nights in a hotel in Aswan, before we take a 20 hour ferry to Sudan on Monday.
I can hardly believe that I have only been away for a week. Already, I feel that I have seen and done so much yet there is loads more to come..
Friday 13 May 2011
Tahrir Square demo
The group is now all together as the trip officially started on Thursday. Those of us staying at the Juliana Hotel transferred over to the Swiss Nile Hotel for two nights, the starting point of our trip. As the name suggests, it overlooks the Nile and from the rooftop you can even see the Pyramids. There are 20 of us in the group (a full truck) with ages ranging from 20s to 60s and a nationality mix of Aussies, English, Irish, South African and Kiwi.
Today, we have been to the Pyramids and the Egyptian museum. Our plans were slightly disrupted by the demo in Tahrir Square that took place today to denounce the violence that erupted last weekend between Muslims and Coptics (Christians). As the museum is right next to Tahrir Square, we went there first thing this morning rather than later in the day when the demo was planned. As it was, there were already quite a few demonstrators gathered but the protests seemed to be very peaceful and our visit to the museum went ahead. Not sure how much of this has been reported on the news, but 12 Christians were killed at the weekend and a church burned. Various theories abound as to why religious violence has erupted when previously Muslims and Coptics had lived peacefully along side each other. Some suggest that Mubarak is paying extremist groups to deliberately incite violence to further de-rail Egypt post the "revolution" as the locals refer to it.
After the museum, we then visited the Pyramids - no trip to Cairo would be complete without seeing this ancient wonder. Whilst undeniably spectacular, they are also inevitably very touristy and you are constantly hassled to take a camel or horse ride, or have your picture taken with a camel or one of the locals. Having taken a camel ride on a previous trip to Jordan, I can safely say it is not an experience I would choose to repeat!
Tomorrow, we leave Cairo behind and finally get on board the truck and head out into the desert...
Today, we have been to the Pyramids and the Egyptian museum. Our plans were slightly disrupted by the demo in Tahrir Square that took place today to denounce the violence that erupted last weekend between Muslims and Coptics (Christians). As the museum is right next to Tahrir Square, we went there first thing this morning rather than later in the day when the demo was planned. As it was, there were already quite a few demonstrators gathered but the protests seemed to be very peaceful and our visit to the museum went ahead. Not sure how much of this has been reported on the news, but 12 Christians were killed at the weekend and a church burned. Various theories abound as to why religious violence has erupted when previously Muslims and Coptics had lived peacefully along side each other. Some suggest that Mubarak is paying extremist groups to deliberately incite violence to further de-rail Egypt post the "revolution" as the locals refer to it.
After the museum, we then visited the Pyramids - no trip to Cairo would be complete without seeing this ancient wonder. Whilst undeniably spectacular, they are also inevitably very touristy and you are constantly hassled to take a camel or horse ride, or have your picture taken with a camel or one of the locals. Having taken a camel ride on a previous trip to Jordan, I can safely say it is not an experience I would choose to repeat!
Tomorrow, we leave Cairo behind and finally get on board the truck and head out into the desert...
Wednesday 11 May 2011
Mosques and souks
After a painless but expensive visit to the British Embassy, the required letter for the Sudan visa was obtained. Unlike the experience of the Australian members of our group at their embassy, the British Embassy didn't seem to care that I wanted to visit Sudan as long as I handed over the money!
Armed with post it notes in Arabic to give to the taxi driver, I then headed to Old Cairo to visit Al-Azhar Mosque, one of the largest and oldest mosques in Cairo. I was expecting plenty of other tourists to be around this area but recent events have obviously had a big impact on tourism as it was a while before I saw any other tourists.
After the mosque, I then went to Khan-al-Khalili bazaar. This is similar to the souks of Marrakech but again not the hive of activity I was expecting. The locals were friendly and welcoming and not really going for the hard sell that one might imagine. Many of them were just happy to chat, pass the time of day or discuss Egypt post-Mubarak. Whilst everyone seems to be happy that he has gone, there is also massive uncertainty about the future and some seem to fear that economically, they will be worse off..
I think the hardest sell of the day came from a girl of about 8 years old who was pestering me to buy a bracelet whilst I was sat drinking mint tea in a cafe. After some haggling, I was eventually persuaded to purchase. She looked rather crestfallen at the amount we agreed on and I felt rather guilty afterwards when I realised that I had been bartering over about 20 pence!
Even with the Arabic directions, my return taxi driver didn't seem to have a clue where my hotel was although we made it eventually. On the plus side, it cost me half the price of the taxi I took there so I was obviously ripped off first time round! Everyone is out for what they can get in Cairo, but in a way that is all part of the experience. I've also learnt today that when asked if I have a husband or boyfriend, it is best to say yes. I can see why so many female travellers purchase fake wedding rings - it saves a lot of hassle!
Armed with post it notes in Arabic to give to the taxi driver, I then headed to Old Cairo to visit Al-Azhar Mosque, one of the largest and oldest mosques in Cairo. I was expecting plenty of other tourists to be around this area but recent events have obviously had a big impact on tourism as it was a while before I saw any other tourists.
After the mosque, I then went to Khan-al-Khalili bazaar. This is similar to the souks of Marrakech but again not the hive of activity I was expecting. The locals were friendly and welcoming and not really going for the hard sell that one might imagine. Many of them were just happy to chat, pass the time of day or discuss Egypt post-Mubarak. Whilst everyone seems to be happy that he has gone, there is also massive uncertainty about the future and some seem to fear that economically, they will be worse off..
I think the hardest sell of the day came from a girl of about 8 years old who was pestering me to buy a bracelet whilst I was sat drinking mint tea in a cafe. After some haggling, I was eventually persuaded to purchase. She looked rather crestfallen at the amount we agreed on and I felt rather guilty afterwards when I realised that I had been bartering over about 20 pence!
Even with the Arabic directions, my return taxi driver didn't seem to have a clue where my hotel was although we made it eventually. On the plus side, it cost me half the price of the taxi I took there so I was obviously ripped off first time round! Everyone is out for what they can get in Cairo, but in a way that is all part of the experience. I've also learnt today that when asked if I have a husband or boyfriend, it is best to say yes. I can see why so many female travellers purchase fake wedding rings - it saves a lot of hassle!
Tuesday 10 May 2011
Crazy Cairo
Arrived safely in Cairo after an easy 4.5 hour flight. The plane was virtually empty and I had three seats to myself - perfect. On landing in Cairo, I was immediately bombarded with numerous offers of taxis (and this was before I had even got to passport control and reclaimed my baggage) - the joys of being a lone female traveller! Fortunately, the hotel taxi was ready and waiting for me despite the flight landing 30 mins early.
Options presented to me by the taxi driver:
1) Air conditioning or windows open - I opted for windows open in order to take in the sights, sounds and smells of Cairo.
2) Music - Egyptian or English - well it has to be Egyptian
3) Driving style - Egyptian or a more careful approach - to which I replied I don't mind as long as we don't crash! Suffice to say, the driving in Cairo is crazy and we were soon weaving in and out of cars, horns blasting, music blaring, drivers leaning out of the windows yelling at each other, all whilst chatting on mobiles.
Cairo is a strange mix of some beautiful and intricately designed buildings next to dilapidated dirty tower blocks. I guess with 25 million people living in Cairo, they need to live somewhere...
After a 40 min drive through the smog and craziness that is rush hour in Cairo, we came to a slightly more leafy area known as Garden City in which my hotel is situated. The hotel is certainly far from glamorous but it will suffice and the staff are friendly and helpful.
Some of my fellow group members had already arrived so seven of us met up and went for dinner at a restaurant 10 mins walk from the hotel. I now know how to cross roads in Cairo - it largely involves taking your life in your hands and weaving in and out of six lanes of traffic. The best method seems to be finding a local person to follow!
Tomorrow I have a fun morning at the British Embassy to look forward to as we've just been told a letter from the embassy is required in order to accompany our Sudanese visa applications. Going by the experiences others have had in the group, this could involve several hours of waiting...
Options presented to me by the taxi driver:
1) Air conditioning or windows open - I opted for windows open in order to take in the sights, sounds and smells of Cairo.
2) Music - Egyptian or English - well it has to be Egyptian
3) Driving style - Egyptian or a more careful approach - to which I replied I don't mind as long as we don't crash! Suffice to say, the driving in Cairo is crazy and we were soon weaving in and out of cars, horns blasting, music blaring, drivers leaning out of the windows yelling at each other, all whilst chatting on mobiles.
Cairo is a strange mix of some beautiful and intricately designed buildings next to dilapidated dirty tower blocks. I guess with 25 million people living in Cairo, they need to live somewhere...
After a 40 min drive through the smog and craziness that is rush hour in Cairo, we came to a slightly more leafy area known as Garden City in which my hotel is situated. The hotel is certainly far from glamorous but it will suffice and the staff are friendly and helpful.
Some of my fellow group members had already arrived so seven of us met up and went for dinner at a restaurant 10 mins walk from the hotel. I now know how to cross roads in Cairo - it largely involves taking your life in your hands and weaving in and out of six lanes of traffic. The best method seems to be finding a local person to follow!
Tomorrow I have a fun morning at the British Embassy to look forward to as we've just been told a letter from the embassy is required in order to accompany our Sudanese visa applications. Going by the experiences others have had in the group, this could involve several hours of waiting...
Monday 9 May 2011
Quote for the day
"One of the gladdest moments of human life, methinks, is the departure upon a distant journey into unknown lands. Shaking off with one mighty effort the fetters of habit, the leaden weight of routine, the cloak of many cares and the slavery of home, one feels once more happy." - Sir Richard Burton
Monday 2 May 2011
One week to go!
On the final countdown now. This time next week, I shall be finalising my packing before heading up to Heathrow in the evening. The "To Do" list is now relatively complete, with only a few minor last minute bits and pieces to sort out. Even my beloved car has now been sold. Four more days of work and then a whole year of freedom and fun!
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