Neil's in…

So it’s my great news to tell you that I’ve now arrived at Luxor; all right, 2 days ago…  my first impression  whilst riding down the Neil Nile from Qina was: “Wow! Egypt has greenery!!”. However, going for a leisurely walk later, after pitching up at our campsite, and being harassed by every Egyptian we crossed paths with my growing hatred of Egypt near on critical, I decided I no longer wanted to see anything else here. So yesterday, I spent the day hiding in our campsite.

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Here’s some photos of our ride to Luxor from Hurghada:

So anyhow, after a sleep on it and comforting myself with the notion: “I’ll never have to come back here again”, I thought it only fair that I visited the Valley of the Kings with Craig. Sure enough, we didn’t get far at all before we were accosted by Egyptians following us.  We ended up using them.

So we got there just after 8:30 this morning, it was by this time already very hot. It was quite amazing to think about whilst driving up there and then the little walk up to the tombs that someone was daft enough to be looking for these things, when the rolling barren landscape looks all the same. Nuts! It’s more crazy to think about people crafting these amazing tunnels perfectly formed, beautifully decorated if the heat was anything like what it was today… and we’re not even in summer here.

The ticket we had only allowed us to see 3 of the tombs,  we went to see Thutmes IV, which was perfectly crafted, tunnels perfectly straight, floors perfectly level… then we ambled up the impossibly steep steps to see Thutmes III the queue was long, the temperature there was almost unbearable, and that was before we descended inside, once inside, the temperature must have gone up by about 10 degrees, I’m not sure if it was the heat, but I wasn’t all that impressed, the Thutmes IV was more advanced, but then that’s obvious isn’t it? (Roman numeral and all) Lastly, we went to see Tausert & Setnakht which in my opinion was the best, the wall decorations began immediately, vibrant with colour and the vaulted ceilings really gave a sense of atmosphere with all the colour, if also felt much larger. Sadly we weren’t allowed to use our cameras so the only shots I took were on the sly.

Quick description:

1. Luxor Temple, we didn’t go inside but passed it on our way to the ferry this morning,
2. Thutmes IV – luckily empty,
3. Thutmes III after coming out, just look at us, we’re completely drenched,
4. Not sure which tomb this one was, could be inside any of them they all were decorated the same like this on entry,
5. Tausert & Setnakht, see, colour!!
6. oh did i mention we have kittens on the campsite??

So yesterday we arrived in Hughada around midday, we had set off at 7am as mentioned in the previous post. (I’ve written two posts if you haven’t noticed).

(Campsite photo belongs to: Matt & Kim)

Our ride down the coast, was somewhat boring, but at the same time had it’s perks: we pulled over for a swim in the red sea, I filled my tank for 30 L.E. (£3.30), and lastly, we got to Hughada midday and got our lodgings for 25 L.E. each (£2.65) a night.

Picks of the day:

Anyhow, today we’ve been out diving.Well, personally I’ve been snorkelling but Ed and Craig went the full hog with the diving gear. I can’t tell you what reef we were off of, but it was gorgeous, and a great experience. I’m glad I only did the snorkelling, the diving gear from what we heard was a little iffy and for what I paid just for the snorkelling, it was cheap if just for the on-board lunch.

Pics of the day:

The internet still proving impossible. I’m currently writing this on Matt’s laptop’s . I am somewhat sun-burnt and a little tired, so I’m calling it a day for now. From Luxor I made the pictures bigger and added more. Enjoy!!

By the way: Today is my first day on the Malaria tablets (Doxycycline).

So since Cairo, we (the famous 6 of us), set off at 10am rode up to Ismalia to see the Suez Canal, spent a good while looking for a view point. Eventually found something similar and settled for it.

We later rode on south until dark (just past Suez) and then found somewhere to camp. Our camp of choice in the dark resulted us with a nice abandoned quay, the ground was sandy with sharp rocks but made for a good camp ground once the sharper rocks had been kicked off. We were in bed by 9…

…and woke up just before 6, set off by 7.

Picks from the day:

Hi all, I’ve now been in Cairo for 7 days!!! I have managed to get 1 visa. Woot! The bad news: tomorrow is some holiday and the Ethiopian embassy wont be open until Thursday. However, the visas will not be processed until after the weekend (keep in mind Arabic weekends start Friday and end Saturday), other bad news is that after calling Mr Salah, in Aswan, regarding the ferry for Monday, he’s informed me that it is fully booked and that we’ll have to catch the next sailing, the following Monday (18th October).

On the good side of the bad news, I met a Swedish couple in the Sudanese embassy who were collecting their visa at the same time as me, and we discussed the problem with the Ethiopian visa, they said that they were assured by the Ethiopian embassy in Cairo that the visas could be processed as easily in Khartoum. Which has filled me with confidence and added a jump to my step. This means we can leave Cairo finally tomorrow morning. We’ll head firstly to Suez, see the canal in some shape or form and then head down along the Red Sea.

I’m not sure I mentioned my awesome fantastic arabic watch yet, I should it’s an unmissable smile raiser on my trip it cost me 35LE which in real money works out to be about £3.85.

Another detail of much joy has been the kitten I almost jumped on on my was back from the Sudanese embassy.. it was as small as a fist curled up as a ball on the step of a shop. It’s a hard life for kittens in Egypt.

Anyhow, I look forward to camping on the beach and swimming in the Red Sea tomorrow!!

So, yesterday we (6 of us: Matt & Kim, Craig, Cam, Ed and I) went on a rollercoast ride with a Egyptian named Ali, who took us to his home village to meet his wife, eat his food and give us a closed-doors tour of the step pyramids at Saqqara (which are now not open to the public anymore). The day was probably the best eye-opener of our Egypt experience we’ve had so far. Aside from from my dehydration, it was a good day.

We got to dress up in Galapeas and ride in the desert and obviously see the pyramids at sun-set without any other tourists. It was great.

Sadly, the visa situation is proving a mare. My Sudanese visa was not processed today, and the others now have to wait for mine to materialize tomorrow. With lucky everything will work in time for our ferry on Monday next week.

So today, Craig and I went off to see the sphinx and ended up seeing the pyramids… and the sphinx… OK it cost me a little more than I wanted to part with, but I guess it’s not everyday you get to ride a camel in the desert, haggle with Egyptians over things you DO NOT want and end up getting them for about a third of the price and thoroughly enjoying it.

Anyhow, we’ve been mostly enjoying the sun up on the roof top pool to be honest:

Anyhow here are the pictures from today:

Tomorrow we’re moving from this hotel to another since they cannot book us here another night. However, we have already a reservation at another place where a couple who are having the problems as us on our visas. I look forward to seeing new faces!

Well, the news is that we’ve been to the Sudanese embassy this morning, and submitted our visa applications and have been told that they’ll be processed and ready for collection Monday morning. We then, need to zoom off to the Ethiopian embassy and apply for that visa. So we’re currently stuck here in hot clamy Cairo.

So the picture above is of the sub-urb of Giza from our roof-top overlooking the pyramids, I tried many different things but regardless of what I did I couldn’t get the Pyramids to show up in photos, you can see them perfectly fine with the naked eye but no joy taking the shot. Anyhow, something fun to remark is that all those roof tops in the foreground, have cattle grazing. We’ve spent ages staring at goats, chickens, even cows all on the roof, looking for shade.. it’s nuts!

Not many photos available, I just don’t feel that secure with the cameras out.

Here’s the view from the other side of the hotel roof of the Neil… i mean the Nile

So I got as far as the Pyramids! Sorry I didn’t make more of an effort with the appearance….. 4 hours riding in 40 degrees with a jacket on, and the last 30 minutes was in traffic.

Just a catch up for the past few days. Firstly: the ferry, 4 males, 4 days, stuck in a ferry cabin without a window cooking food with camping stoves in the toilet:

…and little else to do:

…but sit and talk with the other overlanders about what we were going to do when we got to customs in Egypt. Surely, 4 days of talking about it didn’t help.

I wont bore you; it was boring.

Here’s some pictures more interesting:

So (back to the present) our 220km to Cairo took us 4 hours, the heat is/was unimaginable. I wont recommend it.

Anyhow, yet again GPS failed, and back to the concept I originally suggested: ask a cab driver to lead the way to a hotel, and it’ll cause little stress and worth every penny. Thankfully before I got to repeat myself a cabbie approached us and did the convincing for me. We’re currently in the Swiss Inn Nile Hotel (5 stars) about £12 each, with a roof top pool with views over Cairo right next to the Nile…. yes the Latitude map is accurate.

Tomorrow, we’re going to see if we can get our Ethiopia & Sudanese visas, let’s hope we get it done in one day!!

Thanks for reading!

Hi just a quick line to let you all know that I’m now officially in Africa.

…and another few lines to tell you:

Yesterday, we pulled in to Alex at 2pm… spent 4 hours in customs being issued visas, insurance, driver’s license, number-plates and everything else… all in the baking sun, no idea what we were paying, and all paying different rates for the same thing.

Then by sunset we set off to look for the camp-site…. that camp-site in the middle of the city. Yet again, GPS failed us. After riding in the slums of Alexandria in the dark with pack horses and everyone driving without lights on (no joke everyone drives in the dark here) for about what seemed eternity, we got found by a local who could speak English, luck being what it is… he was a delightful host, and after finding us a good enough hotel for us, and a good place to park our bikes, he took us out for dinner which was delicious. Alexandria is famous for it’s seafood, and we had some great calamari and then grilled fish.  It was delicious.

Anyhow, today we’re going to try and get to a camp-site… yes a camp-site in Cairo. I’ve not seen many backpacking, caravanning, types here in Egypt. I’ll keep you posted.

Ok not yet, but give me 4 days and a day of Visa processing and I’ll be riding my trusty little bike in the Middle East/Africa.

Today, Ed and I have been walking the alleyways of Venice and doing all the usual tourist things of photographing gondolas and posing on bridges… and avoiding beggars. We survived, so good job! Tonight, I’m staying in a campsite, yesterday was a 1 star ho(s)tel.. it hitherto  claim to be a hotel but even as a hostel it was pretty damn awful. Sudden noises throughout the night, lots of mosquitos and poor quality service from the staff. Suffice to say, I’d rather suffer on a campsite.

Anyhow, here’s today’s photos:

I cannot tell you when my next post will be, but I hope it’ll be soon and frequent.  Thanks for reading!