Day 8: Iskenderun – Port Said (Faud), Egypt

TAW and I are very excited, fingers crossed we’re off to start the African journey. We’ve been asked to be at the travel agent by about half nine, so we eat breakfast, pack and head down there. It’s just started to rain when we arrive, and apparently there’s a bit of a wait for someone to take us to the boat. There’re also a few foot passengers waiting for transport. So, TAW and I stick out like sore thumbs, and start chatting to a few of the guys. Turns out about 90% of the people getting the ferry are from Syria. They are fleeing their troubled land, it’s really sad to see. And so interesting to hear their story.

It puts us in our place a bit, a lot. We’re two jokers riding our bikes across foreign lands for fun and excitement. These guys are fleeing their home country so they don’t get enlisted and forced to kill their fellow countrymen. Despite Turkey firing missiles in retaliation (Rob saw three being launched on his trip down!), there isn’t any animosity between the two peoples. We see quite a lot of Syrian number plates, and the unfortunate people fleeing to Egypt are looked after by the Turkish. The guys we meet, Abdul and Mohammed, are brothers, 23 and 25. They’ve left behind their parents and sisters to try to find work in Cairo. The area they’ve left is reasonable safe, but if they get caught, they’ll be forced to enlist. Despite the tough situation, they are both excited, they are young men, it’s their first time leaving their beloved country, and they are looking to the future. They are great guys, very friendly, and it’ so intriguing to experience this with them, everything is exciting for them, I really really hope they have a bright future, fingers crossed.

We’re called by the travel agent, our escort has arrived and we’re off to the ferry. It’s half ten, and we’re hoping to sail at midday, sweet. Although, it’s raining really hard now and we get soaked, it’ll be alright as we’re sure to be in our cabin soon. Seven and a half hours later, we’re boarding the ferry, and approx two hours later we’re off. It’s been quite a hard day, no access to food until eight in the evening. Rob and I aren’t the friendliest individuals when hungry, but we tough it out! We’ve 18 hours ahead, and then the dreaded Egyptian customs, fingers crossed it won’t be as bad as everyone makes it out to be.

In the meantime, Ramses and Tutankhamen await...