Day 29: Aswan – Wadi Halfa

So, we head down to the port at about nine, I’m not full of confidence. But as we arrive, there’re a lot of Sudanese. This is a good sign, as they must be getting the ferry too. It is a good sign...

Our fixer comes over, and he’s in a buoyant mood. It’s a little hectic, The Others have organised an alternative barge, looks like Rob and I may be left behind. Three to four hours later, our fixer, smiling, comes and advises we’ve got our own personal barge, it’ll be leaving today, and it’s much better than the other barge. High five! Long story short, after much guessing and worrying, we load our bikes, and then two hours later The Others load onto the same barge, ha!

Once loaded, we head onto the ferry. It’s not what you’d call a usual ferry...and it isn’t leaving for another five hours (the barge will leave tomorrow...ish). Discussion quickly turns to people’s views and thoughts on Egypt. But the one thing we all agree on, sitting on the roof of the boat as the sun sets is perhaps the most romantic departure from a country we’ve ever made...

But the night gets better, lying on the deck in the open air, staring up at the sky, we see the International Space Station making it’s way across the sky, the moon rise which was magical and a deep burning red all followed by a beautiful shooting star.

People so nice, contrasts. Sinai bandits, money grabbers in Aswan, desperate due to the collapse of the tourist industry?

Makes you feel truly grateful to be born in the west, what do people have here!?