Day 35: Merowe – Khartoum

Up at the break of dawn after a great night’s sleep, we do a little exploring of Merowe. First though, I try and ride my bike up a massive sand hill. I do better than I expected, about three quarters of the way, and I don’t get stuck! Then, into the pyramids. We’re the only ones there, it’s quite a nice experience, but I must admit I’ve seen quite a few tombs/temples now and my sense of wonder has dispersed.

We agree on stopping twice on the way to Khartoum, once at Gharta and once at Narak. Flying down the road, Rob leading, I see the sign for Gharta, Rob flies by, I follow and then notice no one else following. I pull over and wait for Rob, but he’s long gone, so I head back and regroup with The Others. A quick drink and we head to the temple. It’s a 30km across country drive, no tarmac, lots of random paths, and some patches of soft sand. It takes ages, but it’s pretty good fun, completely in the wild riding across sand and dirt. We lose Rob Roy at some point, and when we get to the temple after about an hour, it hasn’t been worth it! But it’s been fun, so we set of for the second temple. This one isn’t far, but it’s across a dried up river bed, and as we approach my bike starts sinking! Turning away from the river bed, and out of the incredibly soft sand, I’m OK. But looking ahead, Ray (one of the aussie’s) is in a bit of trouble. His 3.5t 4x4 is sinking rather than moving, doh. Quick sit rep, I can’t help, so try and get across the river, and then watch the guys work it out. Brian ends up towing Ray out, but it takes about an hour, it’s completely out of nowhere and just highlights how dangerous these conditions can be. But I’m well adjusted to them now, and am flying along, until I feel the front wheel going odd, puncture. We’ll make it to the temple, and I’ll sort it whilst the others look around.

Disastrously, I’ve brought two rear inner tubes, rather than one front one rear. And it’s my front that’s gone. No worries, I’ve two repair kits. Brilliantly the first kit isn’t working, but thankfully the second one does. We’re an hour from the road, I don’t really want to be stuck here, and I’m parched from working on the bike in the heat, not sweet. But just as I’m putting it all back together, the guys come back, all disappointed with the temple! No worries, we head off. And the riding back is fun, firing across the loose dirt and gravel, Kirsty is dancing and we’re having a great time, yeeee haw! After what seems all day, we hit the tarmac, Khartoum is a couple of hours away. Rob Roy has reported in, he’s there already. And we’re in hot pursuit, for the first hour. Then, whilst pulling back into my lane after passing a lorry, the front of my bike tucks under, but not quite enough to have me off. The front’s gone down again, that was close. We’re sixty miles out, I’ll try and pump it up and drive carefully rather than taking the wheel off again. I do this three more times before making it safely to camp, but we make it, to the Blue Nile Yacht Club, high five!

Tomorrow will be a rest day, and also a chance to get a couple of replacement inner tubes and a puncture repair kit, before we head for Ethiopia....

Day 34: Kerma – Merowe Pyramids

What a great start to the day, rising at about half six to a gorgeous morning after a good night’s sleep. Riding back through the dust bowl off road is easier for everyone and good fun, and then we blast off towards Atbara. Stopping after 500m for fuel! After that, it’s plane sailing. There’s one road to follow, and we’re heading through desert mainly. It’s exciting as we don’t get this at home, but boring because it’s desert! Half way, we stop  at Karima for fuel and to look at the maps a little. Fueled, there looks like two roads to Merowe, one definitely paved, and one perhaps unpaved. Rob is in a bit of a huff during the conversation, not being very open. We look at the options, I’d like to take the unpaved, he the paved, but we agree to decide when we hit the fork. I head off first, followed by Rob and then Rob Roy. Out of the petrol station we have to take a right towards the main road out. I take the right and check my mirrors. Rob, has gone straight on? Rob Roy stops at the junction. What’s Rob doing!? I spin around, talk with Rob Roy, we’re def going the right way, I head to see if Rob has stopped the other side of the junction, he hasn’t, he’s gone. Exactly like in Egypt. I’m not going to spend half an hour looking/waiting for him, he could’ve let us know what he wanted to do. It’s OK, we’ll have to have a chat about it though. We wait five minutes, I go and look, no sign, we head off. Around the corner, we bump into the other group in the 4x4s by some pretty cool pyramids. Sweet. A few quick pics and we head off, still no sign of Rob. Oh well, Rob Roy and I have a great days ride through the desert, rode through a sandstorm at one point, made it out the other side and caught up with the two 4x4s again. And Rob is at the camp too, so all’s OK and it’s been a good fun day.

Hopefully Khartoum tomorrow....

Day 33: Wadi Halfa – Kerma

Happy Bonfire Night! In eager anticipation of the ferry, we’re eating breakfast at half seven, hoping for the boat’s arrival at half eight. The plan is, get the bikes and try and make it south of Dongola, approx 250 miles.

The barge sails into view at about half ten. No great surprise! And our bikes surrounded by boxes of shipments isn’t either, but the freestanding oven and hob that is sitting atop Rob’s bike wasn’t expected...We set about unloading some of the barges other goods, so we can get access to the bikes and get them off. It only takes half an hour or so (there’s three of us now). And once unloaded, the fixer asks for a tip for the barge staff. We’re not too impressed and politely decline.

The paperwork is pretty easy, and we’re on the road by about oneish. Everyone is very excited. This is brilliant! And it’s pretty hard to get lost, as the town only has one road in and out. We’re soon flying along, the tarmac is good, and the desert enthralling. Although, it isn’t a classic desert, there’re plenty of rock outcrops and small hills. Still, it’s good fun riding, and great to be on the road. Fuel isn’t as cheap as Egypt, but £4 for 125 miles is quite good value.

About 50 miles out of town, we catch Chris, the guy walking to Somaliland. It was 39c in the shade when we left, I can’t believe this guy. He’s pulling a small trolley with his stuff in it, and heading through the desert. He’s aiming for 30mpd (miles per day!). We all stop and say hello, giving him bottles of water and a pair of sunglasses (he’s lost his). As we set off, and we head up the road, I’ve got to admit I’m concerned for his safety. He’s about 28 and from near Scarborough, and it’s impossible for him to carry enough food and water through this section. He’s completely reliant on water from passing traffic. Reassuringly, he’s been offered lifts from locals and plenty of water thus far, but fingers crossed for him...

50 miles later, and we’re catching the cyclists. These guys are in good form, but the sun is already taking it’s toll. They said their thermometer read over 45c yesterday.. Again, food and water is handed over, and they’ve broken their stove, so I donate mine (I’m not the biggest fan of camping, so it’s no great sacrifice. I can’t describe how tough this must be, it’ll take Chris at least 17 days to get to Khartoum, the cyclist probably ten days, but all through desert. Good luck amigos...

We buzz on until the sun starts to set, we haven’t made Dongola, so we turn off and head into the dust to wild camp. We’re in farmland, so we can’t go just anywhere, but down a path is a small dusty patch we can use apparently. Following Roy and Avril (the aussies), both Rob and Robroy (our new biker buddy from SA) come off their bikes in the pretty tough dust. It’s very light and makes it tricky as it directs the front wheel the way it wants to go, rather than the way you want it to go. But after half an hour of battling, we make it to the spot and set camp under the stars. Literally. There’s no man made light, and the moon isn’t anywhere to be seen. And as there’s no chance of rain, I have no flysheet over the tent. As I lie back, I’m looking straight up at the stars, and listening to the odd donkey!

Day 32: Wadi Halfa

Some people have said, that today maybe the day. Fingers crossed....

About two, we get some news. The barge has passed Abu Simbel, so approx three to four hours away from us. Unfortunately, there are two problems. One: if the barge doesn’t cross the border before five, it won’t be allowed to. Second: customs closes at four, so even if it makes it to port, we ain’t getting the bikes until tomorrow.

This is all OK though, our next stop will be Dongola, which is approx 250 miles. It’s achievable in a day, but there are some great sites to see along the way apparently. So, if it takes us a day and a half, that’s fine.

Although, I’ve got to cover 4000 miles in the next 25 days to pick up a friend. And that also includes crossing Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and then into Zambia...

Day 31: Wadi Halfa

So I ate my first Sudanese meal last night, and my first for about 24hours. The kitchen in the hotel would be Gordon Ramsey’s nightmare, he’d have a heart attack. Everything is dirty, there is no hygiene standard. But, when in Rome... So I have a beef and potato stew. It’s very tasty, reminds me a bit of the Irish stews mum makes, although mum does tend to put meat in her stews as well as the potato! No matter, on my delicate stomach I’m more than happy.  And, I feel so much better after a nights sleep, things are good.

Rob and I stroll into town (the town doesn’t have tarmac roads or any pavements) and grab a tuk tuk to the other, better looking, side of town. The driver is brilliant, speaking no English, he takes us to outside his house so we can see where he lives. We laugh a bit, and make the action for food, spooning from a plate into our mouths. He takes us to another house, perhaps the nicest house in town (it’s like the others). Hmm, this isn’t working. Then we realise they don’t have cutlery, and motion hand to mouth, he gets it! And drives us to a hut in the middle of nowhere. This doesn’t look good, but having been poisoned once, I’m game for anything. There’s only one thing on the menu, rice cake and crisp roll, so looks like we’re having that! And, it’s blinking marvellous J We ask for a couple of cokes, he says they’ll be five minutes. But, we spot him slicing up fruit, putting it in a blender, and then adding water. And the water isn’t from a bottle.

Whilst this is going on, a local guy says hello. His name is Joseph, he speaks a little English and explains his sister lives in Florida. He seems  like a nice guy.

Rob and I make a plan, when the drink arrives, we’ll pay, and then just leave the drink. But Joseph won’t let us pay, saying he’ll pay for our meal. Cripes, this’ll look really bad if he pays and then we don’t drink the drink. I assure him it’s OK, we’ll pay. He says ok, but wants to at least buy our drinks. There’s a classic standoff as he’s trying to give me money for the drinks and I’ve got my hands up politely refusing. This would never happen in the Egypt, what a contrast! I place my hand on his shoulder, and say it’s so kind, but the drink will make us ill. It’s an odd situation, but it’s smiles all round as we depart in the tuk tuk, back to the hotel.

We’re just waiting on the barge to arrive from Aswan with our bikes now, and that may be two more days yet. And this is a very quiet town. Population, perhaps two thousand, and it looks like not many people have a TV. You’ve got to be really careful with the bottled water too, Rob grabs us a couple of bottles from the shop, when we go to open them, his has been clearly tampered with and probably filled with tap water. Not the best for sensitive western bellies! And recently an English guy was caught with a beer and received 40 lashes, might stay dry for the next week or so...

  Can’t wait for those bikes to arrive!

Day 30: Wadi Halfa, Sudan

Well, the night didn’t quite as well as I’d hoped. Around midnight, I get the classic tightening of the stomach, which can only mean one thing. Food poisoning.

The rest of the night is spent in, or near the toilet. And the toilet is one step away from the one in Trainspotting. But, at least it’s a western toilet, and not the squat style. A manage the grand slam, the travellers holy grail. I’ll leave that to your imagination. Suffice to say, come six or seven, I’m in a world of pain and feel like death. I definitely want my mum, and I def want to be in a nice big bed, near a toilet, with a soft pillow and comfy duvet. At the mo, all I’ve got is the hard steel floor of the ship.

Thank the lord for the aussies though, about half eight, they’re up and allow me to rest in their cabin. It’s the best, and very much needed.

Around midday, the ship docks. We’re in Sudan bitches! This, is very surreal. I never imagined I’d be in the Sudan, this trip has just kicked off! And, it’s 37.8c in the shade. I am not looking forwards to riding in this...

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!?