Author: Sean Quine

Today was epic but brutal. We cycled through some beautiful mountains and had a 800 meter climb in a 10 km stretch. I struggled to make it up the climb. All day kids yelled “you you you” which means hello and ran next to us. I enthusiastically waved back and responded the same. I passed many kids and saw one girl pick up a rock but she was so excited that I was saying hello and acknowledging her presence that I think she forgot entirely about her intention to throw the rock. An excited kid also grabbed onto the back of my bike and pushed me up a small portion of the hill. The roads were well paved and very quiet with few vehicles; a sign of the political unrest. In the recent past, cyclists were forced to skip this whole section due to open gunfire and ethnic fighting. I saw a number of men in groups carrying rifles throughout the day. I smiled and waved to most of them and they were all friendly. I stopped and gestured with one group to ask if it was safe to proceed and they seemed to think so. I also passed a flipped 18 wheel truck blocking the highway with an armed man seated inside. He didn’t want his picture taken. I wondered why they left the truck blocking the road and came to the conclusion that it was likely a blockade left there strategically to allow the armed men to control who can pass through. Just as it was getting dark and within a few miles of our goal the town of Aiykl I came upon a military checkpoint where we all had to stop and were required to stay. We all slept in an empty cement floored building for the night. We had pasta with some of the military men whom openly told us we would pay more than other military personnel because we were Ferengi or foreigners. This was my first experience paying the “white man tax” which is quite common in Ethiopia. We were also adamantly told not to go outside at night. I could only postulate why. I had another incidence of food poisoning and pooped in a bag in the corner of the room fearful that if I went outside I might be mistaken for a rebel and shot.

Sunrise in Ethiopia

Getting chased by pack of children asking for money

We awoke early and cycled 35 km to the following town with a hotel. We breakfasted in a small village on our way. I felt like the main attraction for the village this morning. Just about every child and many of the adults crowded around to watch us eat. I got my first taste of Injaru with beef. Injaru is a wet sour bread that in my opinion makes a better science experiment than a food. We decided to call it a day in Shehibi, as the next town was 100 km away through an area known to have recently had ethnic fighting between different tribes. I have no desire to camp in this region. We visited a few different coffee shops that were roasting fresh beans in pans. The coffee here has been spectacular. The Sudanese love to load their coffee with cardamon and a ridiculous amount of sugar its great to have normal tasting coffee. Whats a bit concerning is the number of local Ethiopian men that walk around town armed with AK47s and other semiautomatic rifles.

We got an early start for the border The riding was fantastic. We rode through beautiful plains and climbed a small hill before the border. The first real hill we have encountered of the trip so far. Egypt and Sudan were very flat. Upon arriving in Galabat the border town on the Sudanese side we took care of all the paperwork and bureaucratic steps involved with exiting Sudan and entering Ethiopia. On the Ethiopian side we got our fingerprints taken and what I presumed to be an infrared thermometer gun pointed at our foreheads to test us for Ebola. Thankfully I don’t have the Ebola. In the Ethiopian office was a calendar showcasing a picture of a cold glass of beer. As if to say welcome to Ethiopia we aren’t Muslim and we drink beer. We stayed in Metema Ethiopia that night and celebrated. Some shifty money changers followed us to the hotel and I got shorted a few dollars in the exchange.

The women of Sudan wear colorful clothing which is a welcome change from all the black shrouds of Egypt

The landscape is changing.

We left mid morning because Doka is only 81 km away which shouldn’t take more than 5 hours to bicycle. We have to sleep in Doka because it is the only town between where we are in Gedaref and the border town of Metema in Ethiopia. We had heard that this whole border area is unstable as border areas often are in Africa and decided we shouldn’t camp. Much of the day we spent taking breaks at a number of different coffee shops and small cafes along the route. The road went to shit 20 km before Doka and we had to swerve all over the road to avoid giant pieces of pavement that were missing. At times the road looked like a half completed child’s puzzle. I felt even worse for the cars and minibuses that braved the road. They were unable to travel much faster than we could on bicycles.  We arrived in the town of Doka around nightfall and checked into the camp we were staying at. It was basic but surrounded by a corrugated gated fence which made it worthwhile. We slept on cots under a straw roof and found Falafels for dinner and some snacks for the next morning.

I awoke at 3 am and was out by 4:15 am so I could get to the town of Gedaref early enough to get my Ethiopian visa. I didn’t sleep well last night as the police came in several times to arrange furniture for another guest who arrived later in my room.  It took longer than I anticipated to bike the remaining 90 km to town because I was riding against some nasty winds. I made it to town by 10:30 am and met Arthur and the Canadians at the consulate to get our visas. I bought some grilled chicken and ice cream for lunch and spent the rest of the afternoon at the Motakwil hotel. I later headed out alone for dinner. I found some more Foole and got some hard boiled eggs shredded on top. It tasted great I don’t think Ill ever get sick of eating beans. There hasn’t been a lot of variety in my diet while travelling through Sudan but I’m normally pleased with the meals. I’m thankful that I enjoy beans. The Canadians don’t share the same love for beans and have been having a difficult time finding other food choices. After finishing my meal a Sudanese man named Munadil and his father sat down at my table. They insisted that I share their meal with them.  I politely declined as I was already full but hung out with them as they ate. Afterwards Munadil bought me tea and I enjoyed talking with them both and hearing their stories. They live 15 km outside of town on a farm and were nice enough to invite to stay with them for the night. I wish I could have stayed with him but I couldn’t because we are all leaving in the morning for Doka.

Nice man I met at dinner in Gedarif named Munadil

I awoke this morning hoping I would feel well enough that I could bicycle. If I couldn’t bicycle I would be forced to skip the section from Wad Medani to Gedaref (the next town) in order to make it to the Ethiopian consulate to get my visa before they close for the weekend (Friday Saturday for Muslim countries). Thankfully I felt well enough to give it a shot. I need to bicycle 230 km in a day and a half which is ambitious considering I have not eaten much in the past few days. Arthur and the Canadians did not feel well enough to bicycle and agreed to take the bus and meet me in Gedaref so I’m cycling this section alone. I left the imperial hotel by 4:30 am and faced some strong headwinds for the first couple of miles. After the sun came up I heard some gunshots nearby and was relieved when I saw it was just a farmer killing a goat. Shortly after while I was looking down at my phone I hit a sizable pothole which sent me flying. Fortunately aside from a couple scrapes I was fine. I put a few holes in one of my bags and destroyed a pair of headphones but was on my way again after cleaning my scrapes and re-seating my bike chain on the cassettes. I stopped at a police checkpoint briefly for a cold mango drink and continued on. At 10:00 am I rode through the small village of Fao. I was making good progress and decided I had earned a break having cycled 82 km (50 miles). I stopped at a small building on the side of the road to order some food. Upon entering the restaurant most conversations quieted down and people turned and stared at me. This is fairly common as the small towns I’m travelling through get few foreigners. I met the stares with a smile and polite wave saying “salam” which means hello in Arabic. The people responded in kind and most returned back to their conversations. I ordered some Foole which came with fresh tomatoes and bread. By the time I saw the man put the tomatoes in the beans it was too late to say no. I took a chance and ate the Foole anyway. After this last bout of food poisoning I’ve become reluctant to eat any uncooked vegetables or foods. I was eager to keep going because it was still cool outside and finished my meal in 15 minutes. Just after leaving Fao, Arthur, and the Canadians caught up in their bus and stopped for one of the guys to defecate behind a small bush. The ride looked unpleasant, the 3 of them and their bikes were crammed in a small minibus. I talked with them for a few minutes before I was off again. I saw a Sudanese man on the side of the road and slapped his hand. He said something in Arabic and when I continued riding started yelling and sprinting after me while motioning for me to stop. Suffice it to say I had no intention of stopping for this mad man. He was a fast sprinter and began to gain on me as I tried to pedal away. It should be easy to out pedal someone on foot however accelerating with 100 lbs of gear and into the wind is often slow going. As I looked back I couldn’t help but smile from the thrill and adrenaline of the chase which seemed to further infuriate the man. About 100 meters down the road the angry man began to tire and I out cycled him. In these journals I make an effort to give an authentic account of what my trip has really been like both the positive and negative experiences. I don’t want to give the wrong impression of Sudan. this was the only experience I’ve had this far in Sudan where I was a bit concerned for my safety. Almost every day I have truck drivers pass me by and ask if I’m ok, people often greet me with enthusiasm and welcome me to their country. I overall feel safer in Sudan than I do back home given how I’ve seen the Muslims of Sudan look out for me and each other. Life is difficult here in Sudan and there is an established age old tradition of hospitality. As I continued on I cycled past mountains and through a pass which opened up into sweeping plains. It was now becoming increasingly hot and I had to cycle another 25 km (15 miles) before I came upon a small roadside town. At this point I had ridden 140 km. Tomas the Irishman informed me that the next town wasn’t for 45 km. It was only 1:30 pm but I didn’t have the energy to continue on. I found a place to sleep in a small hut and slept all afternoon. As it was getting dark I was told I had to register with the local police. The police were nice enough to let me stay at the police station for my safety (not really given a choice).  It’s kind of embarrassing but its fairly common when I tell Sudanese people I’m from America they respond with “America #1”. Its not unlikely that the local police feared the repercussions should something happen to an American in their town. Regardless it was the nicest place to stay in town having electricity, a cement floor and four walls and I was thankful.

Expansive Plains

Small traditional mud hut village

The Canadians and well as Honky and myself got really bad food poisoning from dinner at the hotel.  We’ve spent the past 2 days bed ridden and trying to stay hydrated.

It was loud last night. I woke up periodically as people were talking or entering the cafe right past my cot.  I remember waking up at one point and seeing 2 Sudanese men wrestling in the dirt nearby.
we were out riding by 5 am and stopped for coffee and Chai tea at a small village along the way. A nice Sudanese man insisted on paying for our tea. Midway through the day we found a place to buy Foole and eggs. It was difficult finding the motivation to keep going given how hot  it was at this point but I was excited to get to a hotel in Wad Medani. Before leaving the cafe I grabbed a pitcher of water and poured it all over my clothes. I was half worried the locals at the cafe would be offended by me wasting water but I think they found it humorous instead. As I was almost to Wad Medani, I got stopped by a bunch of bored Sudanese police at a security checkpoint. I was somewhat delirious from the heat and frustrated when I got asked the same questions by 5 different men at the checkpoint but relieved when they finally let me go.  I crossed the Nile on a bridge and observed a bunch of men baking mud to make bricks. We all decided to stay at the Imperial hotel. A somewhat rundown hotel but still luxurious compared to what we were used to so far in Sudan.  It had air-conditioning, power outlets, 4 walls, a shower, western flushing toilet, and glass windows.

Locals and tea vendors

Bridge crossing to Wad Medani

In anticipation for Ethiopia, the 5 of us ( 2 Canadians, 1 Irishman and us 2 Americans) decided it would be safest to form a group.  We’ve heard a number of horror stories about Ethiopian kids banding together and throwing rocks and pushing sticks into peoples bike spokes as they are riding. We’ve met a couple that avoided Ethiopia all together and heard of a man who broke down crying from all the abuse he had endured. Also there has been some recent instability within Northern Ethiopia. We hope to ride all of Ethiopia unless we decide it is too dangerous and not worth the risk. We anticipate arriving at the Sudanese\Ethiopian border in approximately 1 week. Although I’m apprehensive about riding through Ethiopia, I’m also looking forward to cooler temperatures and tree cover.

We got a late start today and encountered significant headwinds as we were making our way out of Khartoum. We decided to bike the East side of the Nile southward as we had heard that the West side has high traffic. It was brutally hot today and we stopped at a border checkpoint for cold soda. I don’t normally drink soda back home but it is really nice when riding through the heat. We later stopped for lunch at a roadside cafe and shared a plate of fried lamb, squash potato dish, lentils, and bread. We cut the day short at 46 miles and decided to stay at the cafe overnight as it was already swelteringly hot and we were all tired. I inflated my air mattress and slept outside with my sleeping bag on a metal frame bed with canvas strips tied across for suspension

Excited to see more trees.

Beds we slept on next to cafe.

Meal at cafe, lamb, bread and some other dishes.

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Birds on side of the road.

Khartoum rest day
I awoke and made a marathon out out of breakfast. I had 2nd, 3rd and 4th  servings and half expected them to kick me out for eating too much of the hotels complimentary breakfast. I spent several hours in the morning tuning and cleaning my bike so that the chain and derailleurs run smoothly. I also talked with Paul, an unexploded ordinances expert, who works in Darfur and Libya destroying landmines and bombs. Later, we went along with  the Canadians to a Greek pool in town to go swimming. For dinner we all went to a Syrian restaurant where I got to try Baba ganoush for the first time.  Later a local man and friend brought over some date liquor which we tried (I wont write his name because alcohol is very illegal here in Sudan).

In the morning I drank some yogurt that I had been making for a couple days and swallowed my daily malaria pill.  I also had a few pieces of bread. Two days ago I added powdered milk, water, and a bit of yogurt for the bacteria cultures to get it started. The drink was sour and very good.  I hope to continue making this yogurt drink which tastes great and I’m hoping might make my stomach a bit more resistant to becoming ill.  Throughout the day we passed through checkpoints.  Typically I ride fast through these checkpoints and wave to the police and hope they don’t ask us to stop. We lucked out today and didn’t have to waste time stopping for any of the checkpoints.
Mid day we arrived in Omdurman, a neighboring city to Khartoum. It felt overwhelming after spending the last couple days in the desert with very little visual stimuli.  People were everywhere walking through the streets buying food and fresh produce.  The roads were clogged with cars and trikes puffing out black clouds of smoke and people riding on donkeys. It was difficult navigating through the traffic and we had to make our own route because google routed us through dirt alleyways and terrible quality roads.  It took us what felt like several hours to make it to Khartoum and the Acropole Hotel. Once there, I walked all around the area. I have now developed a near insatiable appetite from all the biking and ate 4 bowls of street food for dinner. I had corn starch sweet puddings, beans and some type of grain, and fruit salad. At our hotel I met two Canadians named Simon and Adrian as well as an Irish man named Tomas. All of whom are cycling to South Africa.

Purchased a watermelon and attached to back netting on bike.

Riding into Khartoum across bridge. Surprised to see western style sky scrapers here in Sudan. All other buildings up to now have been made from mud or brick.

Street vendor corn starch pudding

Some more street vendor pudding.

Beans and some sort of grain.

Last night was very loud. I got sleep but could hear large trucks driving all night. We could have stayed at a mud hut but the conditions seemed primitive and not any better than camping. the floors are dirt and the rooms are open to mosquitoes with no electricity or plumbing. Mid day when it had become unbearably hot we found a couple small buildings and bought some Foole. We were surprised to learn that even the cats here eat Foole. We met Arbdu Haman a 24 year old computer scientist who belongs to the Grayat tribe that consists of 2000 members all related by a common ancestor and all residing in the Bohat region (20km long section of road claimed by this tribe). He told us that life is hard for his people and that he aspires to move to Australia or Saudi Arabia so he can provide a better life for his family. He wanted to know how America was different from Sudan. We learned that the wet season of Sudan comes after winter and is the time of year that people can milk goats and camels and till fields with wheat, tomatoes, and beans. Arbdu said this time of year is cold and he has to wear more clothing. Its hard to imagine what summer must be like if 80 to 90 Fahrenheit  temperatures are considered cool.  We were invited to stay on a cot but politely declined having not yet cycled as far as we wanted and continued on. We found a promising looking campsite an hour before dark and dragged our bikes a farther distance away from the hwy behind some small sand dunes. Within minutes a group of kids showed up and watched us set up camp. Arthur made the mistake of giving them some candy. More showed up and soon demanded more to which Arthur declined. We politely asked them to leave us alone because we were both exhausted and needed some rest. We ignored them and they started throwing rocks. Arthur was angry at this point and chased the group of children half a mile back to their house where he tried to tell an older man on the property that the children were harassing us. Fortunately the kids did not return that night. However an hour later in the night a car drove up and stopped close by. Two men proceeded to yell at each other in Arabic. I feared that they were talking about us and was a bit concerned.  5 minutes later the car drove away and I was able to fall asleep.

Sunrise November 28th

Honky (Arthur) chasing kids into the distance.

Foole loving cat.

A place we stopped at for lunch and met Arbdu Haman and other tribe members

We awoke and rode our bikes past the small town of Abu Dom and stopped in the last town El Mutaga before a 300km stretch with no significant towns until Khartoum the capitol. In El Mutaga I ate some Foole and eggs and purchased bread. I was excited to find a spoon to replace the one I lost. I can’t say I enjoyed eating pasta and other foods with my hands the last few days like the Sudani people. Overall today was much better than yesterday. Once we left El Mutaga a strong tailwind picked up which allowed me to sustain a speed around 25 to 30 km/hr. The day went by fast. Most of the day we had expansive views of the desert. The first 50 km there were no trees in sight. It felt like I was in a Mad Max film cycling through a hot desolate landscape and getting honked at by horns that let out carnival like tunes. We stopped at a way station to boil eggs and filter water. I made pita bread tomato paste and feta cheese sandwiches for lunch. The cheese and tomato paste sandwiches have become a regular meal/lunch time snack because all those items are readily available at most stores. We continued riding and started seeing trees towards the end of the day and camped close to the highway.

Camp spot

Desolate view

Way station/rest stop

Today was a challenging day. We did not get started until 7 a.m.  I was run off the road a number of times by large buses traveling at ridiculous speeds.  Its not uncommon to be honked at by vehicles on the wrong side of the road.  Passed a couple of dump trucks filled to the brim with sand that blasted me in the face as I passed. And  rocks were thrown at me by two different groups of children. The second time, Honky and I stopped and started throwing them right back. Not to mention a strong headwind for much of the day that made riding arduous.  Despite all this, the food in El Dabbah made it worth it. I ordered a large bowl of Foole fresh bread and a couple scrambled eggs. I was also able to dispose of my trash I had been carrying for several hundred miles into a trash can. In previous towns I’ve been told to throw my garbage on the ground. This is a common attitude in both Egypt and Sudan and something I refuse to take part in. We hung out in town for the hottest hours of the day and found a place to camp behind some sand dunes.

We awoke at 3:30 A.M.  The moon was still up and bright. Within minutes we could hear a chorus of Muslims reciting morning prayers in Arabic coming from 3 or 4 different directions. It was a bit haunting but also beautiful. Within a few miles of being on the road I honked at a dog that was barking and running towards me. This seemed to further aggravate the animal and I needed to pedal fast to get away.  A couple hours into the day, after retracing a missed turn, we made it to Dongola. I was excited to be able to purchase produce for the first time in a couple days. Also found some falafels, fried dough and rotisserie chicken for lunch. I have given up being a vegetarian for this trip because it is sometimes difficult to find healthy options that do not have meat. Several hours out of town it was getting dark and we set up camp in a giant hole that hid us from the highway.

A man herding goats along highway.

A fruit stand Dongola

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Eroded road we had to go around.

Hole that we camped in next to highway.

We awoke again at 3:30 and experienced a beautiful sunrise. I found some cool caves on the side of the road in the dirt but decided not to explore deeper because a gaseous smell was emanating out from them.  A couple hours into the ride a man in his vehicle tailed me for a couple miles. This made me a bit nervous but the man eventually drove beside me and said hello. I realized afterwards that even though his behavior was creepy he was just genuinely curious. Later we met two groups of cyclists, a couple from Holland and an American man. All of whom had started at Capetown and were near the end of their journey. I had my first experience using a pit toilet when we stopped in a small town. Asking for the location of a toilet proved difficult. The local I was talking with knew very little English. To my embarrassment I eventually resorted to gesturing pooping by squatting in front of him. He eventually understood and showed me to the pit toilet. I have come to understand that using toilet paper is uncommon in Sudan and people typically use their left hand and water when using the pit toilet. There are some sanitary concerns as I have never seen any soap to wash your hands with around these facilities. Later on in the day we were stopped by police at a checkpoint. The police were welcoming and enthusiastic to meet us. They never asked for our passports but instead insisted that we take a picture in front of a statue of a man they referred to as the John Cena of Sudan. Or the king of Sudan. Honky later told me that after taking photos one of the police officers was talking to him in Arabic gesturing to his crotch which made Honky very uncomfortable. During the heat of the afternoon we stopped at a water hut where some local Muslim men insisted that we join them and share a meal they were eating sitting on floor mats.  The food tasted great. Honky was told disapprovingly not to use his left hand for food. I assume its because the left hand is considered unclean.

Pit toilet,  aiming for the hole is important.

Entrance to the pit toilet.

“John Cena” of Sudan. with one of the guys at the police checkpoint.

J

Wild group of camels.

We awoke around 3:30 in the morning so we could get out before sunrise and ride during the coolest hours of the day.  Early into the morning ride we stopped in a small village and bought some coffee and fried dough from the locals.  Several times during the day we had to bike around sections of asphalt that had been eroded away during previous storms.  We rode past some kids standing in the middle of the road and demanding that we stop and give them money. In the town of Abri we met many nice people who wanted to welcome us and ask us our names and a few other conversational questions that they knew in English. A group of friendly kids were also excited to race on foot next to me. At the local restaurant we got some Foole (beans dish) and eggs. The rest of the day we had a significant tail wind which pushed us along and allowed for fast cycling. As the day was coming to a close we had a difficult time finding a good campsite. We tried camping near the Nile in some palm trees, but the bugs were horrific. We wound up camping within sight of the highway where there was a slight breeze that kept the bugs at bay.

Camels outside small village where we got coffee.

Small Village.

It is common to see children or adults riding donkeys.

Foole and eggs.

The day started with us making our mandatory visit to the police station to register ourselves in Sudan. It took about an hour as we had to meet and talk with a number of different people at the station to complete the paperwork. After leaving the town we took a short lunch and began what would be a brutal day of riding around 11 am. The sun beat down on us and I squinted against the glare of the pavement as we rode through the hottest hours of the day.  A number of dead cattle lay strewn across the side of the road. Flies were a nuisance and I was thankful whenever a breeze picked up, even was a headwind slowing me down. The landscape was beautiful in a very desolate way. Miles of desert lay in every direction with black rock outcroppings poking out  as well as several mountains we rode through. I had to ration my water because I was drinking too much and making myself sick. Late afternoon we were pleased to find a hut with water for travelers in clay pots and a man willing to cook up eggs.  As it was getting dark we took a dirt road a couple tenths of a mile away from the highway and set up camp for the night and cooked a tasty lentil spice dish with feta cheese.

Honky in the distance

Water pots for thirsty travelers. First of many we encountered

Water hut from a distance away.

We took a ferry across Lake Nassr in the morning and biked about 15 miles to the Sudanese border. We had heard many stories about how it can take 4 to 6 hours at the border and that they sometimes make you empty all your bags out for inspection.  I was worried about what obstacles we might encounter given the struggles we have faced up to this point with the  Egyptian bureaucracy. To my surprise the process was relatively fast and the Sudanese officials seemed happy to invite us into their country.  I’m very happy to be out of Egypt and optimistic that we will have an easier time cycling through Sudan. Most of the time we spent at the border was counting and exchanging money. We first had to bargain with the money changer for a fair rate which we had been told is 2.9 Sudanese to 1 Egyptian. We needed to exchange enough cash to get us through Sudan which we’ve been told has no banks or functioning ATM machines. We continued on to the town of Wadi Halfa and found a place to stay for 300 Sudanese or about 6 U.S. dollars.

Riding to Wadi Halfa to enter Sudan. Excited to be back on my bicycle.

The ferry across lake Nassr

Solar Charging on ferry

We spent the day in Abu Simbel relaxing and getting much needed sleep.  Experimented with Honky’s diesel burning stove, which I have termed the MSR “pyromaniac”. . .  Getting the stove started often results in a barely contained fiery inferno.  I also boiled some tea with a cat food can alcohol stove. This was the first time I got a chance to use it because I was able to obtain fuel in the form of spirits (smells like moonshine).  I Also found an old replaceable blade safety razor.

We awoke early to get a bus to Abu Simbel. the bus arrived several hours late. The bus ride throughout the desert was sweltering hot and I came to regret the falafels I ate last night which were giving me symptoms akin to food poisoning. Upon arriving to Abu Simbel both Honky and I were surprised by the slow pace of life. A large group of children approach us. The air horn on my bike was a huge hit. They were all very excited to practice a few of the English words they had presumably learned in school. We found an affordable place to stay and met a nice Spanish couple who were riding bicycles to Khartoum, Sudan. We later headed to the Abu Simbel Temples, the main reason we took this route. The Abu Simbel temple might be the coolest archaeological site we’ve visited to date. There was a lengthy movie that was projected onto the rock face that felt a bit sensationalized for my liking but the size of the statues were humbling.

We spent the day in Aswan exploring the city and seeing the temples. We got a bit lost jumping from bus to bus trying to find the ferry to Elephantine island on the Nile. On Elephantine island there was a neat Nubian colony. We had to negotiate with several different boats to find one that wasn’t outrageously overpriced our first offer we rejected was (200LE or about 11 usd). The botanical gardens were nice although a bit overgrown.

Holding on to back of bus driving through Aswan Egypt.

Narrow Streets…. Nubian Colony Elephatine Island

Nubian Colony Elephantine Island

We got Feluca’d !   (which means convinced to ride on one of the many Feluca sailing boats on the Nile).

People Paddling up the Nile.

Narrow streets of Nubian Colony on Elephantine island

There are an amazing number of spice markets in

Aswan. Selling everything from Saffron to dried

Hibiscus for tea.

Cool bird at botanical garden.

We awoke around 4 am for the rescheduled balloon ride. the bus driver came up and we drove to a point along the Nile where we caught little boats across. There were a bunch of people already loaded in the boats and heading across the Nile when we arrived. Across the Nile we entered another bus which took us to the balloon takeoff site.  It was still dark and the police were there as they often are at most places keeping an eye on things. I was chastised several times by my nervous guide who didn’t want me using my digital SLR camera near the police. At this point several balloons were being inflated. It was incredible seeing and hearing the jettisoning flames shoot out of the canisters in the baskets and inflate the balloons. When it was time we jumped in our balloon and practiced the crash position should we have an uncomfortable landing.  I briefly questioned what I had gotten myself into. Finally we ascended into the atmosphere. the views were incredible. from 2500 ft we could see the Valley of the Kings and Hapshepsut Temple. we watched as the sun rose and illuminated the Nile and all the buildings and inhabitants of Luxor. I was surprised by the number of holes into the hillside dotted all over this area and outside of the main archaeological spectacles. There has to be a number of historical sites that have yet to be explored or discovered. It would be very cool to hike around this area through the desert. I;m sure you would find a bunch of ancient tunnels and tombs,  if the police didnt arrest you first! Our balloon ride eventually came to an end and we thankfully had a soft landing. we were picked up and made the return trip to our hotel where we packed up and went to the train station to depart for Aswan. The train was a little over 2 hours late and it took us 2 and a half hours to travel to Aswan. We searched for hotels and found a dumpy but cheap hotel for 14 usd per night.

Early morning boat ride across Nile

Inflating Balloons

View of Hatshepsut from above.

We awoke at 430 in the morning around the time of first prayer to go on a hot air balloon ride. however due to some confusion we missed the flight.  Instead we decided to explore several of the sights on the West side of the Nile. In order to get there we took a small boat across the Nile and a taxi to our first destination the Valley of the Kings. These tombs lie several miles west of the the strip of fertile green land paralleling the Nile and into the desert mountains. there are dozens of tombs. We paid to check out 3 of them. We traveled to the tombs farthest from the parking lot with an understanding that they would be relatively empty. It was mind blowing how well preserved the art was inside each tomb. I can’t say that I am particularly passionate about Egyptology but just from an artistic standpoint, the intricacy and beauty of the paintings and etchings along the tunnel walls were impressive. Each one went several hundred feet into the mountainside and terminated with a cast of the corpse that had occupied the tomb. Pictures were not allowed unless you paid an additional fee. Honky and I still poached a couple photos much to the anger and frustration of the guides that followed us into the tombs. Afterwards we had just enough time to visit the Temple of Hatshepsut. we returned to the East Bank and headed to an ancient mosque after hitting up the falafel stand. It was interesting to see 20 plus people all knelt over in prayer including a police officer. It is different being in a country wherein there is less separation between government and religion. Reflection …. we were both mentally exhausted by the end of the day and did not have much patience. Throughout the day we had a number of people on the street blatantly ask for money or solicit services (carraige rides, guided tours etc.) It was difficult to get anywhere without someone stopping you ever 100 feet or so. It would almost always start politely with small talk such as them saying welcome to our country. There would be introductions and asking how our trip was going etc. then the solicitation would begin. The difficult part was no matter how insistently we would say no thank you in Arabic they would often push harder and follow us down the street. Often there was no way to escape without being rude and just ignore them as you walked off.However, even though it was frustrating I could sympathize for them. Making a living in Egypt is not easy for most. Jobs are difficult to find and about a third of the people make less than 2 USD per day. Many of these street vendors are just trying to scrape a living by doing all they know how. Hence why we both tried our best to be polite even though we sometimes failed and found ourselves yelling to be left alone. The poverty is not entirely negative. during my stay thus far I have noticed that it bonds people together. People lookout and take care of one another. We often got referred to other shops by vendors who wanted to give family members or friends business. It is also common to see civilians intercept fights and hold back punches when disagreements inevitably arise.

Room and platform of blood sacrifices at Hatshepsut.

View of Luxor from Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut

Caves in distance which are closed  to the public

Al Qaeda tunnel?  Just kidding.

Street View in Luxor.

This picture and the next 3 pictures are views on Nile from boat after touring both Hatshepsut and Valley of the Kings Tombs

Feluca

Casting in Valley of Kings burial chamber

Valley of the Kings Tomb

3rd prayer of the day… muslims pray.

Another mosque picture. Cool carvings!

View of Luxor Temple from the mosque.

Hole in the mosque allows you to see current level of the Nile River.

Not being able to bicycle further in Egypt means that we have a week to spare for sightseeing. We spent the first couple hours searching for a hotel that would allow us to bring our bicycles into our rooms. We stayed on the more touristy east side of the Nile. During this search we met a French couple on bicycles that are traveling a very similar route as our own to South Africa. They followed the Nile down from Cairo and said they had little trouble acquiring police escorts. We now know  we were forbidden to ride the desert route as everyone is rejected on this route due to new legislation. . After finding a place to stay we continued on to explore Karnak Temple. The streets around the temple were lined with houses and children hanging out in the streets. a gaggle of kids followed us through the streets asking for money, baksheesh. I picked up some bananas after losing the first group of kids and decided to share them with the next group I came across. it wasn’t long before I had my chance. it began civilly. I gave 5 children each a banana when they approached me to ask for baksheesh. however soon kids streamed from the streets. I would be surprised if every kid within 10 blocks wasn’t there. A crowd formed and I was overwhelmed. they were frantically grabbing for the stuff in my hands. Honky yelled loudly and we were able to escape. It should be mentioned that none of these children looked malnourished. the Karnac Temple was definitely worth the visit. We spent several hours inside exploring and I’m sure we didn’t see everything.

We awoke early hoping to make significant progress towards Luxor. We were stopped at a police checkpoint around 9 am or 30 miles into the day. They rejected our repeated requests to continue on the road and repeatedly told us what the previous checkpoint had. That the road was unsafe for travel. We spent all day and tried to no avail to find a guide company to escort us through these checkpoints.  Upon being denied a police escort and being threatened to be deported we rode back to Hurghada and caught a bus to Luxor. Its unfortunate but given the circumstances we decided it would be best not to test the police a 3rd time and to catch a bus and ferry to Sudan in a couple days.  We arrived late in Luxor and found a hotel near the Cornish (road bordering the Nile) on the east (more touristy) side of the Nile.

Spent an extra day in Hurghada, Egypt. went snorkeling at the islands off the coast.  Saw a number of colorful fish and a stingray. the islands are beautiful spits of desert with crystal clear water.

Before leaving the Marina for the Islands

The next morning we were honored to share breakfast together. There was a wide variety of food that was tasty. Before eating we washed our faces and hands in the wash room and took off our shoes. We sat on cushions on the carpet and ate off a low table with our hands. We conversed via google translate and learned much about our hosts family and beliefs. The people we met are all part of the same tribe (group of family and friends). He also told us that in his tradition once you share a meal with someone you form a pact of friendship, and that last night while conversing between themselves they decided that it was their duty as faithful Muslims to help us out as they considered it unsafe for us to continue on in the dark. We were sad to say goodbye but had to leave in order to make it to Giza (the start of the official Tour d Afrique route). After 60 miles we stopped at a small bakery and ate some Baklava and other sweet pastries. Entering Giza was an exciting experience. Traffic increased and I was chased by 3 dogs. I was thankful for my air horn which stunned them long enough for me to get away. We let google maps guide us to a hotel which often creates an interesting route. we soon found ourselves going through dirt alleyways with kids running around, men sitting outside and a few small shops. We almost got trampled by a horse running down the street.  With some difficulty and lots of questioning locals we found the happy days inn down an unnamed dirt alleyway. It was unfortunately a multi floored building. which meant carrying our heavy bikes and gear up four flights of stairs. It has become somewhat common to book rooms on the third or fourth floor and also to have doors that are difficult to lock and missing door handles. It was worth it though, from the roof we had a spectacular view of the pyramids. we could also see the main street full of people walking around, taxis, children running and playing, venders hawking souvenirs, and a man riding a donkey. You could also see the spire of a mosque next door which broadcasted the daily prayers over loud speakers. I find that I feel at home in these lively neighborhoods.

Family i was honored to stay with and share breakfast

Amazing Meal

Mosque

View from the rooftop

We awoke early and scrambled some eggs in the hotels dining room. We were happy to escape from the busy streets of Alexandria, and were able to bike 60 miles.  Along the way were a number of interesting structures we’ve been told are for birds. We were also passed by a number of cars and trucks that would honk and wave to us. I gave high fives to people as I passed them on the road. we had two groups of people stop and welcome us to their country. They also asked for pictures with us. I get the impression that the tourism industry is weak and seeing outsiders is a special occasion. The people of Egypt have been incredibly friendly and more welcoming then I could have ever imagined possible. As it was getting dark and we were looking for a place to stay a police car pulled over to ask us how we were doing. we found a place to eat and continued on in the night through the town of Wadi El Natroun. We came across a group of men dressed in traditional clothing and talked with them for awhile trying to get directions to a nearby hotel. We were warned earlier not to stay at the local hotel because the owners were crazy according to the restaurant owners and something about “mavi” which we both thought sounded a lot like the word mafia. The men we were talking with invited us to drink tea and coffee with them and after talking and getting to know them better they told us we should stay with them and that they had an open room. We were thankful to not have to ride 13 more miles in the night to the next hotel.

Group that invited me for Tea and Coffee

Building in which we were invited to stay in.

We took a 3 hour harrowing shuttle from the Cairo airport to Alexandria. our driver would weave quickly between cars with little clearance on either side of the vehicle. he seemed to find joy in making these Nascaresque maneuvers. I got some tea in a shop. As Egypt has a high Muslim population there are fewer bars. Hookah/ tea shops are very common. We assembled bikes in hotel room and went for a night ride. Navigating on the streets can be interesting because bikes and pedestrians don’t have the right of way like they do back in the U.S. The lines denoting different car lanes often seem like nothing more than a friendly reminder and horns are frequently used. My air horn on my bike works great and makes biking enjoyable as I can blast it as I go through traffic to alert people where I am. it might be my favorite piece of equipment.

View from our Hotel Room in Alexandria

Street Vendors Alexandria

Pickle Palace