Crossing Africa Newsletter VII

Hi Guys,

As I don’t feel up to writing you all a long story of what happened everyday, I will keep it short of what happened in the last 18 days.

I left Dahab finally after getting all the work done on the bike and went to Luxor and Aswan.
The boat to Sudan was two days late because of a holiday (The call it Islamic X-mas)
So stuck in Aswan I had some fun with a Dutch chap driving around de Med. on a Honda ??
And met the two cars that will go to Sudan as well. 2 Italian couples.

On the 12th it was finally leaving and loading the bike on the ferry was quite a story… as it was almost at the bottom of the harbor!
That’s filmed by the Italians so I will try to get a copy…

On the ship I first noticed I left the real Islamic country for the first time in three month as the woman stared at you so long it made me shy… Only then I realized that it did not happen really the last three month in the Islamic area’s where most woman look the other way, if they are on the streets. (Exception of coarse was Lebanon)
I prefer it the way in Sudan!

Getting of the boat, which was easier, Kamal was waiting for us… He is the guy that makes you pay more to enter Sudan but does all the paperwork as an official there should do. Prices vary and he made me pay 20 bucks as it should only be 4, the rest goes in his pocket! Just an advise for other travelers, don’t give him your papers! You will only get them back after you paid. And if you ask for a receipt you will never get it even if he promises… He knows we know we don’t have to pay but just doesn’t care.

After that, as I forgot to fill up in Aswan. I tried to find petrol, which took some time. I found it at a private dealer after I asked where there was a hotel in Aswan, but instead of a direction, I was made to stay at his place for the night, for free. This hospitality is genuine and all over Sudan. I experienced it three days later in El Goleid again, man Sudan is all but good to you! (Leaving Kamal out of the picture of course.)

After leaving Aswan I joined the Italians for three days, as it was my first real piste which went really well for me! Camped under the stars in the desert two nights and the second night had the best meal since I left home! As one of the guys turned 59 we had wine, fresh made pasta, nice sausages and cheese, a very nice steak with cream sauce all in the middle of the desert, LIFE CAN BE TOO GOOD… but you need a woman at your side…

After reaching Dongala we split up as I though the worst part was done… WRONG!!!
The trouble started the day after… I left El Goleid and it was 4 hours and 80 km of pure pain. Deep sand, with tracks of trucks and cars making my front wheel climb out of the track all the time turning my bike 90 degrees around and so on. I fell 5 times but with low speed in soft sand. I must thank my nice diving instructor Emei for teaching me Rescue diving and EFR, in which you learn when something happens underwater to Stop, Breath, Think and Act. When it is 32 degrees in deep sand, after you fell with a heavy bike, you just change the line to: Stop, Drink, Think, Act and its all going to be okay. I was actually amazed with my own temper that day, as I normally get pissed when it doesn’t go the way I want…
After the 4 hours I reached the tarmac to Karthoum! Which I did with 130 km/hour as I was so happy to see tarmac!

In Karthoum I am now and I will leave for Ethiopia tomorrow, trying to catch up with Florian and Iris who are together with two Dutch in a car and a SA on a Teneree in Adis tomorrow!

That’s all for now…

Love Frank