Ride For Africa

 

Egypt is a good opportunity to stock up before less hospitable locations to come. Do you need a “jerry can” for extra “benzene” on those long desert roads? How about some chain lube to help out with the sand. Take your hands and draw a picture of a chain, run it through your legs in a big rotating circle and add in a little clicking noise to help out. If you need, get your friend to do the same or rub his hands together to depict a well lubricated chain! So simple! And to make things extra entertaining, Egypt as a country does not stock chain lube or jerry cans, so you can play as long as you want!

 

Having your own transportation in a country like Egypt has created certain challenges with documentation and maintenance, but as we had hoped, it also opens a lot of doors and options to see the country from a different perspective. In a country no stranger to tourists, the bikes have presented a great opportunity to get off the beaten path and interact with those not used to visitors. What lonely desert police guard, alone in the desert doesn't want to talk bikes!

 

Entering Egypt by ferry to the Sinai port city of Nuweiba from Jordan. We unloaded the vessel, drove to the terminal and stood in front of absolute chaos. 300 passengers with belongings, families and a handful of vehicles stuffed into a small customs building made quite a scene. Luckily, with the help of a customs officer, by the name of Aschief, we were guided through each point of immigration required for both us and the bikes. New vehicle licences, Egyptian drivers licence, insurance, and custom duty paid. Even with all the help of our boarder friend, it took nearly 8 hours to enter Egypt, largly due to the confusion of changing riders on Mikes bike from Andreas back to Mike. There's another fun hand gesture game!

 

Clearing customs quite late and way past nightfall, we decided to ride to the beach town of Dahab, where we wanted to take a day or two to rest by the Red Sea. It is usually not best to ride by night in Egypt, but luckily we had a full moon to light the way and provide a breathtaking views of Mount Sinai and the Red Sea.

 

The Red Sea is certainly the most colorful water you can find, and a wonderful place to dive, swim and recharge. Unfortunately after only a couple days, we had to leave and continued on to Cairo. To help avoid the heat and to enter Cairo with less traffic, we once again broke our own rule and chose ride in the night. Crossing under the Suez Canal, through many friendly but repetitious security check points, day turned to night and we realized a major difference from Europe; no headlights?

 

While this might become something we discover in the rest of Africa too, it was a bit shocking at first when we found ourselves in the dark, surrounded by other dark cars on our way into Cairo. There does seem to be a system of flashing headlights when passing, saying hello or any other appropriate occasion. When in doubt, flash your lights and honk your horn, just be sure not to actually turn your lights on.

 

In one particular situation, Axel was overtaking a truck on a double lane highway as we were arriving into Cairo. Pulled out into the passing lane, flashed his headlights to say hello, looked clear for other cars, and spotting one other ahead in the same passing lane. He must surely be going in the same direction on this side of the divide? Unfortunately not, slamming on his breaks to tuck back in behind the semi just before the wrong way traffic zipped by; but at least he flashed his lights... ;)

 

After a couple days of organizing Visas and other documentation for entry into Sudan, we passed by the pyramids for one last time and left the traffic and chaos of Cairo for the Western Desert. Taking nearly three days, the desert route leads you through a handful of small Oasis towns, eventually returning to the Nile about 1500km later in the city of Luxor.

 

The desert was breathtaking! Large sand dunes that continue infinitely into the distance, mountains that appear out of place in their flat desert scape and lush oasis towns surviving in spite of the sun. A million camping possibilities, with pleasant night temperature, clear skies and nobody around, as long as you could avoid soft sand it was easy to explore with the bikes.

 

Travelling through locations such as Bahariya, Farafra and Dakla Oasis, it was great to meet Egyptians away from the tourist locations along the nile. While not uncommon for overlanders to venture into these parts, two motorbikes with protection clad westerners, especially in the hot summer months created the occasional scene. Thumbs up when passing pedestrians, chats with police guards, and groups of inquisitive children. With a simple smile, a wave hello and an attempt to chat, it was easy to see that most were quite curious to see where we had come from, why we were there and where we were going. “Welcome to Egypt and have a safe journey!”

 

This hospitality continued along the Nile in the cities of Luxor, Idfu and eventually Aswan. Rounding out our time in Egypt, we spent a couple days in Aswan, probably the most relaxing town along the Nile. A beautiful spot to enjoy a traditional Egyptian falucca ride, a swim in the river and prep the next leg of our journey, Sudan.

 

Egypt marks the beginning of continental Africa but is still the middle east in culture, descent and policy. From Aswan and a ferry on Lake Nasser, Ride For Africa crosses over the unofficial boarder into what most would consider the beginning of Africa.

 

You find photos as usual to each country in the Photo section. Thanks for all your feedback. That is just great!