Thursday 20 May 2010

Baksheesh and Escorts

Four tired, dirty, excited Gummi Bears elbowed their way off the boat onto Egyptian soil and were met with chaos and total disorder. What can only be described as a stampede of crazy people frog-marched their way through three barriers to rush to ... hmmm, I'm still not quite sure what the rush was about.

Karma came to bite them all in the butt when the man with the power to let people through handpicked the few of us not trying to maul and flatten our neighbors. Naturally the four of us accepted this invitation.
We have been ripped from the developing world and slapped, like a baby's bottom at birth, with the tourism assembly belt that is Egypt. 50plus of these ginormous hotel boats sat on the Nile in Aswan and all overflowing with pink tourists in mini shorts, wife beaters, big hats and cameras glued to their noses. It took us a while to come to terms with flush toilets, aircon, swimming pools, wi-fi in our rooms and food that doesn't have negative after effects. Although we all loved the real Africa it is surprising how quickly you can readjust.

Felucca boats on the Nile >>>
While waiting for the car to arrive on the barge which was a few days behind us, the Gummi Bears explored the Temple of Isis by night and the souk (market) by day. The touts and locals are on full tourist alert and you cannot step out of your hotel without being offered a felucca (boat cruise) ride, taxi, curios or a horse-drawn carriage ride.

Danny and Jill on the felucca to the Temple of Isis light show >>>
Campbell and the felucca captain >>>
Chilling out on the Nile >>>
The Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens was blisteringly hot but amazing. Unfortunately there was a hefty fine for taking any photos so sorry folks, no pictures for you.
Colossus of Memnon >>>
Al-Deir Al-Bahari Temple >>>
This brings a new meaning to a camel ride in Egypt >>>
Baksheesh can be loosely translated as a tip, bribe or bonus for services offered. It's a part of the Egyptian culture and is widely accepted as wages are generally quite low. In East Africa we had the stereotypical dirty street child with the extended belly, snot running down their faces and flies in their eyes beg us for money and at times like these it is hard to say no. It has taken some getting used to when well dressed Egyptian children rush over in packs smiling, healthy and giggling hellos in our direction and then fling a "baksheesh, baksheesh" at us.

The road to Aswan and Luxor went by with the expected temples, heat and long roads and a familiar friend has returned - the speed hump. Kaspuur was last abused by this traffic calming devise in Tanzania but that was nothing in comparison to Egypt. Next to the Pyramids if Giza, speed humps are their national treasure.

Our journey from Luxor to Cairo was at best utterly bizarre and quite scary. We decided to make the trip to our African overland finish line over two days and stop in the not-so-small town of Asyut. Little did we know that there had been some trouble in these parts a month earlier. We were therefore baffled when a police escort was forced on us en route to Asyut, another two police escorts were allocated (one inf ront and one behind us) to take us to our hotel, a personal escort to take us out of the hotel to get food and drinks, several escorts to get us out of town and four hours out of Asyut. All this time, no-one would tell us why this was necessary. We found out when we got to Cairo.
One of our escorts >>>


We figured it was for our own protection but the people and the roads were perfectly safe with nothing but the usual donkeys, camels, speed humps, small children, tuk tuks and bikes in the road.

Suprises

So many people thought we were mad to go to Sudan and I'll admit we were a little nervous about it as we didn't know what to expect. The Gummi Bears sat in Addis all those weeks ago watching the news with anticipation about the Sudanese elections. Being so untouched by tourism, Sudan was one of the highlights of the entire trip and with such welcoming locals, stunning sunsets, scenery and desert camping like this who could blame us.

Desert camping just outside of Wadi Halfa >>>
Jill and I making friends on the ferry >>>

A very kind police officer helping us about town. He was very excited to see tourists in Sudan and told us to send our friends to visit his beautiful country >>>

Naturally there was some serious scouting of the area before pitching our tents in the desert for fear of scorpions and snakes. Apart from tracks all we found was a lone spider that chased Campbell around the desert for a bit, got bored and retreated into its hole.
We were also pleasantly surprised by the Wadi Halfa ferry that by all accounts is meant to be awful. With a ceiling of stars and the splashing of water on the side of the boat as we crept our way to Egypt the only discomfort was the hard surface to sleep on. By this point, however, you get used to functioning on only a few hours rest a night, so no biggie.
Campbell catching a few extra hours of zzzz >>>
Getting settled on the ferry >>>

Sunday 16 May 2010

Is anybody out there?

It was hot on the day we left Khartoum and it only got hotter on the road.
Kaspuur's chassis would singe skin on contact both inside the car and out. Against all odds - the heat, the sand and the distance - our trusty companion kept going.

North of Khartoum, the merciless desert threatens to swallow the small towns that compete for resources. As it turns out there are a number of cool pyramids and temples in Sudan worth visiting. To get to some of the more interesting places we had to go off road and into the desert with dusty whirlwinds blowing away the almost nonexistent path. Other signs of life were increasingly spars and the reality of dehydration cracks at your lips. The trek is worth it and the cherry on the top was to have the entire sight to ourselves. In typical Sudanese style, a ticket collector walks out of the desert, takes his fee, proudly bestows a genuine receipt and disappears back to the mirage from whence he came.

After some sightseeing and desert camping it was on to Wadi Halfa. This one horse town is the end of Sudan (and feels like the end of the world) and the beginning of the ferry crossing to Egypt - a major milestone in the trip! The crossing went smoothly thanks to the services of a fixer (the very same used by Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman!). The best part of the ferry was sleeping under the stars on the deck. No names mentioned but it is worth noting that the experience was slightly ruined by a massive puncture in our camping mattress. Sleeping on metal is not comfortable!

Here are some photo's (in no particular order) that best explain this part of the trip....

Free reign of the Pyramids of Meroe >>> The Pyramids of Meroe from our desert camp >>>

Nothing but nothing on the roads >>>

Chasing the blissful shade >>> The all consuming heat >>>
No guards or other tourists to tell you what to do >>>
I'm off to ask the goat herder if he paid his entrance fee >>>
A small breakdown in downtown desert. Our Achilles heel - corrugation - coming back to haunt us >>>
Do not pass go! Temple at Naqa >>> A small twister behind Kaspuur >>>
Another perfect African sunset >>>
First class cabin on deck >>> Kaspuur waiting to board the ferry. We had to leave it on the pier and hope it was driven safely onto the barge behind it >>> Wadi Halfa >>> Desert cooking >>>

Tuesday 11 May 2010

Injera to Ful

Descending the mountain pass to the border town of Metema the excitement of a cuisine other than injera, injera or injera was soon overshadowed by the wall of thick hot air that enveloped and sucked us into Sudan.

Injera formed such a big part of our experience in Ethiopia that it deserves a mention. It is a giant fluffy pancake served on a pizza-size metal dish and comes with whatever meat is available doused in spicey-as-hell berbere. Ethiopians eat with their hands so, after washing up, you tear off a section of injera with your right hand (your left hand is generally considered as the hand used to wipe your bum and therefore has no place at the table) and then attempt to scoop up the meat dish and secure it safely down the hatch without dropping it in your lap.

I remember being so grateful for actual flavor in our meal after Kenya’s somewhat bland Nsima/Ugali, beans and spinach. It was definitely a case of be careful what you wish for! Injera should come with its own warning sign: ‘Unsuitable for tourists unless you welcome the inevitable evacuation that naturally ensues’. Although not as titillating on the taste buds, Tibs (simple injera with meat and veg) is a much safer option.

Upon crossing the Ethiopian/Sudanese border, the contrast between the two countries was instantly noticeable although Sudan had nuances of its own. We no longer have locals begging or hanging on the car craning their necks to get a good peek at Kaspuur’s load and are pleasantly surprised at how welcoming everyone has been, especially of the American contingency.

So far the Gummi Bears are thoroughly enjoying Sudan. We were all familiar with falafel and schwarma, but our first meal of Ful saw us mmm’ing and ahhh’ing all the way to Gedaref where we spent our first night in Sudan. This is also where we had our first lessons in the Arabic culture. The lokanda (communal hotel) would not entertain the idea of men and women sharing a room and we were promptly led to our rather pricey rooms – ladies in one and men in the other. I have received reports that Danny and Campbell spooned but this is unconfirmed ;) Just teasing!

Apart from the yummy food and welcoming locals, Khartoum has surpassed our expectations in its infrastructure and development. Brilliantly constructed bridges line the White and Blue Niles and massive glass hotels and office blocks dot the city skyline. However, most impressive has to be the existence of a STEERS! Aaaah-haaa!!! Oh, watch out for Sudanese news as they are likely to report juice shortages once Campbell has left the country. He has become best friends with every juice vendor from Khartoum to Wadi Halfa.

Sudan requires that you register with the police in every town that you stay in. After the first registration fee in Khartoum all the rest are free and merely an irritating formality. Although tour books say it is optional, we have found out it is essential to register to take photos in the country. Weird, but hey.

Every Friday Khartoum provides the amazing spectacle known as Suffi dancing/whirling dervishes which are utterly mesmerising and a little intimidating to watch. A plethora of Sudanese gather outside a mosque forming a circle around their religious leader, his servant and drummers. Rhythmic arm movements and chanting works the crowd up into a religious frenzy and those totally overcome by Allah's presence break from the circle and begin whirling, dancing, gesticulating and even on occasion biting themselves. The religious leader is heavily laden with beads and a bright green outfit and is so revered that his sweat is mopped with tissues that are then burned with incense and blown into the faces of the crowd. It is believed to be good luck if you breathe in this smoke.

A whirling dervish >>>

The religious leader >>>

The religious leader's servant >>>

A follower so overcome as to bite himself >>>

Even the young are inspired >>>
We also visited a souk (market) in Khartoum. So many colors, flavors and smells.

Shoes anyone? >>>
Spices >>>

After several relaxing days at the Blue Nile Sailing Club in Khartoum we headed into the unforgiving Sahara desert and it's many ruins.


The view from our campsite >>>

Thursday 6 May 2010

Video link

Here is the link to the video mentioned in my post below. Like I said T.I.A:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPdTXbLj58w

Saturday 1 May 2010

T.I.A

Two Egyptian and Sudanese visas later we (the Gummi Bears – Kaspuur & Team America) finally left Addis for the famous rock-hewn churches of Lalibella. With clear skies and rumors of tarred roads we headed out optimistically and were soon met with, you guessed it, torrential rains and dirt roads. Oh well, what’s driving in Africa without dirt roads, rocks, donkeys, camels, locals, cattle, goats, dogs, you name it to add to the challenge of getting from A to B.

Very serious driver in a very serious Ethiopian highland woolen hat, hmm sexthy>>>
A typical downpour on a typical day on typical African roads. Typical! >>>Lalibella is a two day drive from Addis. Arriving in Debre Birhan late at night after our first day of the trip north, we realized we were going to have to take what accommodation we could get. The nicest hotel was fully booked but they did have a conference centre, so in true T.I.A style we made it work.

The conference centre >>>
I had a harsh, and embarrassing, awakening at 5am when I wiped out face first down the conference centre steps – they had a see-your-own-reflection polished quality to them. If it hadn’t been so painful I would have laughed myself silly. Needless to say Campbell took the first shift of driving. 18hours and many winding mountain passes later we pulled into Lalibella – so much for our rule of never driving at night.

The next day four rested travelers set off into the meandering alleyways, tunnels and caves leading to and through the churches of Lalibella. We were greeted by priests reciting verses in Amharic from the bible in such a way as to entice their visitors into their ritual and mystical lives. Shoes had to be taken off and left at the door, hats, liquids and sunglasses had no place in the holy sanctuaries of these stunning buildings.
Lalibella rock-hewn churches >>>
The pebbled roads leading to the churches conveniently pass the town’s primary and secondary schools. If you happen to miss-time your passage you will find yourself followed by teams of school children all interested to chat. They’re excitable questions form a vital part of your experience of Lalibella and range from where you’re from and what your name is to whether you have pens, chocolate, money, books and the “top of the pops” being farangi coins to add to their collections. The kids are quirky, harmless and proud to have people interested in their heritage. The all time favorite was a little kid of 6 rocking it out with such vivacious enthusiasm and fervor that sent warm ripples of laugher right through our bellies to our snapping fingers and tapping toes.

Having had our fill of what the small town has to offer we set off, again optimistically, to Bahir Dar. We made it less than 1.5hrs down the corrugated mountain pass before bare-bummed herd boys were peering into Kaspuur’s bonnet trying to work out why fuel was not making it to the engine.

It was looking bleak. Two Americans, two South Africans, and a multitude of prying Ethiopians were stumped as to how we were going to solve this mechanical dilemma in the middle of nowhere. Two cars an hour pass down this road, if you’re lucky, and Lalibella is a town with many able mechanics but almost no spare parts.

Gummi Bears, as we have named our team, had to go T.I.A style yet again! Jill and I hitched a ride with a very obliging local (and his gorgeous puppy Jack) back to town to employ the assistance of a mechanic. 3hours and much negotiating later I was sitting on the back of the mechanic’s motorbike petrol station bound to pay for a tank of petrol so he could make it out to the boys. By this point Campbell and Danny had convinced the eager herd boys to put their cattle and goats to one side and make themselves useful as roadside assistants.

The game was on for man of the hour. Campbell was definitely in the lead as he successfully determined that the problem lay with a broken fuel pump but Danny’s abseiling skills came in a close second. Before the mechanic arrived, the theory was to turn the car around and face it downhill to get the fuel flowing through the car, but they only succeeded in blocking off the road entirely so that the next oncoming car was forced to stop and assist whether he wanted to or not. Naturally in their attempts to bounce the car into a downhill position Danny had to abseil down a cliff and off the bulbar. Wow, what farangi’s!! In the end it was a unanimous decision, the mechanic was the man of the hour when, in true T.I.A style, he took his life in his hands by sitting on the bonnet holding the jerry can and the direct fuel feed into the engine in place while Campbell and Danny sat safely in the car and drove the bumpy roads back to town (video link to follow).

Mechanics siphoning fuel from the tank to run directly into the engine >>>
Man of the hour (or should I say day) - the mechanic - sitting on the bonnet during the drive back to Lalibella >>>
One 9hour bus ride to Dese on what is so aptly named the vomit commit saw Campbell heading 9hours back to Lalibella, parts in hand, and Danny, Jill and I 9hours in the opposite direction to extend our Ethiopian visas that were about to expire. In short we were all successful in our endeavors, Kaspuur is purring sweetly once again and the Gummi Bears reunited in Bahir Dar where we had some down time at the monasteries on the peninsula. We are now in Gonder, which is also known as Ethiopia’s Camelot, touring the numerous palace ruins. Three nights of downtime here before we head to Sudan – desert here we come!!
Palaces of Gonder >>>
The Gummi Bears take over Gonder >>>