Cape 2 Cairo 2 Cape Blog

Our wake-up call was 03h30 and many of us were showing the sign of sleep deprivation. Some of us had had 2 hours sleep. Jessica and Marlene caught up 5 days of blogging on a network that was very slow.

Breakfast and packing was a silent affair – we were thinking about the 700kms that lay ahead.

05h00 “Rock ‘n Roll”

Jessica was on the bike with Ig and Ig will be the pacer at the back of the pack.

The ride from Khartoum to the reception of Goha Hotel took us from 05h00 to 07h00 – 14 hrs – it was a trying day!

Met our ‘fixer’ Pablo

The Sudan-Ethiopia border crossing was a long-winded affair – 3 hours … flies and mud (a new visual). We were all hungry … chasing the clock. Marlene leered at a passing chicken and stated that if she were not so tired she would slaughter the chicken on the spot and eat it sushi-style with the feathers. Jess kindly offered to do the plucking!

Office 1: Got all the passport stamped (out of Sudan)

Office 2: Riders got their carnets approved

Rode up the road through crowds of people, animals and trucks

Office 3: Got passports stamped – entry into Ethiopia

Office 4: Got carnets approved…

Money changers appeared from nowhere and offered a range of rates for the BIRR – 100 Birr is R25.

The guys were really tired and had to muster up much concentration during the last 200kms. Potholes and dashing animals and people made sure that sleep was the last thing on their minds.

En route we were treated to diverse scenery:

• Sudan: shocking sight of hundreds and hundreds of dead cows, goats and camels..dead in their tracks due to starvation.
• We moved from the dry uninterrupted desert of Sudan to the deep luscious greens of Ethiopia. Ethiopia is spectacular – we became so accustomed to the openness of the sands that the Ethiopian kaleidoscope of colour was a mind warp. The ‘ooh-ing’ and ‘aaah-ing’ was testimony to how absolutely beautiful this country is!
• Temperature plummeted from mid-forties to the mid—thirties … now we could chill. It started raining at one stage and the riders got dressed up in their waterproofs – back on the windy road.
• The route transformed from a straight ribbon through desert – to winding, twisting paths up the vegetated mountains. Imagine the most spectacular views the Lowveld offers you – multiply by 50 … that’s how beautiful it is.
• We also noted a definite difference in the attitude of the people – as we sped past we watched them race from their doorways and rush to the edge of the road to cheer the riders on. They waved and jumped – it was as if they were welcoming us back home.
• The back-up vehicle stopped as huge herds of goats being shepherded by men on camels. The camels had material sacks on the sides with new-born goats cradled in them. We had the opportunity to hold the kids…
• If we stop anywhere within seconds we are surrounded by people – touching and having conversations with us in their vernacular – smiles and smiles.
• Huge increase in the number of cattle and donkeys on the road. All the animals elevated the danger factor and the vehicles had to be vigilant all the time and this certainly tired them out. A black cat crossed Archie’s path. The cat shot across the road under the bike and back out … and the cat survived and Arch recons that no black cat will ever cross his path again.

The riders’ experiences today:

Dear Diary

Today I had some problem with my bike over heating – think it was the slow stop-start riding – but all is fine. Having a great ride and  sadly I leave the group in 5 days to explore Ethiopia on my own. Had a bit of a fall on teh hair-pin path up to the hotel – fell on my head … ego more brusied than the body

James

Dear Diary

Today I was really hungry. At the border crossing I sucked on sachets of “Ocean Basket” fish sauce and salad dressing to curb the hunger  pangs. James dashed passed me and two donkeys rushed across the road in front of me and ran on the shoulder of the road to my right. At top speed they galloped forward and hit into a female pedestrian! She rolled over and over and I was gearing down to stop – I thought that she was dead – the dust settled and she lifted her head and smiled a smile I will remember forever. My beer at Goha Hotel tasked like nectar from heaven.

Sakkie

Dear Diary

I am extremely tired – Marlene insisted on doing the blog till 01h30 and with the light and the mozzies I couldn’t sleep – she owes me a beer!  En route we ate tuna and crackers – I have to get rid of some of my luggage. When we got to the hotel … my pannier bag was not zipped … and I lost half of my Birrs! Our room looks like a luggage storage facility – don’t know how it is that we packed so much! I was really taking strain at supper … and all invites to have a beer with the boys … I just couldn’t do it– I needed to sleep

Kenny

Dear Diary

I slowed down a bit – my concern was the safety factor and I wanted to absorb the scenery rushing by. I lost my goggles on the road twice. I am so used to just dropping my visor … goggles hit the road.

Ullie

Dear Diary

Today I decided to drop to the back a bit and attached my video to my helmet and took great visuals of the ride. I am hoping that the girls will be able to put it onto the blog.

Andy

Dear Diary

I made sure I took in lots of liquids today. Everyone jokes about how I consistently fiddle with my bike – but pedantic I am and I want everything in running order. Sadly I knocked a dog over – my front heel hit the back of the dog – it yelped once and then died instantly – sorry!

Brian

Dear Diary

We have never been this tired – ever. At a stage in the back-up vehicle we laughed hysterically and cried at the same time… but the reason for laughing – was not amusing. Jessica was even seeing Giraffes where there were no giraffes. When we got to the hotel we quaffed their alcoholic beverages … sanity in this cloud of disorientation

Jess and Marlene

Last 100 km in the vehicle tested Ray at the wheel and Jess got motion sickness … Saturday night in Gondar and the streets were alive with life and colour and activity.

Kainan from Israel has joined us … he met the group and listened to the quick introductions. He perhaps is a bit wary of the boistrous diversity of the group … by end of supper he was in with the jibes and banter. WELCOME TO THE TEAM!

Interview with Ray:

The guys are having a good time. I like the fact that their responses to everything are positive. The guys are riding consistently – this is a bonus. They just need to forget about the hype with the Moyale- Marsabit road – and then they will handle it. Golden Rule – take one day at a time. Also what the riders need to do is acknowledge their emotions and their fear … being macho doesn’t work. Have found all the red tape with all our dealing with officials most frustrating and unnecessary.

Goha Hotel is spectacular – we are on the top of a hill overlooking Gondar – beautiful, Food good, rooms great – luxury – luxury

Sleep tight … for sure

At 4am (SA time), Ray suddenly sits up on his bed and says, “okay, let’s wake up and get an early departure” (earlier than planned or expected). Jacques, helpful as always and as it seems, Ray’s right hand man (in Kerrylee’s absence), went to the other rooms to wake up everybody else. After a quick rinse and some minimal preparations, the riders packed and loaded their motorcycles and the crew along with the passengers prepared the IVECO for departure. We left Dongola (a little town perched on the side of the Nile about half way between Wadi Halfa and Khartoum) at 4:35am when it was still dark out, ready to confront 600kms to our destination. The plan was to leave Dongola in the early hours of the morning so as to avoid the late morning and mid-day heat not only for the bikers but also for the IVECO driver and passengers. The IVECO air-condition apparently doesn’t work in high temperatures! Temperatures in the IVECO often reached a high of 38ºC. One can only imagine what the bikers had to go through..temperatures reaching sometimes as high as 45ºC. I certainly know Sakki is definitely “gatvol” of the extreme heat and sand and looking forward to the Ethiopian landscape.

We headed out of the town of Dongola with Archie leading the pack and Jacques (replacing Ig on the KTM for the first time since the start of our journey) at the rear. As the sun came up behind us, the flat, orange Nubian Desert stretched out as far as the eye could see. The sand dunes with the occasional dark rock formations and mountains and lonely shrubs gave off beautiful shades of orange and beige. Although it was early in the morning, we could already tell that today was going to be a real scorcher.

The Nile, in all its splendour, was on our right hand side (east of us as we travelled down south all the way to Khartoum). We enjoyed the spectacle of the stoney and sandy Nubian desert with scattered villages (populated by Nubian mud homes, tents and Mosques) clinging to the riverbanks (plus or minus 330 metres above sea level). The contrast of the green palm trees along the Nile against the vast orange dunes was a real treat. The newly paved road was smooth and empty, with occasional trucks passing by. The desert stretched out for hundreds of kilometres on either side of us; barren and featureless but nevertheless astounding. We spotted several groups of camel carcasses out in the distance as we drove along and sang to some great classics (“Hey, teachers, leave us kids alone”).

The motorcycles were way ahead of us when Ray was forced to pull over (with great discipline and good reflex) due to a flat tyre. The bolts were so air-tight that the wheel spanning extension broke off as the crew tried to loosen the bolts. Marlene and I stood guard to slow down any incoming trucks while Ray, Ig, Garth and Andre desperately tried to loosen the bolts so as to change the front left tyre. To add to the drama, we were busy being hit by a sand storm. After having loaded up all the bail out equipment and placed the damaged tyre on top of the IVECO roof, we were on our way once more.

Meanwhile, Kenny almost had a close call when a truck’s tyre burst as he was passing by it. Kenny later explained that he felt the blast as he rode by the truck. Fortunately, Kenny was not hurt and drove on with his comrades. Ande also ran into a bit of a problem as his bike got stuck in a patch of sand that the sand storm had pushed onto the road. Nevertheless, the riders made excellent time, and rode consistently with Archie heading the way.

Having gone through the third and last check point before Khartoum (398.5 metres above sea level), we entered the chaotic mess of a bustling city. The roads were jammed with traffic, aggressive drivers and busy bees. The traffic was so bad that Jacques, on the KTM, with the IVECO, were separated from the rest of the motorcycles. Crossing the beige and murky Nile, we neared our destination; that of the Plaza Hotel (where we reunited with the other motorcycle riders). A good shower and our first meal of the day awaited us!

Plaza Hotel in Khartoum

At the Plaza Hotel, we were greeted by Meza’s brother (Midhat), who is a cyclist and in need of a mountain bike (any sponsors out there, please think of Midhat), who is accustomed to riding his bicycle from Wadi Halfa all the way to Moyale, the border post to Ethiopia. Now that is extreme! After Ray sorted out the rooms and applauded the riders, and after the group ate their brunch, each retreated to their rooms for some R&R, a good shower, nap and other while Marlene and I got busy on typing up and uploading the blogs for the last six days.

At the evening meeting, the majority decided against staying in Khartoum an extra night and to rather push through early the next morning onto Gondar, Ethiopia (located in the Simien Mountains). It was decided that we eat breakfast for 4:30am (SA time) and lock and load for a 5am departure from Khartoum (700kms). Talk that alcohol would once again be available to us gave the group motivation for tomorrow’s excursion. After the briefing, Jacques and Marlene gave out the following fun prizes:

          Kings of the Desert: stuffed camels

                Brian: for having spent the majority of his stay in Cairo in Alexandria, at customs, and on top of that, having to deal with a ‘dribbly bum’ and also for having ridden exceptionally well and consistently from Egypt to Sudan.

               Ande: for having changed his flights to arrive in Alexandria early so as to clear his motorcycle from customs in time and for also having ridden exceptionally well and consistently from Egypt to Sudan.

               James: for having been the most consistent rider of the group and for always having a smile on his face. Most photogenic!

          Kings of the Desert: camel keyrings

               Ulrich: for having ridden like a champion in his red outfit and in his suspenders, matching his bike at all times.

               Sakki: for having sweat gallons of water and yet still having ridden like a winner.

               Kenny: because there is an extra keyringJ. No really, Kenny rode remarkably well and always keeps our sense of humour alive.

          Backup vehicle “not-so-good award”:

               Ray: for having managed to pop the left front tyre in the middle of a sand storm:)

That’s all for now folks!

Wadi Halfa, at the main square

After a good night sleep, everyone gathered up on the second story hotel balcony, overlooking the desolate town of Wadi Halfa; with occasional tuk tuks, motorcycles, donkey carts and trucks zooming by on the paved road. Remember that northern Sudan has mainly Nubian and Arab roots and is predominantly Muslim.

After hanging up our laundry to dry (which usually takes under an hour in Wadi Halfa heat), we walked out onto the paved street and whistled for the tuk tuks to stop and take us into town, situated one kilometre away from the hotel. We went to our usual place for breakfast, but because of Ramadan, they did not have any food to serve us. We waited over half an hour just to get some tea. We were quite the hungry bunch. Ray took the initiative with Jacques and Garth to ‘mission’ around town and bye us some cans of tuna, pita bread and cheese (including feta cheese that was absolutely delicious) for breakfast. We had to sit inside the establishment to eat, as it wasn’t allowed for us to eat outside. Ironically enough, a few Sudanese muslims (and only men) were sitting inside with us behind closed doors, hiding away from the rest of the Wadi Halfa locals (since it is Ramadan), to smoke a cigarette and enjoy ‘a cup of tea’.

The restaurant in which we ate our first meal after the ferry ride..and that did not want to serve us breakfast the next morning due to Ramadan

With our leathermans and knives, we opened the tuna cans and spread cheese onto our pita breads. It was a breakfast for champions, accompanied by Pepsi, Miranda (orange) and tea. We sat outside the “restaurant” for a while, with the hungry onlookers and the smell of urine and rubbish dominating the stagnant atmosphere. We experienced temperatures as high as 50ºC, but fortunately, were able to enjoy a light breeze throughout the day. You don’t realize just how precious water really is until you have travelled through Egypt and Sudan. The amount of water bottles the group goes through in just under a day is mind blowing. I think as well as hope that none of us will ever again take water for granted.

Back at the hotel, while sitting out on the balcony of the one and only hotel (air-conditioned hotel, which I still don’t know the name of) in Wadi Halfa, Meza (our fixer), came to organize the paperwork and formalities necessary for the barge’s arrival. A local from outside the hotel, walking by on the street, purposely came inside the hotel to instruct Meza to tell our guys that they needed to put their shirts back on. [In fact, it is apparently not allowed for anyone to wear hats or use umbrellas in Sudan. Because you were born without a hat, you are supposed to bear the sun and survive the intense temperatures without any aid. “Stuff that”, we all thought; while the guys put their shirts back on out of respect, we still decided to keep our caps and hats on, even walking through town].

The group gathered into the “conference area” where Ray, as usual, threw a topic out there for each participant to respond to. Today’s discussions were about near death experiences and religion. After our ‘bonding’ session, some did their laundry and others relaxed and/or napped in their rooms. In the afternoon, the group assembled once again up in the “conference area” for a briefing. We paid Meza $100/each for his services, and paid Ray $32/night for the accommodation. Apparently, the barge had arrived in Wadi Halfa, but yet, the customs personnel had already gone home for the day. We would only be able to unload and clear our bikes and the IVECO the next morning.

Having said that, Ray, knowing very well that we were all starving and would not be able to get anything to eat until Iftar around 7:30 in the evening, threw out another topic: the meal we would love to have right at that moment. Needless to say that by the time the entire group finished describing their most wanted and succulent meals, our stomachs grumbled and believe you me, started eating themselves. After an hour’s discussion on the best restaurants and meals found in South Africa and on taking a trip down memory lane as to what once was the best restaurants and meals served in South Africa, USA and Germany, the group couldn’t take it anymore and hurriedly decided to take a tuk tuk back to town.

Preparations in the making for Iftar

Once in town, although we were able to buy some Pepsis, Mirandas and water, nobody was selling or serving any food. We had to wait another half hour or so for Iftar until we could be served. You could see the entire town in motion..preparing for their most anticipated meal of the day. The women were setting up their stands and brushing away the rubbish from their seating areas while the men prepared the braai meat and chick pea soups. Mats were placed on the ground, and on top of those, the platters with plastic cups and bowls.

Jacques and Garth posing at the Wadi Halfa market

After taking a stroll around town (the market area where they sold legs of lamb hanging in the heat and vegetables scorching hot from a day’s wait), we gathered in the main square where we waited in eagerness for grilled chicken, beef shish-kebab and rice while munching on some yummy fried chickpeas from a nearby stand. For dessert, Brian and Sak had bought two, much welcomed watermelons which everyone munched away happily.

Waiting in anticipation..we were definitely a hungry bunch..

It was a perfect evening, with a light breeze and the spectacle of Iftar. Close to 8pm, the men (and only men), took off their sandals and sat onto their mats, gathered around their platters, sharing in on the chick pea soup with their pita breads. After they had finished eating, they all gathered in front of a nearby shrine, standing towards the east, to do their prayers. After their prayers, they gathered once again in the square and enjoyed their shisha pipes and teas while watching football and Arabic news on small televisions and projectors.

Still enjoying our chick peas, falafels, beef and chicken with rice while the Sudanese prayed to the east

It was an evening to remember..culturally enriching and satisfying to the stomach and eye. Everyone went back to the hotel satisfied and content; humbled by a unique occurrence that many will never have the chance to experience in their lifetime.

A beautiful evening indeed

[Note: Sudan is one hour ahead of South African time]

Ferry Welcome aboard the “Saga Naan” (Ostrich Leg)