To day was Saturday 20th Jan and again a day I will not
lightly forget.Got up by 5 AM and after
the usualcleaning ritual I loaded the
bike up and drank some tea.Coffee might be too strong for the intestins and I do
not fancy an Egyptian ferry boat toilet .
Kamal, my fixer for the Egyptain side waited for me at the
bank close by and yes, he was there.Off
to the ferry and we got loaded immediately including 55 cyclists from allover
who do a 102 days run to Capetown.They
do 100 km a day and camp in the bush or desert.Not my piece of cake but nice people to talk to.
I was still with the Irishman Brian and we parked the bikes
upfront next to eachother.After us the
lorries came on board and made the ferry tilt suddenly.I was at 30 meters from the bikes but saw
them falling over.What happened isthat Brians bike stands rather straight on
its stand and the lorries made it fell over on to mine and so they went
both.Of course we got many hands to put
them up and saw not much damage.My side
stand has a lip on it so I can pick it up with my foot easily.Now its flattened and the picking up does not
go well.I will see when and where I
will bring it back to normal.
The ferry took off and after 1,5 hrs it docked on the other
side.We were quiclkly of the boat and
followed Kamal to the border post.I will
sustain from telling in detail the uselesness of all thats being done to get
people out of Egypt.Just incredible.It took 4 hours of plain waiting till Kamal
had done his thing.I paid him the cost
and$ 50 for him and we could leave the
gate.
On to the Sudanese side that is way easier but still takes 2
hours at least.
Finally I drove to Wadi Halfa, an ugly desert bordertown
with some hotels but they are far from that.I asked for the Ritz but am in the Alharen without shower or bath, no
towels but the toilet does not smell.
Brian will camp with the bikers in the desert.Must be fun but I have stopped camping.
No restaurant and I had no urge to explore the town.I feel rather tired from hanging around and
too much sun on my bold head.Bit of a
headache too.
I ate a good fried chicken that was collected from the market
with rice and water.Will survive.
2 pieces of bread were with it but I keep those for tomorrow
since there is neither breakfast here.
Still have my Calve peanutbutter so Ill enjoy this somewhere on the way.
Next is Dongola at 400 kn along the Nile .The road looks good and I hope it remains like that.
Surprisingly I have good wifi wich is nice when you are
alone and nobody to talk to.I talk to
myself yes but am now a bit fed up with my own stories, worries and thoughts.
Now in Abu Simbel which is not an ugly
town. Reasonably maintained but they are on the shore of huge Lake
Nasser so have plenty water.
Went to see the Ramses temples that were
saved from the lake before filling.
Tomorrow the masterpiece and thats
leaving Egypt with a load of bureaucracy for nothing , just employment
creation. Most unpleasant to say the least but I will never
forget this.
To day I flew to Abu Simbel over 290 km
with a strong wind in the back and it felt like riding in a vacuum at times at
120 km/hr. Total time 3 hrs but 25 % more fuel consumption. All the way a fantastic road but still you must be vigilant on holes and other iregularities otherwise you can really fly.
Here at the Tuya hotel I met an Irishman
who I knew of already in Cairo that he was also on the way but did not see him
there . He also goes to SA but must be home again in April so he
has a set target.
Tomorrow I sleep across the border , I
hope, in Wadi Halfa and set of on Sunday for a 400 km stretch to Dongola. This is the first town with "Hotels" . The Irishman camps so will go into the desert to sleep.
I stopped camping this year for obvious reasons that I , already. explained earlier.
Its
said it is a good road. Only few years old and no rains here.
Now Thursdayevening 18th Jan I prepare to
go to Abu Simble tomorrow morning.
But first what transpired since Luxor.
The owner of the Memnon hotel in Luxor,
mr Sayed had warned me against the police escort and advised to go early to
avoid them. Also , in case I would be stopped and questioned just to say that I
go to the Christian Church.Do not know
why but I did all this and it worked.Was , in fact, hardly asked
anything at the many roadblocks and flew through.
Mr. Sayed was really a nice man and very
helpfull.I had the problem that in
Sonag at the Nile boat they charged my visa card but later said it did not work
so I paid 50 dollars to the boss.No
invoice nor receipt. Stupid of me cause the following day in Luxor I check the
Visa account and it was debited so double pay.I say this to mr. Sayed who got very angry and said he would get my
money back.He phoned the culprits and
did as if he was a policeman.In no time
they were prepared to return the money but did not know how.In the meantime Sayed also informed the
tourist police who also phoned them and put pressure on.At the end they send the money to Sayed who
will keep it for me till a next time and I am happy we taught them a lesson.
So now in Aswan.When I arrived here I went to my booked
Nubian Holiday house who indicated to have parking.It was way out of Aswan and had no parking .
It also looked a bit very local to my liking so I said that they had cheated me
to pretend to have parking.I said they
should not try to take cancellation fees. Wonder only what I could do in case they
would do but so far no debits.
In the meantime I was in touch over the phone
with Kamal Muawad who is a fixer to get me over the border.For him this holiday house was also to far
from Aswan to see me.Hence I took off
again and after another hour over all the motabs I arrived in Aswan and phoned
Kamal for a hotel.I stopped a taxi
driver to use as Tom Tom.Kamal told
him where to go over my phone and off we went.This way I crossed Aswan completely to 4 hotels that also had no
parking.Than I made it clear my way and
they understood.Thats why I am now in
the Basma hotel with a separate parking next to the front door for my HD.
I took an extra day in Aswan to go to the
Traffic court to get a Certifcate of no fines in Egypt .Without this one is sent back from the border
to get it .Another 2 to 3 days delay.
So this morning I went with him and upon
arrival we jumped all the cues and headed straight for the ones who issue the
certificate.But soon it became clear
that something was wrong with my Egyptian bike license.We went from office to offce and finally it
became clear that I had a taxi license .Sorry but in Cairo they gave me that and I cannot even read it. All-in Arabic.They told me to get back to Cairo.
Of course my adrenalin level went way
high bit I kept quiet.Kamal did all the
talking etc.At the final end after
visiting 6 offices ate least 4 times each I paid 550 LE = 26 euros and all was
done.Yes, with receipt.Was not such a nice start of this beautiful Sunny
day.
Kamalbrought me back to the hotel and said we will meet in Abu Simbel on
Saturday morning at 06.30 hrs to go to the ferry and cross Lake Nasser to go to
the border.
He also guides 36 cyclists from all sort
of nationalities through the border.Actually
they are peddaling to Abu to cross to Sudan possibly also on their way to South
Africa.
The hotel is an old bit British rundown
place but the food is good and the beer is excellent so what the heck for the
rest.
I checked the tiewraps underneath the
bike and they are still fine.Bit looser
but I pushed them a bit tighter again.
Checked the clutch cable beacause its a
new one and it might loosen up a bit and need adjustment for the freeplay but
the recommended gap is not too large so
I leave it for the moment.If it becomes
too loose the gearshifting will tell also by becoming more difficult and
noisy.Clunk, clunk, etc.
Tomorrow I want to go early to avoid the
heat after 12 noon and to have the time to see Ramses that was saved by a Dutch
consortium from Lake Nasser and put higher up the lake shore. Otherwise it
would have gone under water.
Also I want to see where the ferry leaves
and what state the ferry is in.Do I
need swimsuit or not as underwear.No
worry mate, the moment you hit the water
you become croc finger food.
Ok, fine for now and may be tomorrow
more.
In Sudan you might consider me on
Holidays cause there will not be much Internet/ Wifi available.
May be we have to wait till !st Feb when
I intend to hit Gonder in Northern Ethiopia.I was there in 2015 and had a hotel with wifi and cold beer , the
Essentials.
Till than I will keep record of all my
mistakes and other people s.
Did not reach Luxor on Sunday because the escort did not take the desert road. No instead, again this horrible Nile Corniche with hundreds of speedhumps in many sizes and, of course, the usual crowds of people, donkeys, busses etc. Again a treat but by 14.00 hrs I was kaputt and after only 250 km. So I told the police to find a hotel in Suhag. We searched for an hour but no hotel anymore in Suhag. Finally they found a river nile boat that serves as a hotel. Quite run down but I only need a bed and food that does not give me the TommyPalaver. The room was correct for me and the food was again a chicken, When well fried the best meat option. I could not read the menucard in Arabic so didn't bother about something else.
That Sunday I will remember forever since the unexpected but most feared thing happened and that's a problem on the bike. On leaving El Minya we took fuel and also the spare tanks ( 5 and 3 ltr ) and all was ok until we took off. Suddenly my right foot went down with the footrest. On an HD the footrest is not just a thick pin but a proper floorplank of 30 cm long. The rear end went down and I could not see what was broken. To continue I had to hold my rightfoot with the heel on the exhaust because you cannot ride and let your leg hang in the air. I waited till the first stop and than checked. The foortrest is attached on the rear end to a plate that is welded on the lower frame tube and the front is bolted to the engine guard.
Now, that rear endplate welding was broken of the frame. This plate also has the rearbrake assembly attached to it so I could not really use the rearbrake. To note is that I only use the rearbrake in emergencies when front is not enough and in bents to get the bike better through the bent. It curves better with some rearbrake action.
Now I had to be damned carefull cause a crossing child should not be hit so reduce the pace. I drove the whole day like that and was not happy. A real mentally off day.
Some people tell me to get it welded which I will , certainly not, do before the Harley Shop in Johannesburg since welding on a bike frame is too delicate. If too much heat is applied or the wrong rod used the frame can burn and be weakend resulting in a total collapes of the bike. Finished palaver. Also the electrics break down if not properly handled and protected from the high currents during welding.
I looked what I could do that might hold it. I found a small original hole in that rear plate and was able to push two tiewraps through and around the frametube. Hence the whole thing hangs again in its place held at the front by the original bolt and the rear by the 2 tiewraps, They are strong since even the maffia uses them to tiedown people for god knows what. I can put my foot on the footrest but do not dare to push to hard not knowing the real strength of the tiewraps. Time will tell.
I slept well on the boat and left the next day, Monday 15th. Thanks for that since it's Heineken pension payment day.
Again the escort was on the door to take me. I insisted to take the desert road and they took me there. Fantastic riding through the desert on an almost perfect huge highway with very little traffic. Hoped it would last. It did for 200 km till Qena and than they took again that shitroad along the Nile. Since they guide me I often do not know where we are or what could be an alternative. I knew that from Qena it is just a short stretch to Luxor straight over the bridge. No they took me again 70 km around for almost 2 hours with hundreds of speedhumps again. One time the hump was too high and I got stuck and fell with my entire rig on the right hand side. Fortunately that heavy bike has a good engine guard that can hold your leg underneath so it does not get crushed, I have had this only 2 times before in my Harley career and that goes back a good 35 years. The police got me up since I cannot lift the bike on my own. In fact I took it , finally, out on them and told them what I felt.
Although they could not understand it they got note of my state of mind. After that they had troubles to find the hotel. Took an hour and 3 phone calls to the hotel owner and than a taxi driver got us to the place. In that running around through Luxor I saw the whole town and the historic sites.
Enough for me to live on. I will not visit these rundown monuments and get harrassed by traders and money seekers. I will take a day off on Tuesday 16th and work on the blog , bike and myself.
The hotel is the New Memnon Hotel and the owner, mr Sayed , is a very friendly man who goes out of his way to please his customers.
The hotel is a local hotel and not an, always similar, group hotel. Its correct, clean, cool, good local food, perfect B/fast, he had cool beer delivered for 2 days, super nice roof terras, no pool that I do not use anyway, safe parking for the bike and at no cost. He charges 25 euros for a day with B/fast. He also waived the cost for the day that I was late which I can only appreciate. Srongly recoomended and can be booked through Booking.com or Tripadvisor. He also got me a stock of new spare tiewraps when I gave him the story of the B/down.
The rest of the day I rest, eat, siësta, drink a beer, look at the surroundings ( Vally of the Queens ) from the 360 degrees roof terras.
Tomorrow I will try to avoid the police but that might be difficult. They are everywhere. Mr Sayed told me to take it hard on them and than they will do what I want and that's only to ride the Luxor - Aswan desert road straight to Aswan for 225 km. Only 3 hours, I hope.
I have booked a Nubian Holiday Lodge on the Nile next to the Nubian tombs. The bike might wake them up and haunt me in the night. Look forward to it.
