150 km, 12306 km from Cape Town

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Only a short distance to complete our safari and it was done swiftly on an empty three lane highway that sweeps you toward Cairo and before you know it the city outline is there and the highway becomes an elevated freeway that slices through the heart of the city. Towering apartment blocks on either side whip past as you spped along trying to match thje traffic pace which is the only way to survive the Cairo traffic – and then as we descended from the feeeway and twisted zand turned a bit there they were – the Pyramids.
– Tango
 

Happy crew

341 km, 12156 km from Cape Town

UNBELIEVABLE DEVELOPEMENT

We had a glorius swim in the Red Sea. A curious experience for us that are used to cold water and big waves. The water is amazingly warm and of course clear and waveless.
Then we headed up the coast again with the desert on one side and the wonderful red Sea on the other. Eventually the Red Sea mountain chain touches the coast and the road twists alomg the shore not unlike the cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard – only the developements are more massive.
We find a resort that offered us a decent rate and took all it offered.
– Tango
 

The Red Sea heading for Ain Sokhna

324 km, 11815 km from Cape Town

THE RED SEA

I am afraid the vibration I wa feeling for the last few days riding is the rear sprocket bearing and on inspection this morning we decided to replace it.
Our friend’s brother Ahmedi, with whom ne shares the family taxi, came to our aid and we raced around the sleepy Luxor, as it was still early looking for a replacement baering and then some Egyptian ingenuity to remove the old one and squeeze in the new.
All achieved in two hours and the bike together again we headed north along the Nile again and then struck east on a smooth fast new highway through the desert down to the Red Sea.
We were all thrilled to see the sea again and were amazed as we rode toward Hurgarda at the amount of hotel and resort developement. Tens of thousands of apartment blocks, hotels, resort and beach clubs are being built all with the anticipated boom time that is surely to come.
– Tango
 

Stunning road to Hurghada through the red sea hills

11491 km from from Cape Town

KARNAK

We rested through the morning and in the late afternoon we went to Karnak – the great temple which is essentially in the middle of the city.
It is a spectacular ruin and famed for its massive and majestic columns over one nundred and thirty four of them.
Returning to the hotel with our new friend Mamout we retired.
– Tango
 

Temple of Karnak

217 km, 11491 km from Cape Town

WONDERFUL EGYPT

Leaving Aswan we journeyd up the Nile, which is a slow affair because there are so many check points and villages and traffic along the way, but the scenery is lovely and we got to Luxor in the late afternoon
Luxor is a nice little town and we found an empty five star establishment that gave us a good rate and has a spectacular pool and lawn running down to the Nile.
Still feeling grim both Sierra and I are bed-ridden in an attempt to shake it.
– Tango
 

On route to Luxor

11274 km from from Cape Town

WAITING

Our friend Kamal picked us up and we went through to the customs and stated the old slow process of the carnets. An added Egyptian layer to the beurocracy is that you have to buy Egyptian License plates and afix these over the originals.
All this of course was done by Kamal and it just took time but finally he announced we could get our bikes and go. We were indeed lucky as there are examples of the whole people-on-ferry, bikes-on-barge story taking up to a week! Too late for riding anywhere we are staying another night and I have started feeling pretty grim and am joining Sierra in the sick bay.
– Tango
 

Tired but happy to be back in civilization