Burghada to Cairo - Ian

21 JULY 2011

Hurghada

Doug, Charl, Rudi, Adri, Cheryl & I had booked for a day of snorkelling on the coral reefs in the Red Sea. Mike decided to do his own thing whereas Roger & Jo-Anne decided that they did not want to spend another day at Magawish but rather continue going north up the Red Sea coast.

We bordered a well set up boat from the jetty on the beach in front of the hotel. The diving company Colona Divers are Swedish owned & run a very good operation. The cost was about R280 per person which included 8 hours on the boat & snorkelling equipment plus an additional R38 for lunch on the boat. Although I am not a diver, to me this was very cheap for what turned out to be the most amazing experience. After about an hour out to sea the boat stopped at a small submerged coral island. We anchored next to another diving boat & very soon there were 7 boats anchored together (4 facing one way and the other 3 in the opposite direction). There were only about 15 of us on our boat of which only a few were divers, the rest of us were to snorkel. We had 2 instructors who showed us where to snorkel and to be of assistance if needed. The sea was warm, very clear with no current and stunning corals and fish. It was a whole new experience for me. For the others who are experienced at snorkelling, they said that the coral reef and the fish were the best they had  ever experienced. After more than an hour in the water we boarded the boat & had an enjoyable Egyptian lunch.  We then continued swimming until we moved to another coral reef.

Although we did not think that it was possible, the second reef was even more spectacular than the first. It was just like swimming in a fish tank full of the most beautiful corals and fish. Reluctantly we had to board once again as the boat had to return to shore. This brought to an end to what was the best day of our trip through Africa.  Cheryl who cannot swim put on a life jacket, and with the help of Adri and myself, we coaxed her to put on goggles so that she could experience  this beautiful underwater world. Cheryl was amazed at what was under the water and couldn’t stop thanking us for having given her such an amazing experience.

Although the resort Magawish was very commercial, the time spent there was made very worthwhile by our wonderful experience of the coral reefs.

22 July 2011

The Gisa Piramids and Sphinx

Transport between the Piramids

Warehouses where we left vehicles for shipping

Porto Sonka

The next day we left Hurghada & drove north up the Red Sea coast. We planned to drive about 220kms so that we could spend one more night on the Red Sea before heading inland to Cairo & the end of our African trip. Rudi & Adri went ahead and by lunch time had found a fish restaurant in a small harbour at Porto Sokno. Cheryl  and I were only too happy to join them as the drive from Hurghada was boring - either driving past many apartments & hotels or driving through flat uninteresting desert. I think that the drive was the most boring of the entire trip, so to stop off for a lunch of beer, wine and fish was the best. The harbour was an oasis amongst rows of completed & partially completed buildings which all looked the same and blocked out the view of the sea. Many buildings are half completed as construction has been halted because of the political uncertainty in Egypt.

The lunch turned out to be the best we have had on the trip, especially the fish dish of bouillabaisses which is served in a pot over an open flame and contains a variety of fish and shell fish. Rudi said that it was the best meal he had ever had. As a result he insisted on having a photo taken of himself with the chef and the kitchen staff!

 There was a huge apartment block across the road from the restaurant and as we were all in a very relaxed mood after our meal, beer and wine, we decided that we would book into this huge hotel. Unfortunately we discovered that although there were 90 rooms in the hotel, the other 2,000 rooms were privately owned apartments. Due to the fact that it was a long week-end in Egypt the Red Sea resorts were full of people from Cairo, all the hotel rooms were taken by Egyptians. When we asked about other hotels in the area we were told that they would also be full. Despondently we left, not looking forward to a long hot search for other accommodation. Rudi then came up with a brain wave he told the management of this resort that in South Africa, where apartments adjoined hotels, they were often let out when the hotel was full. To our relief the manager said that he could arrange an apartment for us which is a well furnished 3 bedroom apartment.

The complex is huge, with 14 swimming pools, numerous restaurants and shops. The whole complex is entirely owned by Moslem Egyptians. T was that the bars and restaurants only served soft drinks! Needless to say, we crossed the road for a swim in the Red Sea and returned to the same fish restaurant. Yes you guessed correctly, Rudi once again had bouillabaisses!

23 July 2011

Cairo

We set off after breakfast on the last travelling day of our East London / Ladybrand Africa trip to Cairo. It felt both good and sad that this was the final stretch.

We soon turned inland on a new toll road which took us through the desert to Cairo. I was concerned about the traffic in Cairo, especially towing a trailer, how we would find the President Hotel on Zamaleck Island, which is an island formed by the Nile river splitting in two. The hotel had been found by Roger and Jo-Anne who had arrived in Cairo the day before. Our GPS could not pick up the hotel but did pick up the island. As the GPS kept telling us to turn left or right onto a road which was under the bridge over which we were travelling, we crossed over the Nile many times! Fortunately as it was a Saturday & in the middle of a long week-end due to Egypt’s Independence Day or first revolution of 1952, so there was not too much traffic. We eventually arrived safely at the hotel and the end of our destination.

That evening we all caught 2 taxis to the Holiday Inn to meet the East London car guys for the last time as they were due to fly to Italy the following day. We had our fist experience of the extremely heavy traffic in Cairo which resulted in a short trip taking well over an hour! Nevertheless it was a good experience and enabled us to see Cairo at night. Due to the heat of the day, the city comes alive at night – there were people and cars everywhere.

We eventually arrived at the Holiday Inn and had our last meal with the East London car guys. The company was good, but the food and price of drinks was not so good. We eventually said our good-byes and arrived back at our hotel after mid night.

24 July

Cairo

After a leisurely day at the hotel & on Zamaleck Island, which is lovely part of Cairo, with tree lined narrow streets which are surrounded by small shops & restaurants. That evening we met with Waguih Guindy, who Adri had arranged to assist us with the shipping of the cars, trailer & bikes back to East London. After our bad experience in Wadi Halfa & Aswan, we expected the worst. The East London car guys had also told us that it had taken them 3 days to complete their paper work & drive their cars onto a ship to take the cars from Alexandria to Venice - 31 forms per car! Waguig was however professional & said that he would deal with all the paper work. All we had to do was have a letter authorising him to act on our behalf. This letter & a verification of the driver’s passport had to be done at the South African Embassy (in my case at the British Embassy). We would then drive the cars & bikes to his warehouse where they would load them onto a container. We were all very relieved to hear how simple the process would be.

After the meeting we had supper at a very nice Italian restaurant next to the hotel.

25 July

Cairo

The day was spent with the guys going to the Embassies while the girls repacked the trailer for the last time. As in Nairobi it was once again proved that it is better to travel through Africa on a South African passport. The guys had their paperwork done in no time at the South African Embassy and did not have to pay. The British Embassy was however different. After waiting for nearly two hours for the consular section to open, I had to pay the equivalent of R550 for them to sign the one letter, which was already typed in Arabic,and to verify the copy of my passport. While the first letter was being signed by a British official, an announcement came across the intercom to say that some senior British official would like to meet immediately with some of the staff- this included the person I was dealing with! She gave me the one letter & said that as she had to attend this meeting I would have to come back the next day for the copy of my passport. When I said that as the consular section is only open to the public for a few hours each day surely there should be no meetings at these times. I was curtly told that there are notices stating that they can take 24 hours to complete requests like mine. That was that!

We then all met back at the hotel and drove the cars and bikes out to the warehouse where the container would be. After some time of re-organising the cars and trailer to insure that they would fit into the containers we said farewell to the cars, trailer and bikes. It was a relief to leave them there, but at the same time with some anxiety about what could happen to them over the next few weeks - especially as none of them are insured!  

That evening the biker team met for the last time at a very nice pub on Zamaleck Island. We were in a very festive mood & enjoyed telling many stories related to the trip. We also toasted ourselves as we believe that it has been a great achievement to reach Cairo in “one piece”

26 July

Cairo

Roger, Jo-Anne, Rudi, Adri, Cheryl & I all got up early & took a taxi to the pyramids & sphinx at Giza. Each couple went on a horse & cart which took us around the pyramids. It was certainly worth seeing them.

Doug flew out to Rhodes via Athens,  Jo-Anne & Roger flew out to Palermo via Rome. Tomorrow Cheryl & I fly out to Palermo to meet up with Roger & Jo-Anne and Rudi & Adri fly back to Johannesburg. Charl & Mike are still undecided but will probably also fly back to South Africa within the next few days.

This is therefore the official end to our amazing trip. We have enjoyed Egypt & Cairo, but the general view is that our two favourite countries are Ethiopia & Tanzania, but having said that, we all have good memories of all the other countries. The trip has been both challenging & fun, but we all feel that we have now had enough & it is time to go home.

Once we are back in South Africa we will all give a brief summary of the high lights of our trip.