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Well we arrived in Cairo at 4pm and by 4.30 pm we were in a taxi that stunk of fuel and then 5 minues later he got a flat tyre. The taxi driver told us no problem jacked it up and replaced it with a slightly less punctured tyre but Jonny not happy with state or tyre so we got out and got another taxi.
Cairo is crazy and you take your life in your own hands just trying to cross the roads, however we have found that it best to cross with the chubby locals so that you may have some form of air bag. One local told me I just have to put my hand out to tell the cars approaching us at 100 mile an hour to stop (ye right).
I think Cairo hit us like a bit of a surprise as we had just done an over night bus from Izmir to Istanbul for 9 hours then sat in Istanbul airport for 6 hours and then a 2 hour flight and in Africa we were. However we have been here 3 days now and it has grown on us, there is definitely something cool about being in a country where laws, rules and regulations do not apply to anyone.
Cairo is definitly a great example of how human being are recking the planet it a big way as apparently when you are finished with you drink can it is common practice just to haul it out the taxi window and Cairo is permanently sat in a smog cloud of pollution.
We are def in africa as have seen many cars with welded suspension but the front is lower then the back.
We ate out last night and on the menu it just says meat, I try not to know what it is I am eating but may have been camel. This morning we had an interesting taxi ride out to the desert to go and see the biggest camel market in Africa. The market not for the faint hearted but interesting to see how things are done in Africa and I think interesting for Jonny to see how none is regulated like live stock in the U.K. Luckily he was not tempted to sell me for a camel as there were a few Arabs we enjoyed a cheeky grope when we had a photo. You can buy a camel from 200 euros to 600 euros which is supper cheap and there was a baby one that I stroked and then it followed me and I was tempted but Jonny said no space in the truck.
On the roads in Cairo there are no speed humps just speed mountains and our taxi driver took one at speed and we got some air time and Jonny thought that was it for the car but no on we went.
We managed to arrive in Egypt during the period of Ramadan so no eating or drinking between the hours of 7am and 7 pm and you try not to rub it in when you are desperate for water but joined in with the hundreds for our dinner at 7 last night.
We will spend the weekend in Cairo and then take the bus to Alexandria and wait for the ship which will hopefully be carrying our car from Turkey and then start bargaining with port authorities.
We spent one day applying for our Sudanese visas so we dont have to come back to Cairo with the car thank goodness as not sure our nerves could do driving in Cairo. The Visa process was alot easier then we expected so we can start the
LONG WAY DOWN
Love to you all
Terri and Jonny
- comments
Bert Hi, nice to read your story. I arrived today in Port Said. Garbage everywhere and the port authorities are a disaster. Hope to get my bike tomorrow out of the port... I go to cairo afterwards to pick up visa to sudan. Hope i'll get it in one day too... You recommend some place to sleep? And maybe we can catch up somewhere? I'm not planning of staying in egypt too long. Take care! Bert from belgium from mocamp (that should be enough :))
andrea kartus wow you guys are really getting around what a fantastic experience ++ thank you for the post card xxx