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DAY 105. SAT. 19/05. Dongola to past Abu Dom. 235 kms. Total 22743 kms. Bushcamp N18 01.992 E31 25.984
After breaking camp we headed back to the Dongola ferry on the east bank at N19 10.663 E30 29.637 and must have just caught morning rush hour as we joined a lengthy queue of nearly identical white Toyota pick-ups/bakkies with colourful decorations. (the main taxi/local transport vehicle) Inga went to sort out a ticket while Rob reinflated the tires. At 1st they wanted to charge us 17 SP which is way exceeds what our 2003 guide book suggests. Couldn't be right! They said it was because we were a big car but we were no longer than the bakkies, so Inga went up to a local Land Cruiser grabbed his receipt and showed it at the ticket office. We got away with paying 10 or 11 SP which was what the Land Cruiser paid, but still a lot more than the old price in the guide book so prices must have gone up a lot since then? Eventually, after what seemed like ages, we got across the river onto the west bank of the Nile and Dongola village itself. Drove through town only stopping at an internet caf?or a while. When we left around lunch time it felt even hotter than usual. (if that's possible - definitely in the high 40's) A promising new stretch of tar road heads south from Dongola along the west bank towards Abu Dom. Drove for a few kays before cutting across from the road towards the river to find some palms for shade while we had lunch as it was so hot. Last of the watermelon too! Unfortunately the tar road does not last all the way too Abu Dom as it is still under construction. So you are off and on dusty detours in between sections of tar - at least 4 times. Very fine clay powdery dust which billows into the air and gets everywhere especially when the many large, road construction trucks/vehicles come past. Eventually made it to Abu Dom late afternoon where we put in fuel at N17 56.968 E31 13.845 and stopped for a cold drink. Unfortunately no Coke so we had to have an expensive Sprite instead! Instead of continuing south here to Khartoum on the tar road all the way we headed east towards Atbara which would take us across the Bayuda Desert tomorrow. Couldn't resist one last desert crossing after 3.5 months in the Sahara! Still on the tar we stopped about 20 kms past Abu Dom, off the road to the left towards the river again. Couldn't quite make it to the river so just stopped under some trees with some animals and herders for company. Whipped out the radio as soon as we stopped to catch the end of the BBC's coverage of the FA Cup final and heard the result. Also surprisingly they had a report on the Super 14 final so Rob was glad to be up to date with the sports results.
DAY 106. SUN. 20/05. past Abu Dom to Bayuda Desert, 100 kms before Atbara. 238 kms. Total 22981 kms. Bushcamp N17 47.117 E33 04.053
Continued along the tar road until a junction before Merowe at N18 22.679 E31 48.123, where we stopped at a small shop to buy some bread (lovely fire baked Sudanese small round flat breads - great for making sandwiches - just stuff them like a pita; you buy them in orange plastic bags - 5 or 6 for 1 SP) and a coke before heading east here on a piste across the desert. Quite soft sand (let down tires) with loads of tracks crossing everywhere, so very hard work driving and navigating in the heat and strong wind which was now blowing. Causing sand storms and reduced visibility. Wasn't really looking forward to 200 kays of this. But luckily after about 50 kms, out of the blue, we joined up with the new tar road being built at N18 06.992 E32 07.022. Quite relieved this time to be on tar rather, we can tell you! Stopped for lunch under a tiny tree - the only little bit of token shade we could find. As usual tar didn't last long and we soon back on to a long dusty gravel/sand detour filled with road construction traffic. Then 2 short sections of tar (separated by 2 more detours) before a long section of tar which took as all the way to the end of the day, where we bushcamped quite early (before 5pm) off to the right under a nice tree with a bit of shade some distance off the road. Would have been a quite a nice camp site if it were not for the still strong wind and flies which pestered us trying to get the moisture off our skin.
DAY 107. MON. 21/05. Bayuda Desert, 100 kms before Atbara, to Meroe Pyramids. 216 kms. Total 23196 kms. Bushcamp N16 55.996 E33 45.302
Shortly after leaving camp in the morning hit a long stretch of detour - about 40 kms. This was the worst of them all with large powdery dust filled holes created by the road construction activities into which we would literally disappear. Totally enveloped in clouds of dust with all light blocked out the windows - quite eerie! Then a nice long stretch of tar until about 10 kms before Atbara. Had some difficulty finding the ferry as it has moved with the road and new bridge construction activities so none of our GPS points were correct. It is now somewhat more north at N17 41.354 E33 57.626 on the west bank and N17 41.390 E33 58.133 on the east bank. We were in quite a state when we finally arrived at the ferry - Cathey totally covered in mud and dust and us not far behind, plus hot and sweaty! We were running quite low on money as we had only planned to change again in Khartoum but had forgotten about this ferry. All we had left was 7 SP but once on board and already crossing the river already they asked for 10. We explained we only had 7 which they accepted - not much else they (or we) could do. On the other side of Atbara were 2 passport check points literally less than 100m apart where everyone wanted to check passports for some reason - at both controls. Again we became quite short and eventually just drove off when they asked for the 2nd passport at the 2nd checkpoint. Again we attribute our short tempers to the heat. Unexpectedly we then came across a toll booth where they wanted 7 SP for the trip to Khartoum. We explained we had no money and luckily we were let through. Again not much anyone could do - it wasn't like there was another option of a non-toll road we could take. About 90 kays later, shortly before the pyramids, we went past Meroe Hotel/Camping and we quite tempted for a proper camp and a shower and maybe an escape from the heat after 5 nights of bush/desert camping. But as we had no money it wasn't really an option so just drove to the pyramids and bushcamped in the early afternoon. Didn't have permits to visits the Meroe Pyramids (10 $ per person per site) so didn't go in the main entrance at the front but got a good view driving around the front to the back where we camped behind a small hill with a view of the pyramids if we walked up. Also it is only fenced about half way round so could quite easily have gone in for a visit late in the day or early the next morning from the back but didn't bother. We were happy to view them from a bit further away - particularly impressive at sunset. Good camp and not bothered or hassled by the "archeological police" that guard the sites or anyone else either.
DAY 108. TUES. 22/05. Meroe Pyramids to Khartoum. 334 kms. Total 23529 kms. National Camping, Khartoum. N15 31.478 E32 34.177
Left the camp and headed back across the main road to the right where there are more pyramids at N16 55.922 E33 43.813. Think this is the "Royal City of Meroe" as it's known. Again it was fenced but there was no-one around so could have gone in but again we were happy just to look and take photos from up against the fence. Had some more explaining to do at the subsequent toll booths where you are meant to show your receipt to be allowed through. We just said that we had paid 7 SP but the man didn't give us a receipt. Sounds a bit dubious but it seemed to work. Took another desert detour to visit NaqaTemples at N16 16.134 E33 16.435 and MusawwaratTemple at N16 24.621 E33 19.777 about 75 kms past Meroe. Bit of a round trip and neither that spectacular anyway but we had the time, so why not. Went to the car part at Naqa 1st from where we could see all the temples behind the fences from a distance and took some photos. Had a quick lunch there and just as the guards were starting to make noises about us paying the 10 $ entrance fee we did a runner. Took another fork in the tracks to MusawwaratTemple on the way back which was even more unspectacular and we just drove around it in a circle before heading back. Didn't even stop to take any photos. One guy did try to wave us down near the office but we just sped off back to the main road, joining it just after another toll booth and thus avoiding more explaining, reaching Khartoum about 150 kms later. Headed for the Blue NileBridge to try and cross over into central Khartoum but it had been turned into a one way as is usually the case. So we crossed over towards Omdurman via the ShambatBridge and then back over to Khartoum via the White NileBridge near the confluence of the Niles, where the White Nile joins with the Blue Nile. Bit of a long way around but at least we saw the confluence of the Niles and had a bit of a look around Khartoum. Rob also rear-ended a lady driver in a plastic Japanese/Korean car while crawling through the traffic. Luckily she blamed the bus driver trying to cut through the intersection to her right for making her stop in the 1st place and not us. We just couldn't stop in time but were going quite slowly so luckily not much damage done anyway but her plastic bumper definitely came off worse for wear. Drove past Blue Nile Sailing Club, where most overlanders stay but no sign of John and Irena. We were heading a bit further out to Khartoum National Camping, where Rolf and Heike had stayed, as it much cheaper - less than half the price! We were the only campers here - mainly used by locals. (Students and athletes training at the nearby sports fields as it also has rooms.) But decent enough facilities - small shop and clean toilets and showers with hot water and as we would be staying a few days it worked out much cheaper. Later we heard it was 48 degrees in Khartoum today, just unbelievably hot. Slept with the tent wide open again just under the thin mosquito net.
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