Part 73 Egypt - An Adventure in Upper Egypt - 'People of Interest'
Monday, 16 April 2018 6:43 pm
From the Red Sea coast we head west towards the Nile River and back to Aswan.
Someone must be building another pyramid as so many trucks with these massive granite blocks.
Just before Aswan a police check point that took us 45 minutes to extract ourselves. Very friendly but this is not a known tourist route so I guess very suspicious.
Many phone calls to HQ and challenging as we speak no Arabic and they no English !
OK now in Aswan and the real reason for our return here is the police “No Fines Certificate” - At left .
A requirement for the shipping.
The crazy part is you get it up to 14 days before shipping and now we drive 1500Kms to the port.
The paperwork took 15 minutes, 5 people involved at a grand cost of LE10 ( A$ 0.72 )
It was then a late drive to reach Luxor and camp at our previous site.
( C282 / 293Kms / 7,882kms)
Monday 16th April 2018:
Luxor and the Mummification Museum.
Very interesting.
The sign reads:
“A vertical section of a scull where one can see the resin used in the process ( scull drilling) and the linen cloth used to fill the cavity where the brain was removed.”
Lyn’s Notes of Today:
Today we became "people of interest" once we decided to take the Western Desert Road to Cairo.
Our plan was to go to the town of Abydos to visit the temple of Seti I.
We reached the first police post and were stopped. 6 heavily armed police trying to figure out what we were saying, and us doing the same.
We have learnt the virtue of patience and the power of a smile.
After an hour they still have our passports, and after many phone calls we get the idea we are to follow the police ute, with a couple of armed guys in the back. (who keep waving to us)
Then we stop at the next intersection, and once again we wait. Soon to be greeted by another vehicle, more questions and then more signalling to follow that police vehicle.
Off we go again till the next town.
We see the police stop ahead, but no going around the cones for us. No, the barriers come down and we are ushered in to the secure area.
More police, still very friendly welcomes, more questions.
More waiting.... another hour goes past and we are given our passports back.
Now we have met the young captain with 3 stars.
We are suitably impressed....and he speaks good English.
We decide to press the point of why is this happening?
It is not safe for us, he explains.
We say we aren't afraid and people are very friendly.
Yes he understands this but people are not used to seeing trucks like ours. They might be friendly but then there are those who might question our intentions. We can't take chances.
Suddenly he and Kym are taking photos in front of the truck.
They are now friends on FB.
He is off to Cairo in 3 days, we should catch up, he will take us wherever we want.
He asks if we would like tea, of course we would !
Would we like to smoke the pipe? Well, no perhaps not.
Unfortunately our next escorts starts getting impatient; he has a guy handcuffed in the back.
With shouts of “goodbye” and “good journey” we are waved off, with our escort up front.
Next stop temple of Seti I.
It is now 7 pm.
Kym thinks he gives our escort the slip, but within about 10 minutes he comes up behind us and follows us to the next checkpoint.
He must have called ahead, as they run to meet us.
More questions, I'm getting pretty good at the right answers by now.
They have even put a barricade up to stop onlookers.
Lyn was going to ask if they had a shower and toilet, but perhaps not.
It is still hot, in the mid 30 s and the road is busy with bright lights.
Oh , I nearly forgot, we have a " call to prayer" loud speaker attached to one of the lookout towers beside us.
We said to each other over that welcome rum and coke...
”We never know what our day will bring”
“Isn’t life interesting ?”
We are thinking after the temple tomorrow, we will cross the Nile, (by ourselves we hope) and head up the “road more travelled" to Cairo.
Camp 283: Police Security Check Point - Adydos
Cost: Nil
Altitude: 62 metre
Today: 191 Kms.
Kenya to Egypt: 8,073 Kms
Tuesday 17th April 2018:
This mornings highlight was the Memorial of Seti I.
The detailed carvings in the marble were just exquisite.
The fine detail in the fingernails, the hair curls, one would recognise young Ramses II ( son of Seti I) if you saw him in the street.
Today is more of the yesterday, and our escorts return.
It would seem that we are now to be escorted all the way to the port.
8 separate police escort vehicles, from a ute with 2 balaclava clad guys in the back, heavily armed to a standard police car, all the way down to a soot smoking beat up ute that would not pass any roadworthy I know of !
All have been incredibly friendly but I DO NOT WANT the attention. To start with we had to follow the escort, 80KPH through the streets with sirens blearing, and much horn blowing. We actually missed out on seeing a couple of things because we had to follow.
About now I had had enough and asked to telephone the guy we met yesterday.
His response “ It is for your security, Northern Egypt is not safe for you”
“ I understand and really appreciate your concern BUT with all the sirens and police escort you attract more attention than us just ambling down the streets.”
“ I have my orders that you must be protected, this I cannot change”
“OK then let them follow me quietly, I can stop to photograph when I want, buy fuel when I need, and have coffee when we wish”
“ Agreed”
With 8 changes of escorts during the day that deal lasted all of 2 changes.
With Google translate on my phone I am now a just a little more in control.
By the way do you want some garlic with that ?
We are on our way to Wadi Al-Hittan where there are fossilised whale bones in the desert.
To save a lot of small streets we are back on the Western Desert Road.
BONUS ! No toll fees if you have a Police escort !
Camp 284: Police Security Check Point - Western Desert Road
Cost: Nil
Altitude: 133 metre
Today: 294 Kms.
Kenya to Egypt: 8,367 Kms
Wednesday 18th April 2018:
Our support crew said ‘Goodby” this morning and we thought we were in luck, but not so, only 10kms up the road we had company again.
The most impressive attraction we want to see in Egypt is were the numerous whale fossils are in the desert.
We had one escort up front and at our turn off to Wadi Al-Hittan they kept driving despite my flashing of head lights etc. So we pulled over and waited.
They returned and the officer was fiscally shaking with either rage or fear that he had lost us ??
We were strongly told to follow him to the next check point - “ 5 kilo only”
There I had quite a heated discussion with an ‘english speaking official’ on the phone, only to be told ‘Wait’.
The top officer of the province turns up 15minutes later and explains
“Unsafe for you ! The area is closed!”
Where do you go now ?
“ I guess Giza ! ” ( the pyramids just outside Cairo)
As much as it sounds blunt, in reality all the officers were extremely friendly, very apologetic, and welcoming.
So here we go again, however not only one up front BUT, and perhaps because of our ‘escape’ an armoured vehicle at the rear - very impressive.
No pics of that - just not appropriate
About 1km before the Pyramids, they stop, an officer gets out and says
“You go straight we return”
“Good Luck”
“Shit what does he mean? “
“With the terrorists, ISIS, or,” .... now just relax.
I think he was referring to the Cairo traffic !
With that, they disappeared and we drove to the Marriott
Camp 285: Marriott Mena House Hotel and a room with a view over the Pyramids.
Cost: More than a police Check Point
Altitude: 26 metres
Today: 295 Kms.
Kenya to Egypt: 8,662 Kms
