Part 74 Egypt - Almost the Final African Leg
Friday, 20 April 2018 2:58 pm
I suppose this is how ‘normal’ people travel, but it is better than those last 3 noisy Police Check Points.
Inside the Cheops Pyramid one really has to marvel at the planning, engineering and the perfect fitment of the 2.3 million x 2.5 ton of Granite blocks
Alien intervention ...
makes you wonder.
Friday 20th April 2018:
So we must leave this dynamic city and head north on the final leg of our African journey.
Fight the traffic, actually much better than China, find the correct road amongst the incorrect street signs, AND take in the unusual sights.
Like skinning a goat on the main street.
Once we break free, we are on a major 6 lane highway north but not before we have to negotiate the toll.
We have no police escort this time.
First the toll official says EL15. (A$1.50)
I pay that !
No EL15 !
He must mean 50 (A$5)
NO EL15
Something wrong here. In the next lane an english speaking local asks “Any problems?”
I reply, that I really do not know that the toll is.
It’s LE500 ( A$50 ) ...NO WAY, impossible.
It is because your car is “ suspicious”
Now we can explain to the toll guy, via the helpful one, that it is a camping car.
OK LE20 ( A$2)
...only in Egypt !
That toll road was Cairo to El Alamein and 230kms long - good value.
Camp 286: El Alamein -
German Memorial to the 4,380 souls they lost in the 1938-45 African war just here.
Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea
Altitude: 27 metres
Today: 368 Kms.
Kenya to Egypt: 9,030 Kms
Saturday 21st April 2018:
The El Alamein WWII museum is very interesting.
Perhaps one of the most intense battles of the 39-45 War, each side winning and then loosing ground.
This Kitty Hawk was found in the western desert by an oil exploration company in may 2012, 70 years after it went missing.
It is now fully restored.
We then paid out respects to the fallen Australian servicemen of the 9th Division at the Commonwealth War Cemetery.
In this Commonwealth cemetery alone lies 7,800 solders, 800 of which are unknown
Makes you proud to read
Nearly 400,000 Axis and Allied troops were either lost, injured, or died of disease by the end of the North African Campaign.
Sunday 22nd April 2018:
It is 125kms from El Alamein to Alexandria and all that distance is condominiums, town houses, and holiday resorts.
Now they are almost all empty, but come European holidays and full summer in hot Cairo you would be lucky to find a room.
Behind Alexandria a length of very salty lakes that are pink with algae.
Traffic was challenging.
We came to ‘town’ yesterday also but the office of our shipping agent was closed.
Today is Sunday, a normal working day so we have success.
The view from their 5th floor office window.
I do hope they treat our truck with the same care...lets see.
The Seafront Cornishe in Alexandria.
The buildings somewhat faded, scared and are the remnants of a better time.
Alexandria was founded by none other than Alexander the Great and once the seat of Queen Cleopatra.
The old fort ( left) was built on the foundations of the Pharos Lighthouse.
This lighthouse was the first such structure ever built ( 323BC) to warn sailors of the dangerous coast.
It was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, until destroyed by and earthquake in 1303.
Chatting with the caretaker, Moniem and his father, back at camp.
Camp 286: El Alamein - German Memorial
Cost: EL100
Altitude: 27 metres
Today/Yesterday: 520 Kms.
Kenya to Egypt: 9,550 Kms
Moniem’s father and the fig trees that they grow on their property.
These fig trees are 31 years old !
Will we load into a container tomorrow ?