25.12.2001

Position

Wadi Halfa

Journey

No movement

Expenditure

E Expenditure Food: 2.500 SD
Other: Cis Phoning: 4.600 SD Cis trousers: 850 SD Ticket: 2p. 2x 11.000 = 22.000 SD Immigration: 6.000 SD
Total: 35.950 SD = $ 136.69 Of which is 'leaving Sudan' : 28.000 SD = $ 106.46 (= for 2p.)

24.12.2001

Position

Wadi Halfa

Journey

No movement

Expenditure

Food: 1.100 SD
Total: 1.100 SD = $ 4.18

23.12.2001

Position

Wadi Halfa

Journey

No movement

Expenditure

Food: 1.200 SD Other: cis Galibea 3 x. : 4.050 SD Ice creams: 500 SD
Total : 5.750 SD = $ 21.86

22.12.2001

Position

Wadi Halfa

Journey

No movement

Expenditure

Food: 1.000 SD Post: 11 x 200 SD (Photos Raf) = 2.200 SD + Cis Post = 1.200 SD = 3.400 SD Other: Visa Cis: 4.600 SD
Total: 9.000 SD = $ 34.22 Of which is post $ 12.92 and visa Cis is $ 17.49

21.12.2001

Position

Wadi Halfa

Journey

No movement

Expenditure

Food: 1.000 SD Truck: 700 SD Total 1.700 SD = $ 6.46

20.12.2001

Position

N 21 48 080 E 031 20 941 Wadi Halfa

Journey

No movement

Expenditure

Food: 1.150 SD Total = 1.150 SD = $4.37

19.12.2001

Position

N 21 48 080 E 031 20 941 Wadi Halfa Altitude 198 m. above sea level.

Journey

From Desert Camp 3 to Wadi Halfa 6 kilometres.

Weather

Windy, desert climate: warm at noon cooling off quickly. Wind is cold.

Terrain

Left Desert Camp at opposite shore of Wadi Halfa. Ferry in sight. Arrive Wadi Halfa at 08:00 hrs. am. Check in hotel, Stuart checks in for ferry and immigration to Egypt. Wait for cargo ferry. Truck repairs begin.

Expenditure

Food: 1.200 SD Truck: - ((Total for this week (19 - 25 dec.) = 15.000 SD.)) Ticket Stuart: 11.000 SD Accomodation (19 - 25) for free = bicycle.
Total 19th.= 12.200 SD = $ 46.38

18.12.2001

Position

6 km. due south of Wadi Halfa, at Lake Nasser shores. Desert Camp.

Journey

From north of Kawa to desert Camp at Lake Nasser is 500 kilometres

Weather

Dry, cooling off at night quickly, very cold during the night.

Terrain

Left the friendly family. North to Argo. Nile almost always in sight. Small roads, lots of donkeys. People travelling to celebrate Eid: lots of buses. Very green, trees and fields everywhere. road slow: 40 - 50 kmph (no stops). Winding in between fields. Road north of Argo still sand, improves slightly 70 kmph. possible. Radiator fan tunnel breaks due to vibration (anti - vib. mts. fitted in 1998).Loose keys. Back door lock fails. Toolbox and food fall out. Backtrack, conduct search. Road winds through jebel and climbs - descends.
Corrugation now awful, but Bedford TJ trucks have made separate road that avoid the worst patches. Drive through night until 23:00 hrs. in Desert Camp 3, south of Wadi Halfa, at Lake Nasser.

Expenditure

Food: 300 SD Petrol Argo: 5 gallons / 500 = 2.500 SD Other: Phones Raf: 1.800 SD
Total: 4.600 SD = $ 17.49 Of which is petrol $9.50

17.12.2001

Position

N 19 12 575 E 030 33 427 North of Kawa. Farmers' house

Journey

From Karima to Kawa + is 191 kilometres. Deep desert

Weather

Dry and very hot. Clear view. 40 C.

Terrain

Took on Petrol at Karima market from bermails. . Oil and sparks changed + filters etc. A gallon in Karima is 600 sd as opposed to 450 sd normally, 350 in Khartoum. Left Karima at 11:30 hrs. with help and directions from garage man. Soft sand and black rock outcrops mixed. Bogged 3 times, used sand ladders. 2nd. and 3rd. gear, occasionally 4th. gear. After 113 km. found an oasis, at N 19 01 252 E 031 03 487 .houses deserted, much greenery. Suspect water available, no time to check. After oasis ground became harder, much more volcanic. Some soft patches. Very deep ruts. Care needed at speed on hills. 16' tyre too thin for L/R weighing close to three tonnes. Saw no-one in the desert. Stopped north of Kawa village called at the house of Mohammad Hussein Sheikh Ahmed Amur. A farmer. Help, food, washing, water, shelter. His kindness was beyond credibility.

Note: In general amazed that an old 2.25 petrol 110 can still cross deserts 16 years after she was built, with 200.000 miles on the engine.

Expenditure

Food: 800 SD Truck: oil 3.000 SD Petrol Karima: 39 gallons / 600 SD = 23.400 SD
Total: 27.200 SD = $ 103.42 Of which is oil $ 11.40, petrol is $ 88.97

16.12.2001

Position

N 18 32 748 E 031 50 913 Karima. Altitude 282 m. above sea level.

Journey

Desert Camp Two to Karima 282 kilometres

Weather

Dry and hot. 35 C.

Terrain

From desert camp all morning hard sand, slight sand patches. Jebel in distance. Went in between some jebel. Many camels. On long flat fast hard stretches 75 kmph. Very occasionally 4th. gear. Navigation by compass. tracks clear but numerous. If tracks faded, we reversed; spotter here very useful. Morning: water and villages at :

N 18 25 306' E 032 48 289'
N 18 29 577' E 032 37 939'

Afternoon: many sandy patches. Rocky roads; twisting, slow, hard through low rock-outcrops. No risk of bogging but P.A.'s very helpful. GPS useful, BUT navigation generally conducted using compass and asking beduin. Late evening: found long dry (ish) (tributary) riverbed. Lots of people and green. Approaching Nile. Water. Arrived Marawah, very helpful people. Marawah a hotel existed and petrol available. It is Eid. Ferry at Tengazi, by appointment (holiday). 2500 sd + 500 for felucca to organise. And 1000 sd for the old man who came along. Was a very usefull guide. We suspect he did it for the cash. Riverside beautiful palm trees. Drive along the river to Karima, past Pyramids and a big jebel to the left.

Note: Ask people in houses or vehicles for directions, not camelteers. NB camelteers are like GPS: they point to the true direction, not the road.

Expenditure

Food evening shop Karima: 1.000 SD Accommodation 3p. : 3.000 SD Other: Ferry: 3.900 SD
Total: 7.900 SD = $ 30 Of which is food $ 3.80, acco. is $ 11.40 and other is $ 14.82

15.12.2001

Position

N 17 43 126 E 033 21 980 Desert Camp Two. Alt. 483 m.

Journey

From Bajarawiya to Desert Camp Two, 181 kilometres. Roads and desert

Weather

Hot and very dry. 35 C. Maximum 42 C. At night 20C.

Terrain

From Bajarawiya to Ed Damer good tarmac. Toll payment. Crossed River Nile at Ed Damer on very old landing craft. Two L/rovers max. From Ed Damer West Bank into the desert to Camp Two. Bayuda Desert. First 2 km East lush/green. Then dusty and stony desert.. Long, semi -soft sand patches. Water available 60 km. in. Place not marked. Asked locals for directions.

Expenditure

Tourist sword: Stuart at Bajarawiya 15.000 SD = $60.8

14.12.2001

Position

N 16 56 114 E 03 45 495 Bajarawiya. Alt. 404 m.

Journey

From desert camp to road 17 km. Road south to sign. From road sign to temples Mussarawat, back to road, north to Bajarawiya, west to Pyramids = total 193 kilometres.

Weather

Hot and very dry. Up to 40 C.

Terrain

From Desert Camp One to road very difficult terrain. High grass bogs, soft sand, deep holes. Road is tarmac and excellent. Track to Mussarawat from sign good, sandy track. Sometimes many tracks. but always visible, soft sand but no bogging. Road north is excellent, very fast tarmac. Camp above the pyramids on hillside. No water.

Expenditure

Food: 2.400 SD Petrol: 4.365 SD Truck: 1.000 SD
Total: 3.400 SD = $ 12 Of which food is $ 9.1

13.12.2001

Position

N 16 27 128 E 033 20 921 Desert Camp One Alt. 453 m. Close to the temples of Mussarawat

Journey

From Khartoum to Desert camp one. 249.8 kilometres.

Weather

hotter 35 - 40 C.

Terrain

Left Khartoum direction north. Outskirts of the city poor. Drove to Shendi. Missed Turn off. Tried to find Mussawarat by map and compass. Unsucsessful. Bedouin, reasonably friendly, desert full of them. Flat areas, volcanic rocks. Jebel to south west. Sandy patches are very soft. Bogged twice. Greenery often hides soft sand..

Notes: 2.25L/rover coped very well. Torque sufficient. Do not approach Bedouin women when unaccompanied by men.

Expenditure

Food: 3.100 SD Petrol (Shendi): 8.700 SD Accomodation Khartoum 3p. total 18.147 SD (3 x $23) Other: Permits 3p. 2 sites ($10): 15.780 SD Leaflet: 300 SD Kerosene: Highway fee: 550 SD.
Total : 46.577 SD = $ 177 Of which is food $ 11, Petrol is $ 33, Accommodation is $69, Permits total is $60 and other is $ 3

12.12.2001

Position

N 15 36 690 E 32 32 078 Khartoum, idem.

Journey

No movement. Papers and Permits. The Dutch Landrover is here and leaves for Chad. Visa for Egypt. Letters from Embassies. Tour on the river. See the house of Gordon, the defending earthworks of the Mahdi. and the joining of the Blue and White Nile.

Weather

35 C.

Expenditure

Food: 11.150 SD Other: Taxis: 3.500 SD Phone: 1.500 SD Museum 3p. 150 SD Fee guide Museum 100 SD Shamma Camel market: 1600 SD Knife Raf Camel market: 1.500 SD Email: 2.100 SD Supermarket: 2.300 SD
Total: 23.900 SD = $ 90.87 Of which food is $ 42, taxis is $ 13, tourist goodies is $12.70 and other is $22

11.12.2001

Position

N 15 36 690 E 32 32 078 Khartoum,

Journey

No movement. Truck at campsite

Weather

idem

Terrain

To National Museum and Camel Market, Omdurman.

Expenditure

Food: 8.050 SD Other: Taxis: 4.200 SD Pictures Raf: 6.300 SD + 5.350 SD = 11.650 SD Email Cis $10 Email Raf 1.600 SD.
Total 15.500 SD = $ 58.93 Of which food is $30 and other is $ 28.93

10.12.2001

Position

N 15 36 690 E 32 32 078 Khartoum. Alt. 405 m.

Journey

No Movement. Truck at campsite

Weather

Hot, as every day: 35 C.

Terrain

Driving through Khartoum to organise paper work / permits.

Expenditure

Food: 2.800 SD Other: Taxis: 900 SD. Egypt embassy 3p. 18.000 SD Registration: 4.000 SD Leaflet: 300 SD Copies: 1.650 SD Email: 2.365 SD
Total: 30.015 SD = $ 114.12 Of which food is $ 10.60, Egypt visa = $ 68 and other is $ 35

9.12.2001

Position

N 15 36 690 E 32 32 078 Khartoum. Alt. 405 m Blue Nile Sailing Club

Journey

No Movement. Camp. Sightseeing Khartoum

Weather

35 C.

Terrain

City

Expenditure

Food: 14.499 SD. Other: Letter British Embassy Stu: 13.125 SD (=£35) Trousers Stu: 1.500 SD Passport photos Cis 800 SD Copies all papers : 1.280 SD Taxis: 4.350 SD Bucket: 300 SD
Total: 35.854 SD. = $ 136.32 Of which food is $ 55.12, and other is $ 81

8.12.2001

Position

N 15 36 690 E 32 32 078 Khartoum. Alt. 405 m. above sealevel.

Journey

From Gedaref to Khartoum, 449 kilometres.

Weather

Hotter 35 C.

Terrain

Excellent tarmac. Toll payment every 500 km. People walking along the road. Lots of sand, "rondavel" huts. High peaks in some places. After Wadi Mehdani we follow the Blue Nile, and see a vehicle ferry (landing craft). In Khartoum we find the Blue Nile Sailing Club. Camping possible. At the Nile.

Expenditure

Food: 10.300 SD. Other: Highway fee: 550 SD Taxi 600 SD.
Total: 11.450 SD = $ 43.53 Of which food is $ 39.16 and other is $ 4.37

7.12.2001

Position

N 14 02 514 E 035 23 331 Gedaraf. Altitude 629 m. above sealevel.

Journey

From Galabat to Gedaref, 168 kilometres.

Weather

Hot, sunny. Distant clouds, hazy horizon.

Terrain

Dust grey track on the left and right of murram road. The raised murram road would be excellent in wet season. Grey track shows large a number of places where large vehicles have been bogged. Map shows this road would be impassable in the wet season. Not true: the new road would be good enough. Terrain very flat with occasional large hills… Red trees. Land very gently undulating. Road now awful. Arrival Gedaref before sunset. Stay in good hotel. Filled Petrol: cheap. Ramadan: after sunset market + food. Very well.

Expenditure

Food: 6.250 SD. Petrol: 7.750 SD Accomodation: 3p. 3.450 SD Border 600 SD
Total: 18.650 SD. = $ 70.91 Of which food is $23, petrol is $ 29.46 and acco. = $ 13.11

6.12.2001

Position

N 12 57 505 E 036 09 023. Gallabat, Sudan. Alt. 740 m. above sea level.

Journey

From Gondar to Gallabat, 211 kilometres. Much construction work going on.

Weather

Hot, sunny, dusty. 25 - 30 C. At night cooled off.

Terrain

First 90 km. out of Gondar good track. Up into green hills, after this the track deteriorates. Descend through incredible gorge scenes. Last 100 km. to border is a rolling terrain, very dusty track. Tree covered beside the road. Only three buses. Other vehicles are of road construction Company. New road under (slow) construction. Causing delay. (0 km. from Gondar, just before the Gorges, a very large Ethiopian army base. Company strength training taking place. Heavy machine guns/Assault rifles and RPG 7s in evidence. A few villages, all seemed very calm. No sign of reputed shifta (again) . (hardly surprising considering the existence of very competent looking soldiery nearby).

Arrival Gallabat border, Ethiopian side: small river, rolling hill. River is border. Guarded by Ethiopian infantry. Border invisible. Nearly ran through. Stopped by soldier At last minute. Ethiopian customs is 38 km. (!!) before Immigration. Immigration at Gallabat is a mud hut.. Helpful officials.

Gallabat border, Sudan side: extremely friendly Arrive at Iftar. Told to return the next day. . Anglo-Egyptian Sudan customs post still intact. Police barracks in good order. Slept in tent inside Immigration compound.

Expenditure

Food: 43 Birr Petrol: 250 Birr Accomodation total 3p. 300 Birr Other: stamps 7.50 Birr
Total 600.50 Birr = $ 70.56 Of which petrol is $ 29 and acco. is $ 35.25

5.12.2001

Position

N 12 31 005 E 037 25 835 Gondar.

Journey

From Gondar to Gondar Aerodrome, airport. 49 kilometres.

Weather

Dry and warm,+/- 30 C. Temperature drops during the night to 18 C.

Terrain

Good road to Airport, tarmac. Aerodrome runway very good tarmac, terminal very small. Pick up Cisca flying in from Lalibela.

Ancillary note: Cisca Zwiers very ill with unknown disease. Hardly able to stand, much vomiting and bowel movement. Immediately despatched to competent doctor.

Expenditure

Food: 147.20 Birr Other: doctor Cisca: 21 Birr Taxi airport cis: 30 Birr Dep. Tax Cisca Lalibela: 10 Birr Email Raf 45 Birr
Total: 253.20 Birr = $ 29.75 Of which food is $ 17.20 and the rest is $ 12.45

4.12.2001

Position

N 12 31 005 E 037 25 835 Gondar, no movement. Alt. 1987 m. above sea level

Journey

No movement. Sightseeing Gondar, castles and monastery

Weather

Sunny, dry. 30 C.

Terrain

No movement.

Expenditure

Raf + Stuart = Food: 190 Birr Truck 75 Birr Other: 100 Birr Total: 365 Birr = $ 42.89 Of which food is $ 22.32 and rest is $ 20.56 Cisca / Lalibela= Food: 32.85 Birr Other: Guide fee 50 Birr
Total 82.85 Birr = $ 9.73

3.12.2001

Position

N 12 31 005 E 037 25 835. Gondar. Alt. 1987, at airfield.

Journey

Form Bahar Dar to Gondar, 209 kilometres.

Weather

Sunny, dry. 25 - 20 C.

Terrain

Leave Bahar Dar and join a rough track. Fields and arable land. 7 - 10 knocked out BTR 60's and BMP's by left side of the road. Looks like minor battle was fought here. Some BTR's have guns and detached turrets suggesting removal by force Then climb into hills, descending down towards Gondar. Join tarmac at the airport turnoff just before Gondar. Speed 80 kmph on dirt tracks, 100 kmph on tarmac. Too much dust ; need to reseal the truck. Meeting Penny and Narinder again. exchange information.

Expenditure

Raf + Stuart= Food: 111.25 Birr Petrol: 286 Birr Total: 397.25 Birr = $ 46.68 Of which food is $ 13.67, Petrol is $ 33.60 Cisca / Lalibela = Food: 26 Birr Accomodation 2 nights= 240 Birr Other: Entrance (all churches, 2 days) 100 Birr Taxi airport Lalibela: 20 Birr Departure tax Gondar: 10 Birr
Total: 396 Birr = $ 46.53

2.12.2001

Position

N11 36 257 E 037 24 152. Bahar Dar. Alt. unknown

Journey

From Bahar Dar to Blue Nile Falls and back to Bahar Dar, 88 kilometres.

Weather

Sunny, dry, hot. 28 - 30 C

Terrain

Dirt road to the Falls. Village next to the Falls, with offices and electricity company. Last stretch to the Falls on foot. Falls are low, little water.

Expenditure

Food: 111.60 Birr Truck: 125 Birr (welding) Accomodation: 120 Birr Other: entrance Nile Falls: 3p. 45 Birr
Total: 401.60 Birr = $ 47.19 Of which 111.60 B. is food = $ 13.11

1.12.2001

Position

N 11 36 257 E 037 24 152 Bahar Dar. Alt. Unknown

Journey

From Dejen to Bahar Dar, 270 kilometers.

Weather

Warm, sunny and dry. 25 - 30 C.

Terrain

Mediocre roads, dusty terrain. Rolling big hills. View down to Nile many times. Dropped down to a set of gorges, dividing the foothills. Crossed a Soviet (?) "Bailey" Bridge: metal good, wood bad. Speed 80 km. ph.

Expenditure

Food: 225.25 Birr Accomodation 3p. 120 Birr
Total : 345.25 Birr = $ 40.56 Of which food is 225.25 Birr = $ 26.46