Home » Egypt » Cycle to the Summit Part 7- Egyptian border, Suez and Cairo

We had a barren introduction to Africa, starting with a three-day trip over the Sinai dessert to be contrasted by the hustle and bustle of Cairo - the biggest city in Africa. A few sharp culture shocks are experienced by the team.

Cycle to the Summit Part 7- Egyptian border, Suez and Cairo

Toby Hammond
2006-06-25 18:59:44

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seeing any vegetation. We passed just the occasional nomad herding animals, and the odd police or military checkpoint. Stopping at a café (for want of a better word) in a tiny settlement of El Thamad, we were told that we could sleep in a stable-cum-prayer alcove for a tiny fee. We ate the only dish on the menu with our fingers; omelette, bean stew ("fuul"), some very salty cheese and pita bread. The levels of hygiene here was our first real cultural shock. Paul and Toby were glad the light was not working in the men's toilets so they could not see the full horror and on comparing stories, we concluded that the situation was not much better in the ladies. The smell that wafted into the restaurant said it all. Some local men were huddled around a stove listening to wailing music that was competing with a TV in another corner of the large room. Although the village generator went quiet at 1am we struggled to sleep as the music continued until about three in the morning, and the cold penetrated our sleeping bags.

Sunday 13th January - El Thamad to Army checkpoint 120km

We couldn't sleep and so left early and were not too surprised to see patches of frost after feeling the cold through our sleeping bags which are rated down to 0°C. We continued knowing we would hit a larger settlement to replenish our depleted food supplies at lunchtime. After a long breakfast stop at the side of the road, a police pickup with four armed police men stopped and asked us lots of questions, although they could understand our answers no better than we could understand their questions. After we declined their offer of a lift they tailed us for the next 50km, much to our annoyance and curiosity. Did they think we were spies looking for secret military installations in the desert? We doubted it, but dared not take out a camera. We ate lunch in another very cheap café with a one-dish menu. Not being sure when we would find food again we ate a second lunch ...