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Most advice says to take a bus from Dongola to Debba - the sand is too deep to cycle through. In this instalment, the intrepid team give it their best shot, get ill, tired, rejoice at the sight of tarmac, and do some moonlit night-riding before making it to Khartoum and the excellent hospitality of a senior french diplomat.
Cycle to the Summit Part 11 - from Dongola to Khartoum
Toby Hammond2006-06-25 19:24:18
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source: http://www.cycletothesummit.org.uk
Saturday 16th February 52km
Having devoured watermelon, fish, fuul and Pepsis in Dongola, we again camped on the shores of the Nile, watching another amazing sunset, and sunrise over the river. Surrounded by birdcalls and lush palm trees, I wondered idly if it is possible to sail down the Nile - (waterfalls /cataracts along the length of the river would be amongst the problems, but at least you wouldn't have to pedal!). Despite the risk of Bilharzia, - a nasty (though readily curable, mum) little worm you can catch from parts of the Nile - Toby swam in the cool water after a hard days cycling (though only briefly, because of crocodile paranoia). We stayed near an amazing village with very photogenic white and blue-painted mud walls. (fingers crossed that the shots come out OK).
17th / 18th February - nr Dongola to El Khandaq 24km; 47km
Toby was the first to fall ill, and so much of the day was spent lazing in a kind woman's house while Toby felt decidedly dodgy and sorry for himself. His normally voracious appetite didn't return until El Khandaq the following day, when we ate a goat and rice dish with a family who were about to celebrate a wedding. El Khandaq is the oldest settlement along the Sudanese Nile, and has some impressive ruins, and is also the birthplace of our friend Nazir, from Cairo.
19th / 20th February - El Khandaq to the Tarmac road. 41km; 22km
By the 20th, we hit deep desert sand, and were pedalling (and pushing) by the compass, there being no landmarks or settlements about. After more cycling and dragging bikes over sand dunes, Toby (still feeling dicey), decided it was time for him to take a truck over the last stretch of difficult sand before the tarmac road to Khartoum.
Toby:
Having waved off the others, I went to wait by what we thought
...
See photographs from:
Egypt Gallery
