Sudan

Sufi ceremony in Khartoum outside a tomb. Takes place every Friday.

Saying bye to our hosts in Khartoum, Stephan and Lydia.

Making sesame oil, using camel power

Tree fossil, to big to carry home

Spot the two birds in the picture.. There is a camouflaged owl.. The place made for a great campsite, the best in Sudan

Can’t complain about the food!

Our favourite from the limited selection of food in the rural areas. Borche. Bean stew, falafel and broken bread, onion, egg, oil and spices all mashed with a bottle. I particularly like the portion sizes..

Cafe pit stop. In the background is the water delivery system, donkey and a water drum. They fill the water butts and clay pots used for drinking.

Accommodation. Mostly in the desert. Occasionally in towns for the services of food, shopping, Internet and a bit of night life although drinking beer is an arrestable offence.

View from the camp spot

The few trees that are there host many different birds

View for the bridge over the Nile at Al Dabbah

Dune Road!

Chatting with the locals

Desert trailers become more common on the way to Kharthoum

Pyramids of Jebel Barkel

Temples of Jebel Barkel

Refuel stop

Pyramids of Nuri

Water filling station. The clay pots contain drinking water. It’s a very common sight. The evaporation of water on the outside keeps them very cool. The only problem is you don’t know where they fill it from. In places it’s taken straight from the Nile and is often green. The locals seem to gulp down the stuff, but we prefer to treat it with chlorine tablets before drinking.

Still manufactured and used in great quantity, the clay water pots. Too heavy to buy as a souvenir!

Last photo before the camera died. Focus error. Zoom is fine. Sadly it’s the camera phone from now on 😦

Water melon grows wild, but all the ones we found tasted so bitter, even the goats didn’t don’t eat them.

Pyramids of Merowe. Arrived shortly after closing and we’re invited it camp on the site and provided with water. Ate and watched the sunset. Hi-light of Sudan. Can’t imagine it happening in Egypt

Khartoum
We were kindly hosted by Stephan, a Canadian aid worker. Camped up in his garden and invited to use the facilities in the house. On our second night we were invited to a party, a memorable night shared with many interesting and friendly people.

Dance at the tomb every Friday takes place to honor his memory. The cold and wind kept the crowds away.

Without exception the Sudanese met on the road are polite, respectful, honest, friendly, welcoming, generous and often well educated. Although not rich in varied landscape cycling through the desert has a hypnotising beauty. This time of year the climate is good and nights warm enough to sleep under the stars on the dunes. The only thing to watch out are the scarab beetles that hide in the sand and creep up on you!

Ferry ~ Aswan to Wadi Halfa
Bit of an ordeal due to the massive amount of luggage / boxes / sacks /TVs that everyone as trying to carry on.  I even saw a fridge. I had to join the scrum to carry on the bike and panniers. On very fortunate outcome of this is the crossing of paths with fellow cycle tourer, Aurelien, who is cycling from Paris to Cape Town.
A fastidious chronicler of the journey he provides a for more detailed blog which can be viewed at huigaeb.blogspot.fr
We have made very good cycle companions. Evenings spent chatting, eating planning and doing chores means my blog has been somewhat neglected.

Wadi Halfa to Dongala

View over Wadi Halfa

Start of the desert roads that follow the Nile to Khartoum

Sudan has Sharia law, which means the town did not live up to its name.

There is gold to be found, although not by this man.

Occasional cafe is to be found serving tea and food

The road follows the Nile, but away from the river banks there is little sign of green

Afternoon breaks in the shade involve tea, snacks or full blown meals. A nice shaded spot next to the river

Desert sunset

Tomb built by its eventual occupier 300 years ago. His relatives are also buried inside.

Crossing the Nile

Team of French archaeologists leading a gang of locals excavating a Necropolis of mini pyramids

Giant sand dune required a bit of difficult off off-roading to reach followed by a scramble to the top. Views were worth it in the end.

Temple of Soleb

Nearby informal guest house provided a break from the usual desert camping

Big views

Camel herders crossing the road

Most night spent spent sleeping under the stars away from the road in the silence of the desert

Saying hello the the locals. The most common word shouted out to us on the road is ‘welcome’