when not flying, the only way from eygpt to sudan is a 36-hour ferry ride from aswan. the ferry leaves once a week on mondays (this information alone was hard to come by). we made it to aswan on sunday only to find that the tickets were sold out - in fact, more than sold out...the 200 black market tickets were gone as well.we went to the port the next day anyway to try our luck. the problem was 50 other africans were there trying their luck as well. eventually we found out that at 2pm a man would come with a few extra tickets. we joined the others in the plus 40 degree temperature to wait. miraculously, we found a spot in the shade. this spot became less miraculous when we realized everyone was going to the bathroom a meter or so away...
as the hours crept on, we disappointingly watched our shade disappear. it was not all bad though, the sudanese and eygptians around us were fun and helpful - sometimes laughing with the canadians, sometimes laughing at the canadians, and almost no one speaking english except for "canada dry". there is a unity that builds in a common goal (the ferry tickets) and in baking under the sun together.
chaos broke out when the ticket man arrived. i watched the bags, and was proud to be canadian as i watched matt mix it up with the mob fighting for tickets. it got only a little scary when tempers flared (in languages we didn't understand) after the 10 or so extra tickets were gone.
alas, the tickets went to other (perhaps more worthy) recipients. even matt's flirting with the guards 2 hours after the fact couldn't get us on that ferry. we were exhausted, chap-lipped, and hungry.
so, how do you get into sudan? you don't. you take the first train back to cairo and fly over it for 300 bucks.
(i snuck the photo while matt was "getting all type A" with the mob...he's in there if you look closely.)
16 comments:
Yeah Matt! Way to go buddy, valiant effort!
flirting with the guards??? I hope you at least got a phone #
Great job on keeping up the blog you guys. It's great to hear a bit about your adventures out there. I'm definitely jealous. Take care and know that I'm praying for you.
Here's hoping the guard was female...
One of the better pics of Matt on the blog so far! ;) Yes, I'm onto your adventure -- have been right from the beginning. Thanks for your efforts in keeping the network back home up to date. Blessings, guys.
too bad guys. we were rooting for you getting to go to Sudan. Enjoy Adis!
matthew, i totally see you right at the back! the guy with the dyed black hair and the tanned physique. quality. but the tiny black mustache? you're really letting yourself go out there. i love you. and i love lars too i guess.
Nice try Matt! glad to hear you didn't get any black eyes or strange injuries from the fighting mob. It is kinda nice to know(in a strange sorta way) that two white guys from Canada didn't get any special treatment when trying to get on a ferry.
Too bad you didn't make it to the Sudan though. I'm looking forward to your next adventure. Take care.
Hey boys, so I'm here...following the story! Good and fun to see what you guys are doing! Hope your experience is awesome, you are both missed!
Matt, I preached this Sunday and couldn't even get you to play U2 for me...if you boys wanna read the sermon it's on my facebook.
P.S. Could you bring me back some foot stools in the most literal sense of the word...as in that they're made of feet! Specifically elephant feet!
Go Matt! Keep the lookout Lars! Stay safe guys!
P.s. don't buy Tom any footstools, elephant-foot or otherwise.
hahahaha classic. except not at all, good job being extraordinary guys. you write a good story about an excellent adventure. love the photo.
hey lars
looks like you are enjoying your adventure. i can't believe that you came home and left again right away. i can say though that i am definately jealous of you. i could only laugh when i saw the pic of you posing on the beach. that pose brings back a lot of memories. i love reading your blogs. it is great to be able to see what you are doing. i am praying for you both for a safe journey. take care
Jess Gerber
guys! AH! i don't check this thing for a couple days and all of a sudden there are a gillion posts! (ok, ok, ok... when i say 'a couple days' i mean a couple weeks -eesh! oops!- and when i say a 'gillion posts' i mean... well... however many you wrote while it went unchecked by me...) ANYWAYS! so good to hear about all the adventuring that's been going on! sounds like such an amazing time! (i may be a little jealous... afterall, i'm in winnipeg... it's freezing. and raining. all the time.)
keep updating and i promise to be a more avid checker!
'stay alert! stay safe!'
brit
p.s. matt - i would definitely be the same way with the camels... why walk when you can camel?!? honestly!
there you are, in the back. i swear...all the properties of this photo are strikingly similar to finding waldo in his famous self published picture books; youre wearing that hat, youre hard to find, and i had so much fun looking for you. great photo lars
Hey Lars - Is Matt the funny guy that you went to Florida with and was dancing to "Cowboy" by Kid Rock on video?
I have decided to keep up on your blog as often as i can, as it causes me to laugh out loud when strange people are in the same room. THAT is a feat...well done, I know that's why you're so funny--to make brier laugh. So I thank you.
Thinking of you as you take the trip I wish I was on...God bless...
ps. I wish I had a question to ask, if only to hear the answer and make it into a blog post...perhaps I could make one up:
so, lars and matt, ...
nevermind. I've got nothing.
perhaps I'll try again later.
Stay safe you guys. Say hi to brandon when you reach him...
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