I arrive at the customs post at 11AM. The customs officers descend on the car and intrigued that I plan to drive to London. They are mainly concerned with machinery I may be carrying. The cameras pass muster but the secondary GPS causes a problem and must be referred to the Head of Military Intelligence. He will decide whether it should be seized. I change money, buy insurance and obtain a visa. Next a customs officer called Mahmood takes me to see the top military man, who we have clearly woken up. He looks at the Garmin GPS and decides that sleep is more important. He stamps the customs form and I am clear to enter the country. The customs officers have been absolutely superb and were extremely helpful in everything. I owe them a vote of thanks.
As I leave the customs post a brown merc pops up behind me. It drops back to 300 metres behind and follows me towards Aqaba’s South Beach area. I stopped the car on the road side and took a photo across the Red Sea towards Egypt. The merc has pulled over as well. I got back in the car and slowed right down to 40. The merc has to catch up and at the next roundabout I go round 3 times before heading straight back towards the customs post. The merc stops on the roundabout not knowing what to do. I drive 5 KM back to the customs post before turning back again. There is no sign of the car as I take the correct road from the roundabout this time. Whoever was in the car has never been trained in counter surveillance.
A stop at the passenger ferry terminal for the ferry times and possibly obtaining a triptic proves fruitless. The ferry has gone for the day and the issuance of the triptic requires a local sponsor. THis means taking the car to Egypt is out. I had the triptic sorted out in Qatar, but was let down at the last minute by a lying douche bag. I buy the ferry ticket for the next day and start looking for a hotel for the night.
I happen across the Marina Plaza Hotel. I ask about a room and, after much debate, they have one. I later find out that it is a 200 room hotel with 10 guests. The staff are so friendly and helpful and the weather amazing. This really is paradise on earth. I spoke to the front office manager and he has agreed to let me keep the car here for the 4 days in Cairo. I am relieved it will be in a safe place until I get back. I will certainly come back here again. I spend a couple of hours at the pool. There is a strong Belgian contingent at the hotel. The females of the specie insist on levering their 250 pound bodies into bikinis designed for an anorexic 16 year old. It is not a pretty sight. Instead of banning the burkha, the Belgian government should be looking to make it compulsory.
Today’s 297 KM and yesterday’s 777 KM bring the total so far to 2671 KM.
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