30 April, Saturday   Bahir Dar to Motto

On our way to Addis are the Blue Nile Falls. It is a 40 minute hike to the outlook point and we decide to take Sammie with. We have an attachment as soon as we start: a self-appointed guide who sticks with us even though we tell him that we don’t need a guide. “No problem”, is his only answer. We find ourselves in the same situation so often and I think experience has made us a little more callous than what we’ve been. You try to be nice, tell them that you do not need their services, but they ignore it and in the end create a scene, because they did walk with you and now you do not want to pay.

Our route takes us through a small village where Sammie creates hysteria. Kids scream and laugh, run ahead of us and gather the rest of the village’s children. We look like the Piper with our entourage… When we reach the top of the hill, Willie told our “guide” one more time that we do not need a guide and he needs to know that we will pay no money. This time he understands the more direct approach and we continue on our own.

I’m not sure what I expected, but the Falls are a disappointment. It is nothing spectacular, but I can see that it must have been at one point in time. They have diverted the river to a hydraulic plant which has stolen probably half of the water from the Falls – the reason the Falls are quite mediocre. It is quite hot on our way back and Sammie, being black and out of shape, because of his sedentary life style overheats quickly. He runs from tree to tree where he falls into the sand huffing and puffing. Willie and Hugo walk ahead to get the car whilst Andrej and I nurse Sammie with water and sponging him down. Andrej carries him at one stage, because the hot sand burns his paws…creating even further amazement amongst the onlookers. We gather several attachments on our way down demanding money or pens.

It is after 2 when we finally are back on the road again for Addis. The road is bad and our progress slower than expected and we realize that we will definitely not make it to Addis. We stop in Motto to buy a few supplies for bush camping. Hugo and I, with a guide, of course, criss-cross the town from butchery to butchery, but they do not have meat anymore – tomorrow morning! I buy tomatoes and potatoes and back at the car Willie suggested that we try to find a hotel for the night, because it has started to rain.

All of us are relieved and we find a hotel that has a safe courtyard for the car and they are ok with the boys sleeping in the rooftop tent; Willie and I have a room with clean sheets, but there is no running water therefore no showers or flushing toilets! It is interesting that it has dropped on the list of essentials for a place to sleep. Running water, showering showers and flushing toilets are luxuries in this part of the world – even when you stay in a hotel.

On our way in Hugo has seen a restaurant, Twilight Café, with a poster displaying hamburgers, spaghetti, hot dogs. He has dreamed up the most spectacular, mouth-watering hamburger explaining the taste, the feel, the look in the finest detail…We walk across the street to Twilight which seems busy with many people sitting around. I do not see any food on the tables, except small coffee cups. The not-speaking-English-at-all waitress comes and when Hugo asks for hamburger she shakes her head and tells him, “no” Maybe they do not have hamburgers, but something else. He asks and she shakes her head again. Someone else at a nearby table comes to our rescue and tells us that they do not have food anymore – only drinks! Oh, the disappointment! We regroup over tea and decide to go back to the hotel – surely they must have food. They do, but only a limited menu: spaghetti and Ethiopian food. It will take more than an hour for spaghetti with meat sauce and after our butchery tour I am convinced that they will have to slaughter the goat first, before they can serve meat. What we have taste good and we are happy to have a place to stay where the car is safe as well.

29 April, Friday   Bahir Dar

Not only is it the Call to Prayer that we wake up to, but also prayer and chanting coming from the Orthodox Church. The chanting often continues for several hours. I fall asleep again to be woken up a few hours later surrounded by the call of birds. We are in one of Ethiopia known for its rich bird life and we are not disappointed – we’ve already seen 15 new birds and hope to break through the 100 threshold before we leave. It is so awesome to be surrounded by birds of all kinds and so many of them are brand new. It is interesting how quickly we’ve retrieved our past birding experience from our memory attic. We recognize the calls and habits of different species we’ve become familiar with in the past.

We leave after breakfast with other tourists on a boat cruise to visit a few monasteries on the islands of Lake Tana. On the boat with us is an Orthodox Priest with his orange robe and iron cross. We visit 2 circular-shaped monasteries built during the 14th century with walls adorned by Ethiopian icons and paintings dating back as far as the 16th century.

It is fascinating to listen to the guide explaining the different ceremonies, customs and rituals (food restrictions, method of animal slaughtering, church layout, circumcision) of the Orthodox Church which is thought to have its roots in Judaism What I find even more interesting is to hear so many new stories coming from the 88 book Bible that the Ethiopian Church uses. Lake Tana, which means ‘to come with a cloud’ was the place where Mary fled to from Egypt during the reign of King Herod when he ordered for the babies to be murdered. She and Jesus arrived on a cloud and stayed at Lake Tana until it was safe to return home. Mary is highly venerated as a Saint in the Orthodox Church and many of the paintings depict her in different Bible scenes as well as in illustrations unfamiliar to us. For example a painting shows someone attending to Mary’s foot which she injured during one of her journeys! Another shows her pleading with Jesus to save the people suffering in the fires of hell. Her pleas were heard and they were brought from hell to no longer suffer anymore.

Ethiopian Orthodox Christians are very devoted believers and extremely proud of their ancient Biblical heritage dating back as far as the time of Moses. It is believed that the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Ethiopia in the first millennium BC to protect it from enemies and it is housed in the maqdas (Holy of Holies) of St Mary of Zion Church in Aksum. No one has seen it, except for the priest who can enter the Holy Place once a year.

We also see a few new birds and during a trip from one island to another, the priest asks Willie for his binoculars. It is a joy to watch the surprise on his face as different far away objects and places come into close focus through the binoculars. Hugo also has an interesting conversation with him and he shows Hugo several illustrations from his prayer book. Hugo and Andrej befriend some of the other young people on the boat – 2 of the guys, one from France and the other from Canada, are working on their Masters’Degrees in Agriculture. Very interesting conversations follow about the agricultural problems that Ethiopia, but also surrounding countries face specifically in regards to water preservation and farming methods that deplete the soil from nutrients and the resulting devastating effects that follow as a result.

The guys all go out to the city to hang out and Willie and I watch birds, go for a walk. Willie downloads pictures from his camera and does some computer work until a fierce windstorm cuts the cities’ electricity and chases us into our tent. It is very early, but since there is nothing else to do, we go to bed.

Something that has been extremely frustrating since we are in Ethiopia is the fact that we’ve not been able to find Wi-Fi, but only broadband internet. We were spoiled in the Middle East where we had access to faster internet in most places. We’ve seen 103 birds this far!

  28 April, Thursday   Lalibela to Bahir Dar

We go for breakfast at my friend Martha’s little coffeehouse/restaurant. We cause quite a stir when we arrived with the packed vehicle in the narrow little street. Andrej and Willie have pancakes – real pancakes -  with banana and honey and it is delicious. Hugo and I have fir-fir, which turns out to be scrambled eggs with bread – also very tasty. Martha wants us to stay for a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony. We have far to go and I am sad that we cannot stay, because an invitation to a ceremony is a sign of friendship or respect: For the coffee ceremony freshly cut grass are spread on the floor to bring in the freshness of nature. The ceremony starts with the roasting of the coffee beans on a small, charcoal stove. The beans are then grinded before being brewed. When ready, the coffee is served in tiny cups with plenty of sugar. Popcorn is often passed around to compliment the ceremony which can last from 40 minutes to 3 hours.

I meet Martha’s dad and they give each one of us a cross as a gift before we leave. We exchange addresses and I sincerely hope that we will be able to stay in contact. A memory we will treasure which started with a random meeting in the street.

Bahir Dar lies on he shore of Lake Tana – the source of the Blue Nile…?

27 April, Wednesday   Lalibela

Lalibela…often referred to as Africa’s Petra. The first time I’ve heard the name was more than a year ago when Hugo told me about the history of Lalibela. Then, already, my appetite was whetted and I became more intrigued with it the further I read about it. So, this is one of the few, if not the first occasion that I go with an expectation which I know is not good. Will I be disappointed or not? I have no idea.

We wake up with chanting and praying of the Orthodox priests in the nearby monasteries. The entrance gate is a 10 minute walk from the hotel. On our way I meet Martha who invites us for coffee at her restaurant and I promise her that we will come later in the day. We decide to take a guide as this is one of the most significant historical sites we will visit. We’ve come this far and to not know what you are looking at or learn subtle detail not found in books will be sad. It is not a mistake. Our guide, Daniel, speaks good English and is very knowledgeable. We hang onto his every word and enter into a world that we never even knew existed. We see sights that halt your thoughts whilst your eyes hang on to something you could not imagine in your wildest dreams.

King Lalibela, devoted and deeply religious, reigned during the 12th -13th century. He fled to Jerusalem after a suicide attempt on his life by his half-brother. Inspired by the temples, churches and religious sites during his visit, he vowed to build an Ethiopian holy city when he returned. On his return to Ethiopia and after becoming king, Lalibela started his incredible building project. With exceptional masonry skills stone churches were hewn out of and into the rocky hills. 3 different building styles were used: monolithic – the entire church was cut out of the surrounding rock; semi-monolithic: one side of the church is still attached to the rock; rock church: church was carved into the rock. Several legends surround the actual building process – how was this done? Experts have estimated that it would have taken 40,000 people to carve out these churches over 50+ years should they have worked day and night. According tradition the churches were built in the short period of 23 years, during the day by locals and by night angels took over.

Two groups of churches exist: the earthly Jerusalem which consists of 6 churches, and the heavenly Jerusalem, consisting of 5 churches.

The first church, Bet Medhane Alem, (Savior of the World) is covered by unsightly UNESCO scaffolding and roofing to protect the ancient church from further damage by rain and wind. Once inside the dimly lit building one understands why this protection is necessitated. 34 large pillars surround the building. Each corner has 3 columns that are joined, resembling the Trinity. Once inside, it seems as if everything you look at has some kind of symbolic explanation. In one corner of the vaulted ceiling building there are 3 open graves prepared symbolically for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Different crosses, Greek, Maltese, Coptic, Orthodox, Christian can be seen in different places. Barely visible murals depicting different Biblical scenes cover the walls. Each church is shaped into a cross; in the back is the choir; left of the central leg of the cross is the worship area for men, to the right the women; and then the closed off Holy of Holies where a replica of the Ark of the Covenant is kept. Only the priest is allowed to enter the Holies 1x/year. 

Tunnels connect 3 churches to the Savior of the World church: the church of the virgin, Mary; Bet Meskel and Bet Danaghel. Another tunnel leads us to the twin churches of Golgotha and Church of Michael. Crosses, altars, carvings of winged creatures, prayer sticks, murals can be found in every church – each representing some important figure, ritual or belief in the Orthodox Church.

We walk to an overlook and finally are able to see what is described as the masterpiece of Lalibela – the Bet Giyorgis church – monolithic – a 3 story, square church with a Greek cross, cut out of the rock ceiling. The church represents the Ark and to reach it Daniel leads us down an open tunnel until we reach the courtyard. Daniel points out Mount Ararat to us and I take a picture of Hugo at the top of it!

We cross the River Jordan on our journey into the heavenly city. From a church, representing hell, we pass through a pitch dark tunnel which represents the process of purgatory until we finally reach Immanuel Church – God with us – heaven!

What we have just seen is almost too much for the moment and all of us need time to process the amazing wonder of the rock hewn churches of Lalibela.

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25 April -26 April, Monday – Tuesday;    Aksum – Mekele - Lalibela

We stop at the ruins of Yeha on our way to Lalibela. It is considered the birthplace of ancient Ethiopia and believed to be built in the 3 – 5th BC. We pay 150birr to see the outline of a ruin kept together by scaffolding – not worth the money or the detour. Although, to be fair, the 3m stone blocks were fitted together with perfect geometric lines and not a trace of mortar can be seen – quite remarkable if one considers the age.

The road to Lalibela is arduous and slow, but it covers pristine, lush green mountain terrain. Impressive peaks tower in the distance and we gradually creep closer and higher on a 2 track, potholed road becoming increasingly steeper and narrower. We pass small 4 – 10 hut villages, young children herding goats, donkeys carrying water and supplies. The clouds become darker and flashes of lightning dances through the sky as thunder beats out the rhythm and finally the rain arrives making our trip even more difficult and dangerous as the dry sand quickly turns into slippery mud. Willie edges forwards and upwards with steep cliffs hugging the road as far as we go. With each bend in the road you feel sure this must be the last – we cannot go higher, but no…the road continues to climb higher to reach an altitude of 4000+meters!

Finally the top and endless mountain ranges greet us on the other side, but this time the going is easier. No more rain and this side of the mountain is visibly drier. We pass through a small village where we are greeted by running children appearing from every direction, “pe…,pe…,pe…!” is what I hear as far as we go. That’s different from the usual, “yoo, yoo, yoo!”but then Hugo told me it is, “pen, pen, pen” The first thing after they’ve seen you is a demand for a pen, almost more than a demand for money. Warned and prepared we do not give, in spite of the fact that they tell you it is for school only to sell it to vendors or give to parents or family with little businesses.

Tourists are asked to not give directly to children, but to organizations like schools or educational institutions who can distribute it in the right way. Giving encourages them to beg, aggravates the already annoying problem of children hasslers and often keeps them from school. They tell you it is for school, but they sell it to vendors or give it to parents or family with little businesses.

We see a prize bird – the Abyssinian hornbill – on our last stretch down to Lalibela. The vegetation and countryside show a complete different, but equally beautiful face: drier, desert terrain with typical African thorn trees as far as the eye can see – absolutely magnificent especially when she colors her face with the last rays of the sun!

We reach The Seven Olive Hotel at dusk and are happy when they allow us to pitch camp in the parking lot. The boys will find a place for their tent after we had dinner.

It took us almost 8 hours to cover less than 300 km, but we finally are in Lalibela – a beautiful name oozing with the mystery of ages… We are excited to visit the historical sites tomorrow.

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19 April, Tuesday  Gonder

The compound’s security guard wakes us up at 5:30. He is done with his shift, he is going to bed now and he needs his money for watching our car. Willie has been worried about the LandCruiser’s front brakes, because strange noises came from it every now and then. He decides to change the brake pads before we go any further. I hear tools clang and then a sick, thud and people calling out. He tried to jack up this extremely heavy vehicle, it slipped off the jack and toppled over to the left! He could have been seriously injured if he was under the car. It happens another time and a truck driver finally helps him to secure the wheels with rocks so that there is no movement as they jack it up.

The boys join him and all 3 of them are covered with grease by 7am. Marchit continues to call Andreas every 5 minutes and a growing audience gathers around the car. Willie finally finishes the job by 10:30. It was a very wise decision, because there was nothing left of the brake pads – it was metal scraping on metal.

After trying to clean as much as they can, we go for a breakfast of injera with another spicy sauce followed by a clear soup of some kind. We take pictures and head out for Gonder which is about 3 hours away. We check out 3 different places where we can camp and settle on the Fogera hotel. They allow us to pitch camp in their garden and we can use the bathroom in the hotel.

The hotel was built during the Italian occupation of Gonder and has a strong colonial feel to it: beautiful garden where one can sit under the shade of big trees. The first thing we do is to shower, because they have running warm water. It is a wonderful feeling and immediately adds quality to our state of being. We wander around in the garden with our binoculars and bird books; the boys go for a walk to the town and we have a proper plate of delicious food later in the evening.

The Ethiopian people are very friendly, helpful and welcoming. They have a fine bone structure and the women especially are beautiful. There is so much I do not know about the history of the country and I purpose to read more about it before we head to the highlands.   
 

17 April, Sunday   Khartoum to halfway Ethiopian border

Hugo and I feel much better, but today its Andrej’s turn. He looks pale, feels weak and nauseous. Willie and Hugo leave to find a Toyota dealership where Willie wants to buy brake pads for the vehicle. They are successful, but we leave the campsite after 12pm which is much later than what we have planned. We would also like to visit the school which we eventually find. It is scorching hot again.

Our friend shows us the school, different classrooms and it is great to be able to see the place where they have wholeheartedly poured themselves in with such passion and love.

We need dog food for Sammie. I have come to realize that it is something like an exotic delicatessen. Stores do not carry dog food and after making a few calls our friend tells us that he has find a store with dog food. He escorts us there – first to one branch and then to another just to find out that they want a shocking $100 for a 25 kg bag! No ways! Sammie will eat with us from now until we reach a place where dog food is something they understand.

We do stock up on some food and other provisions and it is after 2 when we finally head out of Khartoum. We are not done yet, though. The US embassy is apparently on our way out and we want to stop, greet and thank “our man” (see Caren’s Conundrum – Chillax) who has helped us so much during our Sudanese visa ordeal.   

We find the embassy, a big and beautiful building, heavily guarded by super friendly officials. The boys look like tramps from the Oliver Twist movie – their white T-shirts are brown and stained, pants wrinkled and dusty hair. We receive a hearty welcome in spite of looks and smells. Once inside: it is cool and clean, so clean and we cannot stop being impressed by what we see and experience. The restroom smells good, is squeaky clean, has soap, toilet paper and paper towel and the ultimate luxury: the toilet flushes! What has happened to us?

We meet 2 Mr Mohammeds before finally reaching the right one. We thank him and Willie also has an opportunity to ask him about a new Ethiopian border crossing requirement: we need a special letter from our embassy in Addis Ababa that guarantees that we will not sell our vehicle whilst in Ethiopia! Mr Mohammed has heard about it, but tells us that the US embassy does not provide a letter like that.

This letter has been a growing concern that was looming in the background: we’ve heard from different overland groups that the Ethiopian government now requires in addition to the Carnet de Passage, another letter of guarantee from your resident embassy in Addis Ababa that states you will not sell your vehicle, motorbike during your stay in the country! It makes no sense, because the sole reason for obtaining a Carnet de Passage, which is like a car passport, is a declaration to the country you enter that you will not sell your vehicle. It is also expensive, because before a Carnet de Passage is issued the owner of the vehicle must deposit a sum of money that equals the current value of the car. This is kept as a deposit and once you return with your vehicle to the country that issued the Carnet you will receive your money back. The most recent information we received was from the German bikers we met in Wadi Halfa. Yes, they had to provide a letter from their embassy when they crossed into Ethiopia.  They provided Willie with a copy of the letter so that we could see what exactly is required. Willie uses the letter as a template in which he inserts our information. It is not something we want to do, and we hope we will not need it, but our vehicle has German license plates, we have residency in Germany until September and our Carnet de Passage was issued in Germany. This really has not anything to do with the US embassy…?

It takes us another hour plus to shake Khartoum and outskirts off. We drive through the most littered country side I’ve ever seen – kilometres of trash lining the highway and covering the plains, the vegetation, bushes and trees ! It will take years to clean up if it is ever addressed which I doubt. Littering and clean environments do not seem to be of very high value in the Middle East. It is something I’ve mentioned often during our travels and it remains puzzling to me with my first world Western mind set.

It is searching-for-a-bush-camp time. It is not my business anymore as I’ve stated before, but I do notice that although we are out of Khartoum we are not out of civilization. There are farmers working on their fields beside the road and people everywhere. Isolated bush camping will not be possible – we will be visible any place we decide to stay. Willie turns off on a dirt road that takes us kilometers away from the road, but as predicted: people everywhere. We find a place that will be suitable and Willie and the boys go to the farmer or who we think is the farmer. They explain with gestures, pointing to the moon and the sun that we need a place to sleep for the night. He is extremely friendly, seems to understand, nods his head and we feel comfortable pitching camp for the night. We quickly have an audience of pointing, laughing, excited little boys. They watch our every move and of course the ‘kelp’, Sammie, makes them cry with delight. They leave as the sun sets and we have a hot, but pleasant evening. We have a proper meal – the first in several days and devour 1kg of meat between the 4 of us and of course, remember, now Sammie as well!

Su(da)n, Su(da)n what shall I say – you are for sure the hottest place I have ever been in the whole wide world! I will be glad to say goodbye to you, not to your people, but don’t be offended… I do not like Florida for the same reason, but I have the most awesome daughter-in-awe, a born and raised little Floridian!

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  16 April, Saturday, Khartoum

The heat breaks a little during the early morning hours. I do not feel much better and stay in the tent. A Dragoman overland group is also in the campsite and the guys hang out with different people during the day. They gather useful information for us about Ethiopia: sites to see, food to eat, prices to pay – since they just came from Ethiopia.

I start to feel better towards noon and Willie calls the friends, originally also from South Africa that we wanted to meet with. They come over to the campsite and we spend the afternoon in the shade, talking about their amazing experiences the last 11 years in Khartoum. They are also from South Africa and we have lots to share and talk about. They are founding members of an international school in Khartoum and we plan to visit them at their workplace the next day.

The heat has paralyzed us and we have very little desire to see Khartoum. We discover a weak internet signal, and try to take care of important administrative things. Willie receives a letter from Ruco in which he asks us to contact him which we do and he gives us such good news. Hugo was accepted at New College of Florida in Sarasota! He has heard from several of his applications and it was not good news: he was unsuccessful in a few and on a waiting list for another. New College was the very first school he really showed interest in because of their different education philosophy and approach. We call Hugo who was somewhere else and I think the photos tell the story better than I can ever do. We needed the positive booster after a difficult few weeks. Something else we did not have to worry about anymore! Tomorrow: here we come Ethiopia!

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14 April, Thursday    Willie’s 56th birthday in Sudan

Who would have ever guessed that we will celebrate Willie’s 56 birthday in the Nubian desert in Sudan! I make a unique birthday card with desert stones in the sand. We gather around it and each one of us has an opportunity to share special wishes with Willie. I asked Hugo to speak for Sammie and he said he cannot, because Sammie has an angelic voice and no one can speak for him!

From Wadi Halfa to Khartoum is almost 900 km and most of it is through harsh desert terrain. We leave earlier than usual to see how far we can get before the heat overcomes us. We have no air conditioner in the car. Willie filled the Freon in Egypt and we had pleasant interior conditions for a sweet almost 3 weeks and then as it leaked out, hot air surged back! I wish this was the beginning of the sweet 3 weeks.

As the kilometers on the clock rise, so do the degrees on the thermometer…to a no-word-for-it 49 degrees! The effect on us is quite remarkable. We go through stages:

Stage 1: we feel uncomfortable, sweaty and we voice it

Stage 2: The heat, like a vice-grip, slowly clamps down on our brains; discomfort soars beyond any other physical emotion we’ve ever experienced. We cross into a zone where, for survival, you give in trying to fight what you experience and go with it – like riding a wave… Your body shuts out anything you don’t need for survival: no hunger, no energy, no curiosity for new surroundings, sights or sounds. You become very still, breathe shallow and you don’t talk. All we do is take sips of water – by now hot water, every now and then.

Stage 3: Survival trance accompanied with thick silence

We have found an effective way to keep Sammie comfortable and being able to cope with the heat by sponging him down every 15 minutes or as soon as his fur starts to dry. He also lies very still and looks at us with those gentle brown eyes.

Kilometer after kilometer of arid desert plains fly past the window; scattered here and there little brown-building, sand-saturated village. The only color comes from mosques and minarets which stand like bright beacons in the brown everything else. I am mystified by the fact that people can actually make a living in these beyond-words harsh conditions. I realize that I have a heightened sense of distress and I’m probably not as objective as I could be, because generations of Sudanese people have been born and raised in these conditions…quite remarkable.

There is no ways that we want to camp or stay in this heat and Willie decides to bite the bullet and see if we can make it to Khartoum in one stretch. We reach the outskirts of the city by 6:30 – and slowly crawl with peak traffic, donkey cars, horse-carriages, motorbikes, tuk-tuks through a crammed outdoor market. What a sight we must have been – 4 glassy-eyed, listless white peoples with a black dog half hanging out of a monstrous vehicle. “Welcome in Khartoum; Welcome in Sudan; Where you from? Give me money, “surrounds us as far as we move forwards inch by inch. The boys and Willie greet everyone, make small talk with passengers in other cars, shake hands and stay patient. I sit in the back seat, protected from view by tinted glass windows, from where I can watch the frenzied activity without being hassled. I guess this is what celebrities and VIP’s must endure every time they venture out in the public eye? An interesting observation we make is that the traffic is much quieter than in Egypt: almost no honking which is to be appreciated.

We finally milk out of the traffic and drive over the bridge where the Blue and White Nile come together. Our camping site is at the Nile River Sailing Club. We are drenched and tired, but very thankful that we’ve made it safely through close to ‘hellish’ conditions.

The car and everything in it are steaming hot – all the canned goods, food, drinks are cooked. We are not hungry, just very thirsty and enjoy the cold water and sodas that we bought. We eat very little and stretch out on top of our sleeping bags hoping that it will cool off some during the night. Hugo is not feeling well when he goes to bed and we are not sure what is wrong.

What a Happy birthday, Willie!

  13 April, Tuesday   Wadi Halfa (wait for car and Sammie)

The night is hot, stuffy and noisy with crazy midnight-barking dogs, confused roosters, clanging metal doors reverberating through the night. We wake up sweaty, lethargic and worried about Sammie and our car on the barge. The wind churns up dust and sand, the earth starts to bake early and another long day with uncertainty gnawing lies ahead of us. It is a strange place to be: not knowing what to do, where to go, what to say…

Willie and I walk to where we thought the photo permit place was. We are pointed in a different direction and on our way out we meet 2 German bikers. They are leaving later the day on the ferry to Aswan. We sit in the shade on small chairs in front of a lady who serves coffee and tea in glass cups. It is a painstakingly meticulous process. She sits behind her low table, an upturned bottle crate, on which are displayed several glass jars with different kinds of spices. You pick your spice for coffee or tea, she then boils her water on a small coal stove. She rinses one glass, scoops out coffee grains, adds the spice, in my case Ginger, and sugar and then adds the boiling water. With no expression on her face does she stir the brew for as long as she knows it to be, pulls out a small silver looking tray, and serve the coffee to you. She then proceeds with the second, third, fourth glass. It is worth the wait, the sweet, spicy brew is delicious and tasty!

The Germans are returning home after 4 years and they have many incredible and interesting stories to share. It is wonderful to be able to communicate, share worries, voice questions and laugh! We feel more energized, more ready to “run the race”; to complete our journey; to face the challenges.

They come to the hotel with their 600cc BMW bikes to meet the Dutch biker couple and after we say goodbye we walk over to the restaurant. We were told if we want fish, then we need to be there between 10 and 4. The fish has not come yet, but we sit on the porch (in the shade) fanning flies away and drinking fresh guava juice. An hour later a basket of freshly caught fish is carried in and another hour later plates laden with 3 pieces of fish for each are put before us! Fish, bread and a small salad – a delicious lunch worth waiting for.

The sun is blistering and we return to the protection of our hotel rooms. No news of the barge, thus no news of Sammie. I show Willie the picture I took of him on the barge just before we left and for the first time voice what none of us wanted to say, “Maybe this was the last picture of him…?” “Is that what you think?” Willie asks. We tell ourselves that everything will be fine, but we don’t know. We feel so helpless not being able to know or find out. So the waiting game continues. The barge might come today, but probably tomorrow.

We take a nap; the boys go for a walk with the Dutch couple and then the hotel owner comes to call Willie – Magdy is on the phone. The barge is in the port! Willie and the Dutch have to come immediately, because the port closes at 5. They ask a taxi to take them and I stay on my bed – praying, thoughts running, praying…

Then an hour later Andrej walks in with a happy smile. Sammie is fine, the car is fine – it is parked outside of the hotel. I walk out and there he is! We have a dusty reunion in front of bemused onlookers. Dogs are not much liked in the Middle Eastern culture. They are seen as ‘haram’ (unclean) and usually run around in hungry, stray packs. Sammie and our relationship with him have drawn attention as far as we’ve traveled. People, especially kids, are fascinated with him, but very afraid. They stare, point and laugh, but the slightest movement coming from the little black body elicits an immediate flight reaction even though we assure them that he is friendly etc. So, I make a spectacle of myself, but really do not care about it.

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Willie finishes the final paperwork and documents for the car and I’ve never seen us pack up and leave as fast as we do. All 4 of us want to leave the hotel and be out of there. We prefer our own dirt, dust, discomfort, food and odors than that offered by a minus 3 star primitive hotel.

We drive out of town and then head into the desert – but 15 minutes away. The sun is getting ready to set and there is even a reprieve in the heat, but it could also be our imaginations. None of us are hungry, but we sit outside, watch the starts, play backgammon and enjoy Sammie’s company more than ever before. Him being away from us has made us realize what an important travel companion he has become for all of us – in spite of the inconveniences here and there. He reeks of diesel as he probably laid under the car during the day on his barge trip.

Willie shares his moment of anxiety when he went to the port. The car was there, but no sign of Sammie. He opened the door and no Sammie and then from under the steering wheel the little black head appeared. Relief flooded over Willie and Sammie was beside himself when he realized that it was Willie. He did not know what to do with himself. Willie said he has never seen him so happy.  

We go to bed under a canopy of brilliant stars in a quiet desert. The Southern Cross appears just above the horizon and I know we are slowly, but surely crawling closer to home. We are in Sudan after many difficulties and back on the road again.

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