Ferry to Sudan (27.-29.04.2009)

When we arrive at the port at 10 am (7 hours before departure) we thought we are the first passengers, but there are already hundreds waiting to enter the harbor… It takes 3 hours to arrange all the paperwork for us and the car. We are told that the car can only be loaded on a separate barge, after all the other luggage is stored, that means again waiting waiting waiting… we find a small “coffeeshop” where we have at least some shade, but still the temperature is 35 degrees.

  

The group of passengers with cars and Mr. Mahmoud from the harbor.

 

 

 

At 4 pm, we finally enter our 1st class cabin. 1st class is a big word for a small and very basic cabin. After seeing the toilets, we decide not to eat or drink the next 24 hours… Mr. Salah from the shipping company pays us a last visit in our cabin. Bye bye Mr. Salah, and thanks for everything, everything was perfect and worked as planned!

 

 

 

 

At 5 pm, the 3 cars are loaded, and half an hour later, the barge and the ferry are ready to leave for Wadi Halfa, the port in Sudan. We are supposed to arrive the next day around noon, the cars one day later. Let’s hope and see…

We immediately notice that “hand luggage” has a completely different meaning in Africa: toilets, refrigerators, treatmills, airconditions, all kinds of furniture, etc. there is nothing we don’t  see! And that is only the hand luggage, the real luggage went with the barge. It’s hard to move around because of all the people sleeping, eating and the luggage on deck. But after all, the scenery is really nice and we enjoy the talk with the others as well as a beautiful sunset.

At 6.30 am, shortly before sunrise, we pass Abu Simbel. Unfortunately, the light is not yet good enough, that’s why we put also a photo from a previous trip…

At 10:30 am, we arrive in Wadi Halfa, but we have to stay another 2 hours on board to finalize again our documents. Once we leave the ferry, thanks to Mr. Magdy from the shipping company, customs and transportation to the village is done quickly and we check in in the “best hotel in town”. We extend our decision not to eat and drink another 24 hours…

 

We spend a relaxed day, sitting in front of our hotel, talking with Juan, a very nice Spanish guy we already met in Assuan and who is planning to make the same trip, however, in 6 weeks! We liked each other from the first moment and decide to make the trip through Sudan together. Suddenly, at 6 pm, we get a call from Magdy that the barge has arrived in the harbor. Not only we are surprised but also Mr. Magdy since the barge is 12 hours early and that never happened before. Maybe it helped to offer the captain of the barge a good tip if he brings the cars safe and in time to Sudan.

So we leave right away to the harbor to get the cars off the barge. A little tricky activity since the ship is 50 cm higher than the dock. We manage it somehow with the help of the captain and within an hour we are back to our hotel for a good night sleep in our luxurious hotel room.

The next day starts early, 8:30 am, since we have to pass customs with the cars. Also this exercise is done amazingly fast and within an hour we are ready to leave Wadi Halfa to explore Sudan.