Distance: 53.5 km Ride time: 3:05:58 Average: 17.3 km/h Max speed: 31.7 km/h Total: 53670 km In Cairo I was staying at a small hotel in the city center, an easy 10 minute walk from Tahrir Square where the Arabic Spring started in 2011. Five years have past since I was here on my own [ Read More ]
Archive for the ‘Egypt’ Category
Day 2118, Sokhna – Cairo: From Cape Town to Cairo…
Posted on Dec - 18 - 2016Distance: 81.0 km Ride time: 4:52:02 Average: 16.7 km/h Max speed: 34.6 km/h Total: 53550 km The desert surrounding Cairo is located at a plateau at 500 meters above sea level. This meant that I was waking up in my tent to a rather nice and fresh morning at 18°C. It seems like I have [ Read More ]
Day 2117, Zafarana – Sokhna: Police Paranoia
Posted on Dec - 18 - 2016Distance: 112.2 km Ride time: 7:56:35 Average: 14.1 km/h Max speed: 26.6 km/h Total: 53469 km I was a bit surprised to see a police car on the street as soon as I opened the door to my hotel room in the morning. Apparently the police officers had been staying at the same resort during [ Read More ]
Day 2116, Ras Ghareb – Zafarana: Trapped in Resort Land
Posted on Dec - 16 - 2016Distance: 117.3 km Ride time: 8:22:08 Average: 14.0 km/h Max speed: 25.6 km/h Total: 53356 km The head wind was still out in full force, but the temperature had come down from 45 to a much more manageable 38 degree celcius; cycling is once again enjoyable heading north along the Red Sea towards Cairo. The [ Read More ]
Day 2115, Al Ismaileya – Ras Ghareb: Police Pacing
Posted on Dec - 15 - 2016Distance: 76.3 km Ride time: 5:19:13 Average: 14.3 km/h Max speed: 33.1 km/h Total: 53239 km Last night I had fallen asleep in my tent behind a mosque, expecting a quiet night at the tiny settlement of Al Ismaileya. The police seemed to have other ideas as they woke me up at midnight, asking me [ Read More ]
Day 2114, Hurghada – Al Ismaileya: Sahara Heat Stroke
Posted on Dec - 15 - 2016Distance: 67.7 km Ride time: 5:17:03 Average: 12.8 km/h Max speed: 24.8 km/h Total: 53163 km After the rest day in all the comfort Hurghada has to offer, it was a bit of a shock to the system to be out cycling in the severe Sahara heat again. I started early and enjoyed my two [ Read More ]
Day 2112 – 2113, Safaga – Hurghada: Tourist Madness
Posted on Dec - 14 - 2016Distance: 58.6 km Ride time: 4:16:15 Average: 13.7 km/h Max speed: 36.7 km/h Total: 53095 km In true Egypt style the police showed up at my hotel as I was getting ready to leave in the morning. Much to my surprise they only followed me to the end of town and I was told I [ Read More ]
Day 2111, Qena – Safaga: Crossing the Sahara
Posted on Dec - 13 - 2016Distance: 84.7 km Ride time: 4:29:09 Average: 18.9 km/h Max speed: 34.2 km/h Total: 53036 km I woke up at 5 and was ready to cycle by 5:30, trying to beat the crazy Egyptian heat. After checking out of my hotel I was waiting for the police to show up. They came before too long, [ Read More ]
Day 2110, Luxor – Qena: The Egyptian Police
Posted on Dec - 13 - 2016Distance: 67.4 km Ride time: 3:33:37 Average: 18.9 km/h Max speed: 29.5 km/h Total: 52951 km The Egyptian economy has been hit hard by the development in the region the last 5 years. This means that the Egyptian pound is weak, making it very affordable to be a visitor at the moment; 8-10$ will get [ Read More ]
Day 2108 – 2109: Addis Ababa – Luxor, Egypt!
Posted on Dec - 12 - 2016It was a cold and rainy Addis Ababa night when a blue Lada taxi took me to the airport with my bike on the roof. The taxi driver was grossly over-charging the short fare to the airport and was not the most likeable person. This was in stark contrast to the people in Sakti’s house [ Read More ]