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The quest for the camel market of Omdurman

Friday, July 16th, 2004

Khartoum, January1984
On the day of our planned departure, the sky over Dongola was grey and the streets were hazy. A sandstorm was blowing a dusty mist from the desert. Siggi refused to drive in these conditions. Gerd stopped us whinging by describing what it would be like to set up camp in a sand storm and trying to eat our freshly bought steaks with the sand grinding between our teeth.
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Under “Arrest”

Thursday, July 1st, 2004

Sudan 1984
On that day we set a new distance record of three kilometres. We arrived at a large village with a police station where we would have to register according to the law, a custom which has its advantages as the local police is usually very helpful towards travellers.
(That was then…)
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Camels and Scorpions

Tuesday, June 29th, 2004

Sudan 1984
Next day, we delegated four people to go and check out the area while the rest of the group boiled up hundreds of litres of water. We wallowed in soap and water, soaking everything: the lorry, our stuff and each other.
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Desert Crossing (Part 2)

Monday, June 28th, 2004

Egypt, New Year’s Eve 1983
Here in the desert I often felt at one with nature — when not engaged in the quarrels and bickering that increasingly took hold among the group, all day and often into the night. On this evening, I had made my excuses as soon as I could. I sat in front of my tent, smoked a pipe, chilled and contemplated the timeless feel of the desert.
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Desert Crossing (Part 1)

Sunday, June 27th, 2004

Egypt, Christmas 1983
In a quiet bend about 20 km from el Kharga, we left the road and our big lorry started to grind through the sand like a caterpillar truck. The others made considerably faster progress — the jeeps scuttled across the uneven terrain like mice.
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Preparations for the Desert

Saturday, June 26th, 2004

Egypt 1983
I had my work cut out with washing, cleaning and cooking. After doing the chores, I spent an uneventful day on the campsite, writing and continuing with the endless reparirs on my trousers which I had been patching up since leaving Cairo. It started with a rip above the left knee which worked its way upwards and then to the back. Wherever I had last stitched a patch, a spiderweb of new rips would start to form. Second hand German army combat trousers – I wonder if they split during actual combat…
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The Birthday of the Prophet

Thursday, June 24th, 2004

Egypt 1983

The sun was setting by the time we approached Asswan. The broad band of the Nile streched before us once more. Feluccas with white triangular sails were cruising on the river. I the middle was the beautifully illuminated Elephantine Island.
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Between the Desert and the Deep Blue Sea

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2004

Egypt 1983

After four days in Cairo and a fleeting visit to the pyramids where we failed to penetrate the throng of touts, faux-guides and camel pedlars holding our truck under siege, we turned towards the Red Sea. The green Nile valley and dense fields of sugar cane changed abruptly into barren desert.
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Cairo Culture Shock

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2004

Egypt 1983
An innocent abroad…

We drove through the outskirts of Cairo looking for somewhere to stay. The road was a dirt-track of compacted clay running along a muddy stream with piles of rubbish scattered alongside. We had to watch out to avoid drooping telegraph wires without slithering down the muddy banks. Periodically, Reinhold slammed onto the breaks to allow cattle or goats to pass the street. Deep-hanging branches whipped through the open top of the lorry. By the time we finally reached the camp-site, just after dark, we were shattered. Even the usually unfazable Reinhold wiped the sweat from his forehead and refused to get back into the truck for the next couple of days, leaving us to haggle with Cairo’s cab drivers.
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Postcards from the Road

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2004

01/12/1983
Munich:
After a freezing afternoon’s drive in our (open-top) lorry, we arrived in Aschaffenburg with a two hour delay to find the hostel-warden away on a pub crawl and the door firmly locked. So we continued on to Munich. It got colder. For the last stretch of the journey I had to resort to my survival blanket which alledgedly protects against arcitc cold and desert heat. But it was too late, my feet were frozen stiff through my woolen socks. Thanks God we were heading for warmer climes!
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