Day 86: Saturday 26th April: Luxor back to Aswan to fetch the Doddle. We make an early start and the driver assures us that the journey will take about two-and-a-half hours using the western desert road which is quicker. About an hour-and-a-half later we are stopped at an army checkpoint (there are many army and police checkpoints on all the roads so we are used to this). Our driver is told that tourists are no longer allowed on the desert road as it is too dang...

Day 80: Sunday 20th April: Aswan We decide to have a chill day at the pool at the Pyramisa Isis Island Hotel (a 10 minute boat ride on the Nile from the mainland). The hotel is VERY quiet - I really don't know how they will survive, being a 400+ bed room hotel. Day 81: Monday 21st April: Aswan Yesterday we met with Walead, a tour operator recommended by the hotel manager. Very friendly guy (an also negotiable - like anything in Egypt, it's part of the culture ...

Day 66: Sunday 6th April: Bush Camp #6 to Gondar We have an uneventful trip to the next city (good tar road all the way), Gondar, where we meet up with our tour leader and our passports and visas for Sudan and Egypt. Two nights in the Goha Hotel in Gondar beckon so at least we can shower again tonight. Day 67: Monday 7th April: Gondar The city of Gondar is the third of the three cities to control the "old empire" after Axum and Lalibela. Gondar has three main...

Day 65: Saturday 5th April: Axum to Bush Camp #6 on the way to Gondar. We get an early start as we have been warned that the road is under construction so we are not sure how far we will get. We are also unsure whether we are going to visit the Simien National Park on the way to Gondar or not. The first half of the road is perfect - newly tarred and no potholes, but it is Saturday so it is market day which slows us down in the towns. Spectacular scenery but st...

Day 59: Sunday 30th March - Bahir Dar, Kurifto Resort. The resort lives up to expectations and we have a great dinner and a couple of glasses of wine. They serve Drostdy Hof wine here and it's the best we've seen around here although at R50 per glass it is not cheap. In the morning we book a boat trip to the monasteries on Lake Tana, which leaves from the hotel "jetty". There are 21 monasteries on 7 islands and the peninsula and the first one we see is Debra Ma...