It took me a while to get to sleep due to a mosquito trying to bite my face and my previous bites were starting itch. Eventually I did and I woke up after Salem who had closed the door to give me some extra rest and had his breakfast by the time I woke up at 7.
Friday is the start of their weekend so I could hear the kids playing football just outside the house. Within 10 minutes of me waking I ha a massive breakfast of bread, boiled eggs, tea and two pots of yoghurt along with a bowl of what tastes like crumbled up cheesecake base which you add to the yoghurt. The result, a taste sensation that would start me off in a great mood for a days riding.
I said my huge thankyous, had a few photos and Saleem walked me to the road. I really can't describe fully the way he presented himself as just such a caring and selfless man. I have met nobody like Saleem and it was an absolute privilege to stay in his house.
As I headed back towards Idfu to check out another temple that I missed yesterday and then cross the nile to a recommended route to Aswan, I caught myself thinking negatively about more possible unwanted events. Can't fight it, I knew this. Can't stop it, I knew this. I can expect it more but I can't let it change my mood so much like yesterday. I can also learn from what happened yesterday and as I learnt with "tourist team" in Luxor, embrace it, this is why I'm here!
I crossed the Nile where the road was much quieter but much more bumpy. There were less people around as it was more farming related on this side and after a good two hours of happy smiling faces and feel good thumbs up i had convinced myself that yesterday was just the west side kids. (They must've put something in their water!)
Then sure enough, another idiot passenger on a motorbike grabbed me again. Don't let it get to you Harding, its been a good day, I could use what I learnt yesterday to look past the minority and enjoy the beautiful weather and the amazing scenery. I saw the two guys further up the road, they saw me and were still having a laugh. I stopped my bike and looked at them from across the road. They came up to me and as I believe and as I have done from the start I gave a smile to receive a smile. With actions and expressions I think I got the message across that pulling cyclists was not a good thing to do and the thumbs up and nods of understanding were better than yesterday's swinging flap at the bike. Embracing 1 - fighting 0. I thanked them and cycled away happy with my reaction this time and it helped the positivity of the day flow to the next group of waving and smiling people.
I was on a bit of a buzz and the singing even came back in to my ride. This time the cows and donkeys and very lucky farmers were treated to Uptown girl as I flew past their fields. I could see a similar group of kids to what i passed many times yesterday in the distance and they spotted me too. Here we go I thought, what joys are awaiting for me this time. Instead of getting ready to swerve a stick, deny giving money or have to look back and clock a piece of food heading for me (incidentally, yesterday was a huge waste of a tomato as Egyptian tomatoes are my favourite, they're so red and juicy!) I embraced and counteracted anything they were thinking about doing with a huge shout of "HEEELLLOOOO" as I did this I held out my right arm with a big hand open and in an instant they were loving it and all got into a long line of around 15 of them and high fived the lot of them all the way down.
They loved it, I loved it, Nigel loved it and even Beirdre stood up on end to enjoy the "African wave." Embracing 2 - fighting 0 and with that I beamed my way to Aswan with no stops.
Ahmed in Luxor recommended a hotel called the "paradise hotel." It took me about 2 minutes to find and then an extra 2 minutes to speak to the General manager Adel and sort out getting my visa and boat ticket for Sudan tomorrow. Amazing!! I know the ferry to Sudan only runs once a week so I may be hanging around but I will find out all the major details tomorrow as the port times are always changing. I have a contact that I can stay with a little out of town from Ahmed in Cairo of needs be but for now I will chill out and enjoy Aswan. It seems a lot more relaxed, much less busier, less noisy and very safe to walk around.
Today proved that yesterday was probably a one off with regards to the amount of separate incidents but also allowed me to embrace a different attitude. I could've easily got annoyed again when i was grabbed but I'm more positive than ever now. Hopefully getting my documents sorted tomorrow will be as smooth as getting my hotel today.
I have a good confident feeling about Adel so I'm sure it will be good and then I can say thankyou to Egypt for an unforgettable experience. If I'm honest, I'm more exhausted after finishing Egypt then I was the whole of Europe! But I'm not getting ahead of myself, not in Sudan yet....
No comments:
Post a Comment