Imagine Life. Take Time and Ponder.

www.thisfabtrek.com

"They never taught wandering in any school I attended. ... they never taught the art of writing a book, either. It’s all so mysterious."
"Wandering is an art in itself. Wandering and writing don’t mix"
"Writing demands commitment and if one thing your wanderer is allergic to is that very quality of commitment, for once one is committed he runs that very risk of failure ..." Wanderer - Sterling Hayden.

 

This Fab Trek, a travel blog, photography and journey.

I am Manfred. This is the fabtrek site, a road journey since 2004. After more than 3 years in Africa in a 6-wheeled Land Rover, now overland to India, in a Mercedes 307, if I get there. For frequent updates follow me on Twitter or Facebook. Share it round if you like it.

08 Feb 2010 - in Cairo, Egypt. Another pyramids tour.

I’ve given up on the idea of learning Arabic here to any substantial degree. I mean I can read it, or better decipher it, even write it, paint the letters. But the meaning behind words remains a mystery, the grammar a hidden secret. I am just too busy, have a backlog of untold stories, pictures not shown. Someone pointed me to Sterling Hayden, special agent, actor, communist, writer and wanderer and he seriously lamented the dilemma that "Wandering and writing don’t mix". There is no hanging loose while committed to keep a website/blog updated. But what can we do? So it is. Also I do it for myself, so I don’t forget.

An afternoon in the Egyptian museum and Tutankhamun for free (nice surprise as was sure I would have to pay extra to see the treasures) and nicely presented. Most of the rest of the thousands of sculptures, sarcophagi, reliefs and paintings stashed on top of each other, gather the dust of decades, typewriter descriptions from 40 years ago, or longer or a lot longer. When was the museum built, by the French? 1900? Some stuff seems it was put in place then and not moved since then. Treasures are certainly in abundance in Egypt. But also the museum receives thousands of paying visitors every day, some stuff should be moved to different locations, like the hundreds of sarcophagi they have, you might line them up in one row, oldest to youngest, the longest museum in the world, maybe along the Nile River, one sarcophagi every 5 meters, a walk of several kilometres, with good descriptions accompanying, open till midnight. Dream on Cairo.

Still I walk out dizzy, the beauty is unique, I need to spend another afternoon there.

Well then on to the extended Egyptian pyramids tour. From Giza we travel south to Saqqara, Abusir, Dashur and Meidum. All of these sites predate the Great Pyramids of Giza by a few years. Saqqara exceeds Giza in archaeological importance, here the step was made from mastabas (tombs) to pyramid construction, step-pyramid first, still there remain countless questions and theories regarding the why and the how?

As always I prefer the walk in the desert to all explanation babble given by guides, who behave as if they themselves built the monuments all guides touch the frescoes, tip on them with a pen to explain particularities. I prefer escape the crowds, the French and German olds that behave like boy scouts on a weekend trip, the Asians always all protected with silk gloves and mouth masks and the Americans always in shorts and bad trainers even though even Egypt has a winter season. Is windy, cloudy; these are the cold days, morning temps are down to 5C.

And then there, out in the desert, away, walk on sand, halfway between Saqqara and Abusir, between the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid of Dashur, out here away I can appreciate these wonders of civilisation.

Down south from Cairo so much, a detour to the oasis of Al-Rayan, and further to the world heritage site of El-Hitan seem imposing. El-Hitan is famous for the whale fossils found there, the beauty of ancient cliffs that once bordered the prehistoric ocean here in the middle of the desert against the brisk winter blue skies is what fascinates us. Later around salt lake Al-Qarum back to Giza. Then Sunday morning, 7th of February glistering in bright yellow light I see the Great Pyramids for the last time as we make our way back to central Cairo. Will I see them ever again? I need to work off the backlog before leaving Cairo. And leaving Cairo will be soon, too soon.

01 Feb 2010 - in Cairo, Egypt. Egypt's African cup win.

There finally, with no forewarning, is usual for such events, the decisive counter with the one genius pass by Mohamed Zidan in an otherwise dull match that has just been dragging on for 85 minutes. A quick pass through the legs of a Ghanaian, and Mohamed Gedo scores nicely into the far right corner.

That was it then. Tears and disbelieve one the Ghanaian side, astounding and only eventually real joy with the Egyptians, not even my pub wants to go as crazy as should here in Cairo so far away from Angola, the localization of the real events. Just when we thought about hanging in on there for another 20 minutes or longer of extra time luck strikes. So I’ve got to leave my beers and crawl out and take pictures then.

Well Egypt writes history, 3rd win of the CAN, the Coup Afrique des Nations in a row; no one else has achieved this so-far. Egypt today is the greatest nation in Africa and a proud people celebrate on the streets of Cairo till morning and tiredness overtakes again. A couple of 100,000 stop every car or bus, the traffic jam of honking celebrations reaches beyond well beyond what I see here in Mohandessien. The interesting fact is, hardly any police show up, cordon off or accompany the peaceful victory demonstrations, no alcohol is involved, no hooliganism, no rioting, this is a real family event, with real joy, the olds and veiled women come out, bring babies and children, bratty youngsters, and nobles. And it carries on, seems only I am tired. Welcome to Egypt.

21 Jan 2010 - back in Cairo, Egypt, after Nuweiba.

So there we go and see the pyramids in Giza; want to at least have seen the pyramids. Some number inconsistency, discovered amongst stamps and signatures, renewing my car papers causes an insurmountable problem here in Cairo. Am told I have to leave for Nuweiba on the Gulf of Aqaba and who knows whether I can get them fixed there. My papers are simply only half good now.

The pyramids are a fantastic sight this morning, majestic, sound architecture, built to outlast time; why exactly they were built is still so much a theme of speculations. Once we wander out into the desert and escape the so well known busses and masses and associated hassles, serenity sets in and the scope of the task of what it took to achieve organising and constructing these monuments becomes even more phenomenal, in four and a half millennia no one else has attempted similar. Cairo town lies to the east a bit cloudy, some rain this morning; more rain is expected.

After entering the heart of Cheops/Khufu, and I don’t feel any special energy just lack of Oxygen, but some go in there to pray, we set out, drive East, traverse Cairo, past the airport, through the tunnel under the Suez canal, enter Sinai. A lot of water, a lot of mud on the road, after darkness, trucks half submerged where the road gave in to the waters. Heavy rains and associated flash floods in Eastern Egypt have caused death and destruction. But we are lucky. The road is open, apart from debris, mud and rocks dry when we go through.

In Nuweiba, the papers are what they are, I am told not to worry too much and enjoy my time in Egypt. So we drive back, papers still only half good. The road is closed and open and closed again after another bout of rain. The news report 17 dead in rain related floods. Again we get through and arrive back in Cairo. 1000 km for not so much. Still trying fix the papers.

Christina has been with me, intends to stay.

16 Jan 2010 - back in Cairo, Egypt..

In Luxor there are two kinds of expats, Egyptologists and elderly primarily English women in search for young Egyptian boyfriends, both are boring. But I have a good time; meet inspiring Sara, Owen, Keli and others, all work on the Karnak Temple archaeological site, photographing, sketching, cataloguing, stones, that were dug out and put into storage 25 years ago, meticulous ground work that may yield insights. No envy.

I have been again to the Valley of Kings (wiki), Royal Necropolis with its hieroglyphs decorated tomb-chambers cut in rock, most were raided and robbed already in the antiquity, the tourists now rub shoulders in most, a noisy jostling masses rolling in and out. For extra charge you can see Ramsis VI and Tutankhamun. This is where quiet reigns; for 2 minutes even all alone, I spend more time and let the walls speak. The pharaohs, gods and priests come alive, in golden on blue on the ceiling. The walls show birds, owls, crows, ducks, rabbits, snakes, cobras, crocodiles, keys, eyes, bodies without heads, arms tied, prisoners. The couple leaves again, on the walls I realise women bent over amphorae, worship the cobra, gods with bull’s heads, the red painted sun everywhere, dogs, gods with the croc heads and monkeys around a table, and the eagle, wings spread and the disk, circle, sun. Well I am not an Egyptologist, just enjoying my quiet 10 minutes...

Karnak Temple (wiki) another morning and hot day in Luxor is impressive too, I enter early but already at 8 the tourists run me over, the obese masses with bad hair cuts, cheap trainers and nervous armpits. Just roll over me. The thing is there is just one Karnak, one Luxor, one antique Egypt in the world. All come to see it, the Germans, Koreans, Russians, Hindus, with tour guides, the different languages explain with rubbish wit and joke at every corner...

The heat rises in the day, the crowds lighten up a bit. The snack bar sells tea for 15 E£ (2 Euros), I am treated to one for free. I look different? Paint the Arabic signs of nuun and yaa’ and associated words in my diary, the days lesson in my read and write Arabic book. Before lunch time I meet Owen and friends again. When the heat is greatest I head back to the massive pillars of the Great Hypostyle Hall, 16 rows, 134 columns, 3 meter each in diameter. What a world wonder, what a site?

The new friends invite me for dinner, the next day I leave Luxor, I need to find my way back to Cairo, need sort out my car paperwork. My chosen route takes me to the desert. “Bagdad 145” reads a sign on road to the Dakhla oasis. 500km from Luxor, a bit smoggy, brick burning chimneys, the possible cause in the morning revealed.

Al-Qasr, Islamic village, Said shows me round for small bakshish. The minaret is Abuuyid, 1000 years old, the mud mosque reminds me of Djenne, Mali. A quiet morning, I am alone. I head on, approaching Faranfra oasis air becomes more humid/foggy, the White Desert is then completely overcast. To bring the desert to life it takes light, the conditions today, a triste grey experience, no luck with photos. No point to hang about. 900kms roll straight into Cairo. Only after sunset the skies turn red, I have been to the desert with a car with no name. Give me Sakara! my beer, hard to attract the waiters’ attention, on TV the Angola Africa cup has commenced.

I meet Christina in Cairo. I will stay a bit in Cairo. If I can get the paperwork sorted.

08 Jan 2010 - Luxor, Egypt. West Bank.

So I walk on the West Bank, manage to leave them all behind, the tour busses and associated interior, the con artists; I try to reach the Valley of the Kings from the other side, via a desert mountain path, seek the quiet. I set out late, hung over, no preps, no food; a mere bottle of water. The guy in the ticket office recommends go where everyone goes, on my insisting he points out the route, "May God help you" he smiles. I find the tranquillity soon, a steep, 1000 or more steps climb, up and further up, where the wind blows. No signs, nothing really indicates the track. Some heaps of stones every now and then. Even they get scarcer. A canyon opens to the left/south-west the desert plains further south, cannot be the Valley of my desire. Eventually my path turns north, slightly, right direction but only kind of, I keep going over the plateau of black basalt stones, without finding the passage back east towards the Nile and the Valley of Kings which must be somewhere nested in between. Another canyon and another one; I feel lost, a bit, I mean; I could always track back, but the shades are getting longer already. In this land where nothing grows, no animal lives, suddenly a crow rises and circles and then another one, as if sent by the Egyptian Gods it descends on one of the heaps further away, indicating the path. Soon it rises and descends into the Canyon to the right, shows me the way, which I find. Way too late when darkness falls I arrive at the entrance to the Valley of the Kings. 20km of walking, sober and tired and sun burnt and sweaty salty and hungry and happy. I'll go back tomorrow

07 Jan 2010 - Luxor, Egypt. Sights, tea and falafel.

My friend Daniel has taken the night train to Cairo, I am back on my own. After seeing the Luxor temple this morning I sit here in the Suzanne Mubarak gardens, a slightly upmarket cafe, at the Cornish, the Nile just 40 meters away, where the cruise ships are docked, sit in the sun under the diffused blue skies and palm trees, distorted loud Egyptian and western (Mariah Carey) music bleats out of the speaker system, Children eat strange greasy pizza, Egyptians like it here, this 7th of January Coptic Orthodox Christmas.

I have a tea, cay, I had one this early morning at 7 in a local street cafe while I was reading my new "The Arabic Alphabet, how to read and write it" book when a hustler sits down near me. At this early hour, all is closed, is a holiday, even more is closed. "Happy New Year! Espagnol or Français, where you come from?"

I ignore him, is too early and too late for New Year babble. "This is not nice, here we talk" - a bit more aggressive, so quickly.

I ignore him again. "Is this a camera?" he asks now.

This is getting much, I finally turn round. "No it is a TV!"

This is more than he can handle, "OK, I go then." I see him find another victim in a minute, down the road.

The waiter comes, wants 4 E£ (Egyptian Pounds, 1 E£ is ~0.13 Euros), I give him 2, is anyway twice the regular price, I acknowledge I am a tourist. "You’re a good man, come back next time, please" he laughs, I pat him on the shoulder.

Days ago in Aswan a guy overshot, tried 32 E£ for 4 teas. I wanted to laugh, cry, smack him. You must at least judge your tourist to not make a complete fool out of yourself. We paid the usual (tourist) 2 per tea. 1 is the universal tea price in a street cafe. Well here in my slightly upmarket Suzanne Mubarak gardens I pay 7; it comes with distorted clipped Mariah Carey sound. Is still less than a Euro.

1 E£ is also the universal price for a double falafel sandwich, again I am accepting the tourist 2 E£ price tag. There was this guy today, USDs in his eyes, asked 4 E£ on my "Bikam" – "How much" question. I say "La ackoea" – "No my brother". Hand over 2. But my USD guy insists. Ok, I hand him back his falafel pack, take my 2 E£ from his hands, he is speechless, baffled and I say the appropriate "Sukran ackoea" – "Thank You my brother". I go around the corner and buy it for 1, the most excellent falafel, eggplant, fries, tomato and coriander sandwich. The guy did not even dare asking for 2.

Yes falafel has become my main diet here; is just too good and cheap.

Well this has been the Upper Egypt temples tour. The Temple of Philae near Aswan, the Edfu Temple and here in Luxor the Luxor temple and the Karnak Temple complex and so much more in Thebes, also just across on the other, western bank of the Nile, Valley of the Kings. These Temples are the grandest and most impressive ancient monuments and sights I have come across in my life. Pretty much nothing can compare. I know why I always wanted to come to Egypt.

But entrances are expensive: 10 for parking, 30 for ferry, 50 for entrance ticket as in Philae, all in E£, it adds up and there are lots of temples, sights, museums. And I will stay on to see what I can now. Is another reason to stick with cheap food, falafel. And thanks God it is delicious.

I will send photos, soon, from falafel and sights.

04 Jan 2010 - Aswan, Upper Nile, Egypt.

A full day of cruise on the Nile in a felucca, those small sail boats that toured the river in similar fashion for 5 thousand years. Only discussing the price is a hassle but I am an expert in this. Then it is a serene experience, one of the best things done in Egypt so-far. Seen the Tombs of the Nobels on the deserts edge to the Nile, hiked up to St. Simeon monastery 1km through the sandy dunes, toured around Elephantine Island, very relaxing indeed a day not on the gas pedal.

31 Dec 2009 - Hurghada, Red Sea coast, Egypt.

So what has happened: Enter Egypt, enter Africa again, down to Shams’ to Saint Catherine monastery, climbed Mount Sinai, set out at 1 in morning to view sunset with 700 others. What a crowd, some 30 Ghanaians, any other eastern and Western nation present up at 2300m.

Reached Cairo before Christmas, love it, the traffic, the crowds, the honks, the smog, the street food, the night life.

Daniel, a friend arrived, we go Alexandria, then Mersa Matrouh on the Mediterranean and Siva, western desert oasis town, huge lakes and palm orchards, stretch for 30 kms. As we are not allowed a passage via Bahariya Oasis, we track back to Cairo and the smog via the Med-coast (again).

Soon south and east, the Saint Antony monastery, Father Ruis guides us through the treasures. The cave 1000 stairs up mountain makes a profound spiritual impression. The hermit lived here in the 4th c. to escape it all. Up in his cave with a view on the surrounding desert, away from it all.

But Dan and I, app in search for it all descend on Hurghada on the Red Sea coast. Not so sure what we are searching. Not so sure what we can find here either, but is cheap. Large beer for a Euro or less, had my first at 1 PM. Wish u a good one.

23 Dec 2009 - Cairo, Egypt.

Just arrived, Imperial lounge, overlooking Nile river, wifi connection is fast, beer is called Stella, burger coming.

Below some highlights. Images are linked to stories.

Plans for the future ... as always, vague and uncertain ...

I am back from Africa, ideally a journey to Asia next...

Photography and Journey.

The mind, when pondering at night has always asked those questions: What are you doing in corporate wonderland, banking, university, office, church? Who is the other animal asleep inside, thinker, punk, creative, vagabond, healer, anarchist, artist, writer, rebel, photographer, intellectual? Oh God dare you to think.

So before checking out into the real world I was a financial markets derivatives trader, a cowboy trader, a clown, an anarchist, almost schizophrenic. But to get it right you need to be all of that. Read between lines to read the lies. Until you discover it's all statistics, gamble, manipulation and too many lies to see through, right what they taught back in university.

Knowing sure there'd be something I could do if walk out, I take the decision following the old old dream and leave on 22nd of July for a multi-year journey, intend to explore the world traveling overland. Leaving is easy, not special. Take on what comes.

I am father to twin boys Daniel and David.

As a photographer, writer - I have a long way to go.

The fab trek is ongoing. Enjoy. I take you on this journey.

The journal entries top right tell the story - or you start right where it started.

How to navigate?

The story is best understood reading from Prep time on, back to front. Or just jump in it where ever you feel like. Click on the Maps.

Left top Navigation bar (<--), look up "journey", you find continents and countries. Guinea, Africa.

Right top Journal bar (-->) lists pages as they appear online. The journey in chronological order. Also try the years pages: 2007.

Try the Galleries, e.g. Mali-Gallery.

Try Google ThisFabTrek (<--). Just under the Nav pane.

How to get most of it? Download the latest browser version, no matter which one, just stop using the old crappy versions. Expand the browser window to maximum. Try hit the F11 key.

All images are clickable (open a 1536 x 1024 image). All links and images open in the same browser tab/window. Use the back button of your browser. To open links in a new tab hold down the Ctrl-key or right click.

Enjoy!

www.thisfabtrek.com