Lost for Words

Pyramids at night

Aswan 29.11.11

I guess it’s time to give you an update on my whereabouts. I wanted to write on Sunday, but Sunday was a sad day, so it would not have been fair.

Reflection

The week after Cairo was very good. I found a much better side of Egypt, partly because I understood that I just had to try to cooperate with the military instead of fighting it. The first pleasant thing that happened was that I got my Visa for Sudan.

Abu Simbel

From Cairo I wanted to get to Aswan quickly, because I thought that might increase my possibilities to get a place for Wombosi on the barge (car ferry) that left on Monday, so I just took time for the most famous attraction of the Nile valley, starting with the pyramids of Giza. Instead of doing the normal walking around the pyramids, I rode into the desert on horseback, and locked at the pyramids by night from there. My guide was friendly and invited me for dinner with his family, and offered me a place to sleep too, but I preferred Wombosi.

Next morning I went south, and yet again the Egyptian hospitality was fantastic. Bound to stay in towns at night (because of the military) I parked my ride in a quiet spot. Sometime later two men came and invited me for tea, water pipe and fruits, and Wombosi stayed in their courtyard that night.

Movember

The following morning I got some very good falafel as a thank-you from a hitchhiker, before I got to Luxor and visited the kings. They were expensive and disappointing. I arrived in Aswan on Thursday and went straight to the ferry-company, and got the typical and encouraging answer “come back on Saturday”. I figured I needed to find some friends. There are no cheap camping grounds in Aswan, and to pay for so many days was no option, so I prepared for living in the street.

Ahmed

I was very happy when I found a park with public toilets and parking space on the street in front of it, and celebrated with sitting down in the park with my guitar. I hoped to meet some nice people, and guess what; there came two young men, who sat down some meters away from me. A couple of songs later they came closer and asked if they could listen, and some more songs later we started to talk.

With my friends Islam (right) and Mido (left)

When they asked me about what I would do the rest of the day, I said I intended to go to an internet-café. Ahmed said I could come home to him instead, and get free internet there. When we got there, he said I could as well sleep there too. It would be far better than sleeping in the streets, so since then I have stayed with Ahmed and his family. Isn’t that fantastic?

The following day we went to Abu-Simbel together. It’s a long drive, but the temple was nothing short of breathtaking. The last days I have enjoyed experiencing life in an Egyptian town. I have been to the gym, swam in the Nile, drunk a lot of tea, walked the streets and had good discussions on politics and gender.

Desert

Sunday was the day of sorrow. In the morning, I went to the ferry company (they had said “come back tomorrow” on Saturday), and got confirmed what I had suspected for some time. Wombosi did not get a place on this week’s barge to Sudan, and I am forced to stay here in Aswan with him for a week. My friends here were happy to hear that, and that means a lot to me, so if it wouldn’t have been for me missing the appointment with Daddy in Khartoum, I would not have been too unhappy.

The end is the beginning is the end

To cancel Daddys flight to Khartoum made me very sad. I had looked a lot forward to our common days, and I know he had done so too. In addition I feel that I failed him. I take appointments seriously. Now we aim to meet up in Northern Ethiopia, so that we at least get the last 3 or 5 days together.

Later that Sunday the real tragedy happened. Ahmed’s grandfather died. The house war full of sorrow, and I didn’t know what to say. We buried him, and spend big parts of the next two days sitting and grieving. It is interesting to witness a different culture so closely, but it’s not always easy to know how to behave. Due to my complete lack of Arabic, I cannot really say anything, and don’t always know how to behave either, whom I should greet, when I should stand and when I should sit.

To sum it up, it has been a very good time since last time. The waiting here in Aswan, and the death of Ahmed’s grandfather are sad, but the love and kindness shown by the people here are so overwhelming. I feel that I don’t repay them in any way, and that’s not how I wanted it to be, but I receive with gratitude. I look forward to the remaining time here in Aswan, but also to Sudan (even if it will be a rush), and even more to meet my family in Addis. Man, I am blessed. My life consists just of good better and best, 22 degrees and sunshine! See ya.