Finally a ferry between Venice and Egypt?....

[trans-african]

RORO,
The Chad-CAR border was very slow, about 6 hours. This was mainly as they didn't have a clue what they were supposed to do (CAR side) and had to contact someone else in another town. Other than the delays, it was ok.

The CAR-Sudan border was also very slow, it took us about 4 hours one day, then they dissapeared and then it took a further 4 or so hours the next morning. The CAR side was awful, we were threatened with guns on 2 occasions and were extorted left right and centre. You are made to feel as though there is little choice but to pay up. The Sudan side was much nicer, we were offered tea and happily pointed in the right direction. Forget about Carnets in CAR, they barely knew what to do with a passport, let alone anything more than that. Sudan knew what they were doing, albeit they were slow.

The Sudan-Uganda border was much quicker than the rest at 2 hours, and most of that was chatting to the guards. Carnet was stamped into Uganda, no problems.

We would not attempt this route again, and be under no illusion, it was not exactly pleasant. In Chad we only really experienced small scale corruption amongst officials. In CAR though, we were ripped off by everyone we came across, except for a few Missionaries. We were constantly cautious about who we approached etc. We were followed by bandits for (what seemed like) a good while, about 50km out of Bangui. They were shouting at us in an aggressive manner and one of them fired shots into the air. We have no idea why they decided to turn around, as they could have quite easilly overtaken our large vehicle in their pickup, despite the rutted road, although we are just thankful they went away.

There are quite alot of checkpoints along the route, and we got ripped off at all of them. The presence of guns if quite intimidating at times, especially when they get a bit agressive. Neither of us have any notable command of the French language, and in hindsight, this was very fourtunate, as on many occasions we were able to leave a situation because we didn't have a clue what was being said etc. At the border with Sudan, we refused to pay a demand for US$1000 and were threatened with guns (counting to 3 in an ultimatum style to get us to pay), this happened twice. In the end we paid $100 and they were satisfied. We have heard stories similar to this from other travellers in the region, and have now witnessed first hand how hostile it is in this area. In Sudan we were not hasseled like we were in CAR, there were no requests for bribes, and the gaurds were friendly so we offered them to take lunch with us, and we had a good time. The locals in the southern region were not too friendly, and my wife had a fistful of pebbles thrown at her by a small child, whilst it's mother looked on in approval (luckilly the child was not too forceful). Other than that, there were no major problems for us.

I would certainly not reccomend this route unless you are prepared to put up and deal with all of what I have described above. All in all, I think we were ripped off by about $1500-2000 from leaving Chad to arriving in Uganda. I will write this up into a report with pictures over Christmas and post it up somewhere, and include more detail on a day-to-day basis.

--------------------------------
Trans African

[roro]

Thanks Trans-african for your report.
I won't try CAR with these conditions.
Why have you choose CAR and not directly across Tchad to go to Soudan?
(may be it's worse or forbidden due to Darfour problems).
RR.

[gvdaa]

Border between Chad and Darfur seems to be open for tourists again. Just read a report of some Germans that drove Abeche-Nyala-Obeid last month. Do not have details (yet).

[alongridehome]

Sounds positively charming as I sit here and contemplate my route plan across Central Africa on a bicycle. I shall be pedalling to Yaounde in the coming week to apply for a visa for CAR and DRC, the idea being to cross from Bangui into DRC and head east towards Kisangani. My thread here http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...l-me-its-54509 doesn't get any rosy replies, although no-one here has actually travelled in this region. Your crossing through CAR sounds a bit stressful and gives the impression that one doesn't get the sympathy vote when showing up on a bicycle.

[zeroland]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Certainly not many people have done that route in the last 20 years. Look forward to reading about it in more detail. Are you keeping a website?

[tdijim]

Originally Posted by *Touring Ted*

3 days ???? wtf ??

Took us 4 hours which I thought was crazy !!

I have just crossed from Venice to Alexandria on Visemar Line, brand new ship, very smooth, quiet, comfortable, almost empty (only five other vehicles on the car deck, mostly overlanders), if you like pasta the food is ok. A good comfortable service. As all the trucks in the hold were going to Egypt, the captain avoided the leg to Syria, and we got to Egypt a day earlier, although the last day was slow as the port was not ready and told the captain to slow down, so we got in at 5.0pm on the Saturday when mid-day was original expectations.

Formalities getting off were three hours. Only a cursory check of the luggage but all vehicles and bikes get a whole-vehicle X-ray done by a passing truck which x-rays the contents looking for guns etc. Dogs sniff around, thats it. Onto the next check. You have a scrum for rusty number plates. Best to get a fixer to sort the licence etc, and this took three hours from docking to driving out the main gate number 4, and onto the Cornich for the very good road to Cairo. Got into Cairo hotel at midnight after a meal half way.

So far so good. Went to get Sudanese visa, which is best done in Cairo as apart from Addis this is the only consulate that can issue visas without reference to Khartoum, and we were told to come back following day to collect - so, a 24 hour service. Consulate is a poky office takes some finding, at the back of the Embassy, which is next door to the British Embassy. There is a stationary shop in the same street which does photo copies. You need: Passport, application form, two photos, copy of application form (done at stationary shop, where you fill it in), plus letter of invitation(British Embassy, or in our case, Lord Steel on House of Lords notepaper saying we were good blokes). Visemar Line do a good job, well worth checking out (google).

It could be a helluva lot worse. Reading the stuff on the barge Wadi Halfra, the worse is to come. - Jim Allen

[moggy 1968]

Am I right in thiniing you need a carnet with a hefty multiplier for egypt? (and syria)
given the ridiculous costs and restrictions of travelling to and around egypt (as detailed elsewhere) I can't see them making a go of this.

In true African style the short term profits of the few filling their own pockets threaten the long term benefit of tourism to the country for the majority

[Endurorally]

Originally Posted by moggy 1968

Am I right in thiniing you need a carnet with a hefty multiplier for egypt? (and syria)
given the ridiculous costs and restrictions of travelling to and around egypt (as detailed elsewhere) I can't see them making a go of this.

In true African style the short term profits of the few filling their own pockets threaten the long term benefit of tourism to the country for the majority

Well, we met an American travelling on French papers and in aFrench car who reckoned Egypt is the same as everywhere,a mark up of 2.5 times the value of the car (scrap value), we argued its eight times in the UK, also got a very low estimate of the value of the car agreed by the RAC Travel Dept.
There were five overlanders on the ferry, thats all, so how much longer it goes on for goodness knows, the freight truckers in the hold may well be why this ferry exists, but, its a link with the Eastern Africa route and good that it exists. Saves massive time and costs of going through Greece, Turkey,Syria and Jordan, Venice to Alex in three days is brill, dont knock it. Boat being new is spotlessly clean and comfortable, very quiet and smooth, one of the best ferries you could wish for.Visemar are trying...

[misterpaul]

It's only the RAC that hit you with 800% for Egypt.

Australia - 200%

South Africa - 200%

Other European countries I'm aware of - all 250%

I think it's reasonable to adjust Moggy 1968's statement to:

In true rip off Britain style the short term profits of the few filling their own pockets threaten the long term benefit of tourism to the country for the majority.

[moggy 1968]

misterpaul
you might just be right there ;o)
it is great they are tyring but I can't see it succeeding unless these countries become more amenable to travellers

[roro]

I don't understand very well if the the CPD is mandatory or notif you travel with Visemar.
Can you be very clear about that point?
BTW only 3 hours for formalities to hit the road to Cairo seems to me very intersting (with or without CPD)!
Is it due to Visemar services (like Adriatica in the long past times) ?

RR.

[DaiB]

Hi to All do anyone know if this service is still working cheers Dai

[reggwensie]

Hi, If you check this thread, you'll find the bad news..

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ancelled-57423

[Chri8]

Here people reported in june, that their trip was cancelled and that the service might be resumed in october 2011.

Regards

[somaLEE]

At the end of the past August I received the news from Visemar Line that this ferry will not operate during this year.

Today I'll send them an email again asking for it.