Yep, that's a likely situation. It certainly fits.

Here's one little event that makes me sad to think the ferry may close:
I found a seat downstairs in one of the lower decks, I was all alone on the large bench seat, being one of the first on board. (My travelling companions stayed up on the roof).
The guidebooks say if you're over the age of life-expectancy in these countries you get treated with a particular respect, and they're right.

So the only people who came to share my bench seat were other elderly gents. And at least one woman. We ended up with sufficient room between us and no one tried to push in. Although everywhere else, because the boat was so crowded, people were being pushed and shoved along the seating so more could squeeze in. My neighbours were mainly Sudanese returning after family visits.

Anyway, I needed the toilet the next morning when the sun was rising over the lake. I already knew from the day before that there were three cubicles in there, two squat and one european sit-down.
When I entered there was a queue. But Egyptians and Sudanese being who they are, so welcoming, I was immediately ushered right to the front.
There I found the sit-down cubical was free, everyone was queuing for the other two and they all knew what I wanted. No worries!

When I finished, a local passenger who had just entered the room, seeing me leave a cubicle, expected the queue to move forward. But it didn't 'cos no one wanted the sit-down. And he didn't know the layout. So he shuffled around and leaned over to try to see why no one was taking the empty cubicle.

And here's the thing you never think of when on this sort of journey. This guy had never seen a western sit-down toilet. When he saw it the look on his face was complete confusion. :confused1:

Then he must have remembered something he'd seen or heard long ago, and burst out laughing.

Well, at that point I was just walking past him to reach the exit door and had just realised what had happened. And at that same moment he must have suddenly thought to himself how rude his laughter might be and a look of horror instantly went right across his face.

But by then all the other guys in the queue were laughing out loud and, most of all, me too.

So the passenger immediately relaxed again, laughed with the rest of us and we all ended up shaking hands to celebrate his first encounter with a european toilet!

Where else could such a thing happen????
(I did wonder for a moment, in all the laughter, would they want me to demonstrate??)

It'd be great if this ferry carries on and everyone continues to maintain their livelihoods in some way or other. Maybe freight only with no foreigners maybe, sadly. Or even foreigners-only as suggested above.
It seems too often in Africa that foreign-sponsored 'progress' throws locals out of work and sometimes, off their land as well.

Omar, thanks for the PM. Good to hear from you. My daughter's in London right now but I think she'll be in touch. I passed on your email address. Will reply later.
Cheers
Ken

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TTR250 - London to Cape Town

Omar,

As I'm in Khartoum and was planning on getting a Saudi visa this week to avoid having to take the ferry to Aswan, could you kindly let me know the following, if at all possible, as I need to make a decision about which way to go within the next week (although I have another 6 weeks on my tourist visa in Sudan):

1. When was this information made public? The wording seems vague about when it will open? "soon" and "within two months" from what start date? Yesterday? Sorry to ask, but anything more specific, or any later updates would be greatly approved ;-)

2. Those pictures look like they could be the buildings on the new Red Sea road rather than the Nile? But I have never been to that part of the Nile yet, but just a thought that the Arabic article you looked at might have made a mistake or have used them instead etc. Just a thought as the water in the background looks big...

Anyway, I had a expensive and big lunch to celebrate the vague hope that I might save $500 on taking the landy on the ferry. All valid thoughts above, but when something is badly organised, badly run and used to rip people off, then its hard to mourn its loss on a personal level.

After 2.5 years in Africa I'm not holding my breath though!!!!

hi roamingyak
regarding your questions ,
that was on the main news paper in Egypt 2 days ago ,and if you have been in Africa for more than 2 years soon is even longer than 2 months
the photos was from Qasttal area in the southern part of Egypt on the lake Nasser ,and the lake is so big even some times wider than the red sea ,so I'm sure the photos are not from the red sea
hope you enjoyed your meal
if i know any more news will post it ,
travel safe and enjoy

The latest authoritative wild speculation on the road opening:

New road connecting Egypt and Sudan to open on Sept 20: MENA | Top News | Reuters

" these border posts will be open to foreigners as well or will be limited to local passengers."

That's the question!

RR.

Thanks, roro, for following up on this!

The other question is the actual routing. It seems that travellers will have to drive from Aswan to Abu Simbel and ferry from there to the Eastern shore at Qustal. Google Earth shows docks in Abu Simbel as well as in Qustal. But:

1.) Will travellers be allowed to drive / ride on their own from Aswan to Abu Simbel and vice versa? Or will they need escorts ($$$) or have to drive in convoys?

2.) What will the boats look like that serve as a ferry? If they are just the same barges as before what will be gained?? Will they go several times a day? Etc.

Greetings
Achim

No good news for this season, unfortunately: The opening of the land border between Sudan and Egypt has - according to the online publication Al Masr Al Youm yesterday evening - been postponed once again to January 2013!

Here is the link (translation with Google Translate works OK):

تأجيل افتتاح الطريق البري بين السودان ومصر إلى شهر يناير | المصري اليوم، أخبار اليوم من مصر

What a pity! To see it positively, the adventure of taking the ferry remains ;-)

Greetings
Achim

There were reports that the border will "definitely" open in January...the much-wanted President of Sudan travelled to Egypt a few weeks ago for a meeting with the new President of Egypt to discuss this border crossing. Any further reports, anyone?

hopefully will start my trip end of November 2012 doing my best now to see if im able to take the road and will keep you all updated about what is going on ,
if i will take it will make a video clip with all details ,on each damn meter of it
just wish me all the luck on earth that i can take it

Omar I'm waiting for your update, I go on a trip in early March
(I hate crowded ferries

Me too!
And I'm disabled, so I can't easily travel without my Land Rover in these countries.
RR.

hi there
well if you never have been into that ferry between Egypt and Sudan
its a great experience wont be able to find it else where and it is a part of the adventure ,
at night you will never see so much bright stars while you are sailing the lake crossing the Nubian desert
its worth it , but if you have been few times on it (like me ) so i prefer to take a road specially it will save me at least 6 days ,
but all in all its a great experience
cheers

Great.. This is just what I was looking for

hi all
here is from media press regarding the road
cheers
Aswan - ASHA: Wednesday, March 7, 2012 21:52



The committee affiliated to the Egyptian ports and dry land under the chairmanship of Major General Marzouk Shaltout, which included officials of the roads and bridges to inspect ports and border zones Qustul Erqan between Egypt and Sudan in preparation for the establishment of dry ports to receive the movement of passengers and goods between the two countries.
He said As'ad Abdul Majeed city head Abu Simbel south of Aswan The Egyptian Committee began its work two days ago, where she inspected the ports land border between Egypt and Sudan in preparation for the opening of the first arterial land linking the two countries in May.
and Abdel-Majid was ending all acts necessary for the operation of the land port in the east side of Lake Nasser, which is located in the middle distance on the road to Qustul - Halfa length 55 km, with the completion of the development and paving of this road is vital in terms of the Sudanese side length of 22 km at a cost of LE 40 million Sudanese, and was preceded by ending development and paving of 33 km on the Egyptian side at a cost of 33 million Egyptian pounds.
He added that this Dry Port would increase the trade exchange between Egypt and Sudan, as well as provide facilities for the movement of passengers between the two sides .. He pointed out that the port has facilities and administrative buildings including the offices of Passport, customs, quarantine and veterinary controls on exports and imports, in addition to all the devices on inspection and weight, and also a parking lot.
explained Abdul Hamid that parallel with this, will be put paving and development through the Toshka / Erqan a length of 105 km on the Egyptian side of West Lake Nasser and the cost of up to 105 million pounds, and is in progress in the way of Erqan - Atbara Bdnqla Sudanese length of 333 km, the road will contribute to a large extent in building bridges of cooperation and trade between the two countries, especially to receive shipments of cattle and camels, with increasing Egyptian exports needed by the Sudanese markets where land port will be created and integrated customs area includes the same services offered by the Eastern Harbour

After the road, the main improvement is to reduce bribes and paperwork at Egyptian borders post... Everybody can make dreams...
RR.