I've had a similar experience to Emma's ... We were meant to be going with Neill through Syria and don't we wish we did, but retrospect is a fine thing. At the time it wasn't going to take a long time to do the shipping and we couldn't affor being turned away at the Syrian border...

We also went with Grimaldi Lines, through a handler in Athens. If i'd know this I'd not have taken this route, they didn't tell me it was Grimaldi. Anyway, we've now been in Egypt for 2 weeks. We've missed one Aswan ferry and it looks as though we're going to miss the next and therefore miss christmas with family and friends in Nairobi.

All I can say is, if possible, DO NOT SHIP, unless you have a crazy amount of time on your hands.

As far as paperwork goes (so far) we've had similar experiences. So far we've had to pay $300 and we haven't even entered the port! We've also had to arrange a special permit for me, as the registered keeper, but foreigner to enter the port - yet more dosh and time.

We didn't get a letter, but it seems that our handlers here in egypt took it upon themselves to send the carnet to the Automobile club in Cairo the day before a public holiday and two days before the two day long elections. In all this is an extremely bad time to be dealing with port customs and formalities, workers in the port and the shippers are stopping at 3pm due to the protests, many don't come in for work and the elections are taking up valuable days.

If we do end up getting out car by Wednesday (In shallah, but this is not the first time I have said that! - Last week!), can any body recommend the quickest way to Aswan? I was going to go the Nile route, but I have been suggested going down the red sea on a quicker road and cutting in to Luxor.

Thanks, Ed

Neill, how are you getting along? I trust you've had much more luck than we have?