On the road at last. Cairo to Hurghada 470km

At last received the clearance from customs and after paying $703 for the privilege of the delay, I managed to get away around midday and am at last on the road again moving through Africa.

Drove 470 km from Cairo to Hurghada and hope to do even more tomorrow as I have a full day. The car is going very smoothly too.

The roads once you get past the Cairo ring road were great. 6 lanes for most of the way and not busy at all. You have the Red Sea on your left with odd glimpses of Saudi Arabia across the water. No doubt the watch towers (ranging from super delux to a tin box at the top of some ladders and dotted about probably every kilometre) keep an eye on the neighbours.

Got up my hostel just as it was getting dark. Cheapest yet £4.30 for 4 bed mixed dorm. Nice place but not much space in our room and 3 youngsters all on their phones planning and chatting and the first signs of mossies. So perfect slept the night on the roof in my missus tent with a roll mat and sleeping bag. Great to see the night sky but no stars last night. Means you wake early too although the 4 or 5 competing mosques done well with that at about 4.45am. So I was up showered and away by 7am heading to Aswan.

There will certainly be fewer posts now as busy driving and signal is getting very poor.