UPDATED January 9, 2013

BY Michael Coo

IN Company, Tour d'Afrique

14 comments

UPDATED January 9, 2013

BY Michael Coo

IN Company, Tour d'Afrique

14 comments

Cairo: 2 Days to Go…

The preparations have begun.

Over the last few days staff and riders have been heading out in all directions, trying to nail down the last to-do’s before take off.  From Sudanese visas to IV lines, Cairo is a vast and chaotic city, where a simple shopping list can turn into a day’s adventure quite quickly.

This however, is not to say that there are no pleasant surprises along the way.  The medics quickly learnt that when one pharmacist tells you no, you simply find new pharmacists until one gives you the ‘yes’ you’ve been looking for.  Jumping behind counters, getting into the back rooms and opening up storage cupboards, Luke and Nix were not willing to come home empty handed.  With a little persuasion and perseverance, and perhaps some help from Google translate, our med supplies are fully stocked.

Thumbs up for OJ-
Orange stand, Cairo

Chef Jon on the other hand had another stroke of unexpected luck.  It was the sort of luck that one jokes about whilst standing in line to pay for a pile a goods likely well beyond one’s budget.  That sort of joke where somehow you’d be the winner of an anonymous competition and you wouldn’t have to pay for anything.   This was at least what Jon insisted on when his grand total somehow added up to the even number of $0.

“No, thank you, if we could just pay and go now that would be great”

“No no, you won!”

“Ok thank you, but we’d really just like to pay and go”

“No, you are our 1,000,000th customer, you don’t pay!”

“So if you can just give me the total, we’d be happy to be on our way now, thank you”

And on and on, until one by one, the crew caught on to the reality of the situation, which was just that dreams do come true, and sometimes in the least likely of places.

14 Comments for "Cairo: 2 Days to Go…"

we are following your blog and my brother alan knight on this journey. we hope you get a chance to update frequently and put on lots of pics. this is so exciting. good luck to everyone.

I am following the adventures of my brother ,John Faulkner.
Good luck to everyone, it is a major achievement to just get to the start,with all the training and organisation required to be away for this length of time.

Thank you for updating not only this blog but the Twitter feed as well, we are very excited to follow not only our son Jared but also read the stories of other cyclists. Thank you

Best wishes to all riders and staff for a safe, fun, epic ride across Africa. Look forward to reading the updates for the next 4 months.

Go Pascal Go!

Cheers, chris wille tda 2008

Go John F. From the Waikato whanau!

Being a sectional rider from 2012 I wish all of you all the best. I know about the hardship and the roads. Be careful out there.

Good luck all. I so wish I were joining you guys for the next four months. Heh, Jon, no falling asleep on truck roof tops!
2008 alumni

We are following Caroline on her epic journey through Africa. All the best to her & her co-riders!
Carolientje, doe dat goed hé!!!
Greetz from Down Under 🙂

    I’m an excited follower of her epic journey as well.
    Le Tour d’Afrique, c’est chic!
    Lots of fun adventures to you and your companions.
    X Dominique

We are following Bridget along this awesome trip.
Hope to hear lots about the progress and see lots of photo’s.

    Go Bridget!
    So excited for you!

This would have been my ultimate tour but beyond my capabilities. I am a TdA fan and have done sections of these 3 tours: Orient Express, North American Epic, Trans Europa. Have my eye on the Bamboo Road.

Wishing you: NO falls, NO flats, NO failure –
just Happy Trails!
Walli

Anxiously following our Bridget go girl go !! 🙂 Love frum a minus 15 Holland

great photo Nics
xx

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