I'm Back......

Sorry people for not posting for so long internet access has not been good thank you to Fiona for filling in. Here is what I was about to post a few days ago before the hotel internet crashed. Will post more later with all the latest shocking news.

So we final got the boat out of Saudi neither of us were sorry to see the back of the place. For a country that has gained so much wealth from oil it is a dump and the people have very little manners. A number of the cars had items stolen out of them over night luckily we did not. The only good thing was the price of petrol. But you have to wonder how a country with so much wealth has so many poor people. The most amazing thing we saw was a little old man wash our very muddy car with less than a gallon of water.

And so back across the Red sea on a boat that should have gone to the breakers years ago. Sudan another country not going on the list of places to return to. It took most the day to get though customs and finally ended when every crew pay $80 nice little earner for the man in the hut. This now meant we did most our 750km drive to the hotel in the dark arriving at 1:30 am. The road went from billiard smooth to pot holes the size of England made all the more interesting by Lorries driving along with no lights on. We stopped on route at a road side hut for some food. We were told in was Lamb and bread. Not sure it was Lamb but tasted very good and not suffered any ill effects. By the time we reach town there was a convoy of about 15 rally cars following us. Not a good time for me to miss a turning!!

This morning we continued to head south to the Sudan border and hand over more money to another man in a little hut. But first you had to see a man in another hut who filled out a form. You took this to the money man and handed over your money. He then stamped the form and you went back to the first man showed him the stamp and he would then stamp the carnet. Robbing bastards. Although one funny moment the driver was meant to do this by I had gone with Owen’s passport. They never spotted it but the man taking the money did ask if I was Michael Owen’s brother. Cheek do I look like a Nancy boy football player?

And down the road in to Ethiopia this is the country I had least been looking forward I guess as the only images we see are of staveing people in times of famine. But what a supprise we got. All the passport and custom people were there with extra staff and all the paper work ready we just sailed though and no money changed hands. Due to the speed we had time for a snack at another roads side hut before booking in the control. There were large crowds but they all stayed back and no one touched the cars unlike those Arabs. Sadly the 2 timed sections did not see any of the top crews pick up penalties so we still sit in 4^th place. The 200 km run from there to the over night in Bahir Dar will be a drive I will never forget. We had a police escort for 100 km until his brakes caught firer. But in every little village or town the road was lined with people waving, clapping and cheering. Groups of school kids had made banners welcoming us. People who had next to nothing were wishing us luck it was unbelievable. No Iphone Xbox or flat screen TVs they are just happy to have water to drink and food to eat. This is a country of people working very hard to make the best of what very little they have. When Philip Young ask Owen and me for lunch last year to persuade us to do this event he said we would see and do things that will change our lives today was one of those days.

Much to our surprise we drove through a rain storm so we had to stop and ask does it also snow at Christmas or is it just that Bob Geldof block telling an Irish yarn.

So a couple of question cards to catch up on.

Alison Forrest

1. Yes it does need sorting but not sure how but one thing they need to be able to speak English.
2. Dog.
3. Alreka Johnson

Gillian Norris

1. There are too many people involved for it to be a lie.
2. Mini skirt (although a white jump suite might do it)
3. A little of both

Rob Thomas

1. Yes overall it’s a good thing if they leave Bananas alone.
2. Owen Hillman Imp. Matt 106 Rallye
3. Personality all day long

Update on Anton’s number 3. Think we many have the answer working in this Hotel.