Sun 30th November – Aswan – Borgi is taken to the barge.

Its a long slow hard day in Egypt, but finally the Borgi is loaded on to a barge. We should all be in Wadi Halfa on Tuesday evening.

Sat 29th November – Aswan number plate change

Up early and move the motorcycles out the sand. Then into Aswan to see the ferry man. We get the order from Frank to take the Egyptian number plates off. Now we are making progress.

We visit Isis temple on the Philae Island.

Friday 28th November – Aswan Birthday party

We search out a welding shop to get the rear suspension welded African style. I have no idea where he connected the welding earth and with 200litres of fuel on-board we stood back while he welded. A small child was crawling under the car tightening nuts while this was all going on. The rear door which was failing to close after the dune roll also had a new latch welded on.

We stopped of at a lub and grease shop and had the oil replaced. The oil sample confirmed that if the Borgi was in an oil refinery or power station the engineers would recommend that it was shutdown. But the accountants have there way and the borgi runs to South Africa.

Now that what I call a big ball joint.

Its Daves birthday tonight so we arrange a surprise party and arrange for a boat to pick us up at the camp. Then a relaxing cruise down the Nile with a few beers and back for a barbyQ.

Thursday 27th of November Aswan Bridge Base Jump

Let me introduce you to the Australian and South African team that we met. On top is Henri, on the right is Adam and on the left is mad Dave from Australia.

Aswan has a nice new bridge. We use this to get to our campsite. (Adams place has been closed down).

Nice day for a base jump.

May be aye, maybe naw.

With armed bridge guards running towards us he makes the jump!

He was ok. His shorts are EN safety approved!

You tube video link to follow once we find a fast internet connection.

And Mollo proudly presents:

THE VIDEO

Wednesday 26th of November – Abu Simbel

We leave the Borgward behind and take a taxi to Abu Simbel to see the temple. The taxi travels in a convoy with other tourist buses and armed guards. We pass the turn off for Wadi Halfa, the road is blocked off, looks incomplete but could be driven in the Borgward. It takes 2 hours to get to Abu Simbel, what a fantastic building. The temperature here is much higher, it located in desert on the bank of Lake Nasser.

When we return to Aswan, Mollo and myself decide to stay in a hotel for the night to get cleaned up and get some washing done. Frank heads back to the Nile camp to help the motorcyclists out of the sand.

Tuesday 25th of November – Camp by the Nile

Early this morning we head in to town to see the Ferry man. We travel as a big group with the Dutch motorcyclists and the South African Australian team. We finally get an arrangement made but no money is transfered. There is still a feeling of slight risk that we may not get on to the ferry
We decide to visit the traffic Police to see if we can drive to Wadi Halfa. We meet the General in charge. He says no way.

The Toyota Land crusier that the South African team has a problem with the rear differential. The diff lock is jammed on and the electric motor that actuates it is not communicating with the ECU. Colin spends a few hours with them trying to unlock it.

Mollo goes to the Egypt air office to see if his air ticket can be changed. A reservation is made but it still has to be confirmed. Frank and Mollo also visit the Sudanese Consulate to extend their visas.
In the evening we travel across the nile looking for a new camp site. We travel through the Nubian village. We finally find somewhere suitable on the banks of the nile.

We meet the dutch bikers and unload all their equipment on to the borgi so that they can cross the sand. Even with no weight on the bikes are impossible on sand. But it is worth it for the views of the Nile.

Monday 24th of November – Aswan Camping in the fields

We clean and repack the Borgward to make some space. There are a lot of things cleared out.

Maintenance and greasing of the Borgward is carried out. The borgward is losing oil. It is leaking at a slow rate from the top of the oil filter. The oil filter was removed to see if it could be adjusted but the nuts are jammed an locked. The parts list also does not show any seal which can be replaced. When the engine is running and oil pressure is at 3bar then there is a drip drip drip.

The filter is heavily contaminated with a soft material. Difficult to know what it is but it feels like gasket material or cotton cloth. The good news is there is no obvious metal shavings. (2 x 0.75 mm small steel chips).

A rear suspension clamp has a crack which we will need to get welded. A non-metric nut (1/2 inch UNC) is also missing from the rear suspension.

In the evening we head to the souk to get some shopping done and pick up a a few spares for the Borgi.

23rd of November - Aswan

Today we got up early to go and make the payment for the ferry to Wadi Halfa. Unfortunately Frank finds out that our reservation has been sold to someone else. This gives us a big problem for Mollo as he has a fixed flight date in Khartoum. Frank tries everything including hiring a barge and bribing the man but all to no avail. So the options are to wait one week or possibly drive to Sudan (but the border is closed).

We bump into the Australian and South African guys we met in Cairo . They too could not get on the ferry. They have camped in a field on the edge of town, we swap telephone numbers as we may camp with them tonight.

We drive to the Aswan dam and visit the Russian Egyptian memorial.
On the way back we take a different route and end up in a war zone in town with burning tires and road blocks. A 4x4 guides us back to town.

Once back we drive to the edge of town to find the South African camp. A quick beer first on the baks of the nile then we phone to find the location. It is well hidden from the road.

We set up camp. Later three dutch motorcyclist arrive, they have a contact for a barge that may sell earlier than Monday. So we will see.

Anyway a big campfire party is had followed by a good nights sleep .

22nd of November - Luxor

Last night we arrived at camp Rezeiky in Luxor. We have breakfast then head to the Temple at Karnaak. No time for valley of kings today as we need to get Martin to Aswan.

We arrive in Aswan after dark and have dinner at the Panorama. Martin goes to Airport. We search for Adams camp, its on the other side of the Nile but unfortunately it has been shutdown by the police. Its means driving back to Aswan to find a hotel for the night that can take the Borgi.

20th to 21st of November Alexandria to Luxor Thunder Run

Its just a blur - Cario at 3 am, heavy smog, a back route through Islamic slums. Then out on to the Transafrica Highway - a run down road deep in to Africa. Street lamps all the way, speed bumps on autobahn, drivers with no lights was the norm.

Borgi firing like a dream.

More data to follow

20th November - Alexandria Engine Repairs

Disintegrated piston, honing in the field did not get rid of the deeply gouged cylinder walls --> engine rebuild needed, next best town --> Alexandria. Our friends from AAC help us find a good work shop there.

Disintegrated piston, honing in the field did not get rid of the deeply gouged cylinder walls --> engine rebuild needed, next best town --> Alexandria. Our friends from AAC help us find a good work shop there.

	Borgi gutted!
Alexandria workshop
	All 6 cylinders bores get drilled out
New bearings
	New piston rings, not a 100% match, but it'll work
Crank shaft are ground on the lath.
	Cylinder liners get machined to size.
	liner is pressed into the cylinder bore.
Managing the local experts is a full time job :)
	After being pressed in to the bores the liners get a final cut to assure a true ID.
1 new piston and rod. (#4 on this picture)
new connecting rod bearing
fitting the piston rings
piston rings were initially a little too large...
...then they were ground to fit perfectly ;)
	pistons being assembled into bore.

	pistons are in.
complete engine is loaded into a taxi to drive back to the other workshop for final assy into the Borgward.
	Engine mounted.
	All done! Next stop Assuan! R&R badly needed! :)