A new website, a new trip

My final preparations are coming to an end. With about two months to go. I'm starting a new trip all over Egypt covering almost 5500km in a period of approximately three months and it is titled Know Egypt, to learn more kindly visit http://know-egypt.com.

I have been buying new equipment (loads of them). Begging for people to help me carry the stuff for me, and thankfully i'm surrounded by the best of friends and they made it possible.

I have a sponsor to the trip who gave me a substantial amount of money as a support for the trip, Makani, a 100% Egyptian restaurant chain. They are very excited about the trip.

Tubus has been very supportive as well and provided me with one of their lovely rear carriers, the logo carrier.

Guess I have no excuses now. Things have been going very smoothly. Today I'm meeting with my boss to tell him that I'll leave my job by December of this year. Guess it is a very big step for me. First time to quit and this is my first job. I have no idea where I'm going to but there is no way back I guess.

I'm now left to deal with my lovely mind that keeps drawing fears every now and then, projecting some lovely pictures from the future, that I'm in no need of.  My stomach grumbles as well when I think of all the comfort I'll  be leaving behind and currently taking advantage of, it is hard to live an easy life...

Cycling Around

Two weeks ago I cycled to Alexandria in one day. A distance of 250km. Apparently this is the most stupid thing I've done in my life. I had a terrible strained muscle midway and had to cycle slowly. I spent like 18hours on the road. Cycling during the night time on a high way in Egypt isn't the smartest of ideas.

I managed to arrive safely and enjoy a few days in Alexandria. A lovely city indeed.
Even though I have visited it several times it seemed different when I arrived on the bicycle.

The best thing in the trip, and I believe was the reason of this trip from the start, was that I ran into an American cyclist who has been on the road for three years cycling from the states. Charles as I was introduced is an amazing person doing an amazing trip.

This is his website if you are interested to follow http://bicycle4earth.org.

Preparations

Currently I'm going through the process of preparing for a new trip that will start next year, 2011. A bit by bit I will release all the details about the trip. Most of the people close to me know about it. Once everything is clear and solid, i will post them...

Back from the GBI

Got back 10 days ago, unfortunately I didn't have a functional computer to update the blog or upload the pictures. But i finally bought one of those little netbooks, very handy.

The trip all in all was like a magical dream... just cycling from eastern Europe, Prague, onto Eastern Germany, down to Western Germany was just crazy. All the green fields roads and lovely people.

I never imagined myself cycling with a whole team all that distance, and specially the last three days I felt like i was a part of this team, it was magnificent.

This is the link to the photos, hope you enjoy them...


http://picasaweb.google.com/sherif.halim/GBI2010#

Cycling the GBI - From Prague to Dusseldorf

Next week, on the 29th of May, 2010, I'll be flying to the Czech Republic, to join a group of 300 cyclists from several countries to cycle for charity from Prague to Dusseldorf, Germany.

There will be about 33 Egyptian cyclists, which I'm very proud to be a member of. Over 8 days we'll enjoy cycling in Europe, which I'm sure is a totally different experience than Egypt.

Currently I'm working on a big project which I'll post the details about when I'done with 85% of the planning.. wish me luck :-)

http://www.gbi-ev.de/index.php/en/gbi-2010

Siwa - Day 7

Seventh day trip to Siwa 5th of March, 2010 21:26

Total Distance 834.07km
Distance 209.37km
average speed 25.4km/h

Excerpts from my diary:
Made it to Siwa today, I feel normal, after all it isn't a multi-thousand kilometer trip or a few months long trip, but i can say it has been great cycling that road.
Today a guy at the rest house told me he felt an inner peace when he saw me. I can never imagine myself leaving that effect on someone. I do want to give hope and be an inspiration to many.

Yesterday has been tough, the usual high speed wind against me, lots of tractors, specially coming from the opposite direction.

My stupid cheap rear panniers gave me a hard time. I'll buy Ortliebs that's it, even though I can't afford it.

I loved how the desert expanded on my left and right. After 100km I took a left turn and just 20m away from the road I camped. This is how safe I felt, and a man with a broken car asked me for water for his truck the next morning and I gave him a bottle.

The weather has been magnificent today, wind in my direction and not too much sun.

I seized the opportunity and thought I better take the whole distance today and I did 210km in one day, a record for me.

I have a lot of left over food, hope I finish it with the friend and save some food money.

I'm happy, peaceful and calm...

Photos link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/sherif.halim/SiwaDay7#

Siwa - Day 6

Sixth day trip to Siwa, 4th of March, 2010

Total Distance 624.7km
Distance 101.7km
average speed 12.9km/h

(haven't written anything on that day, too tired had to sleep)

Photos link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/sherif.halim/SiwaDay6#