When I want to set off at 4am my escort is not there and they dont let me ride alone. One hour of negotiations and I finally set off. 250 meters later I am stopped at a military checkpoint. Different jurisdiction and they dont let me continue. 30 minutes of further negotiations and I can continue. A strong tailwind blows me to the border and I see a long line of Sudanese waiting in the sun. The border is closed and no one knows anything. At 11am the border opens and the Sudanese storm in. Its the most corrupt border I have ever seen. The Egyptian officers make people wait until you pay to get your passport stamped. There is no water and after waiting another 90 minutes I am completely dehydrated when I finally cross to the Sudanese side. Its such a different world. Everyone welcomes me into their country and assures that this is not like Egypt. Passport procedures take 5 minutes and instead of corruption I am invited for lunch and tea.
I had off into the desert on a small road that goes through a remote part of the Sahara with almost 1.000 km to the next city. There are no shops or anything for hundreds of kilometers and the desert heat my water supply diminishes too fast. At night I see a camp next to the road and ask for water. They are goldminers and invite me to stay. We sleep in beds that are put outside into the desert and eat a tina portion of food. I am still hungry but know that this is everything they can afford. There is no botzled water and I am back to drinking Nile water.