The last chapter of this diary of the expedition to the desert in Egypt Kamal is filled with nostalgia and joy at the same time. Because living experiences like this is not something that happens every day.
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March 25, 2014: Day 13
The White Desert of Egypt
During the tail of the good trip highlights are presented. Today is one of the days that most wanted to they arrived, our passage through the White Desert, one of the best treats that nature has occurred in Egypt and had heard long before even that plateau Gilf Kebir, for example. This gift of the eastern Sahara on Egyptian soil is more known and accessible to where we came from, not being required entry permits and bureaucratic paraphernalia. But does not make it less beautiful because it is a true wonder worthy to be enjoyed completely.
We arrived in the morning to White desert from our hidden behind a dune camp. First we have seen from afar and has left us with his mouth open. And the desert landscape again change their appearance dramatically to pass the sea of dunes to a kind of Monument Valley dressed in white.
The rocks have been designed by the geomorphological random time since this is part of the Ocean. When this was withdrawing further north came into view an extraordinary underwater landscape where he began acting wind erosion and the force of the sun. The white comes precisely from sunlight facing many marine organic sediments (animals, mollusks microscopic particles, etc ..) I had. It is a very strange phenomenon but we owe the ability to walk on the moon without a spaceship get on Cape Canaveral.
Here one does not know where to look or what to photograph because the options are many. Suddenly a rock that looks like the shape of an owl as unfinished land projecting formations resembling mushrooms appears. All this, of course, dyed white that sometimes becomes nuclear. Sunglasses are a good ally to avoid being blinded by the white glow that makes this place so special.
One of the most incredible wilderness on the planet
We have risen to a kind of viewpoint where we could feel the excitement of being contemplating is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful deserts in the world. And although I know that "from another planet" is too trite, I can not not pronounce in a case like this. Especially when I greatly passionate about aliens, different and empty places where everything is too weird explanations abound.
The White Desert of Egypt is at the height of Uyuni, Atacama and company, being able to perform on their own, through a travel agency from Cairo or better yet hiring an excursion to far ahead as Bahariya oasis, Farafra and El Kharga. It is not expensive and if there is the possibility of camping better.
In this high in the middle of the white desert it reached me enough coverage to call. After a few weeks of solitary confinement I was pleased especially talking to Rebecca and get the best news. And is that "no news". There is a popular saying in English that makes it very clear my position "No news, good news". That is, that all was well, as he had left it, except a painful defeat of my football team that should not have been fully implemented in the match of the weekend.While it is true that here everything is relative and my forofismo relents because it has to distract him.
Knowing the Cueva El Obeit with the archaeologist who discovered
Before we entered a cave discovered (The Obeit) twenty years ago by Professor Fekri Hassan and having an inner morphologically very remarkable as it seems a mosque with dome and all. The preserved rock art is very limited but quite curious, since those who inhabited the cave closed recorded on the walls of schematic rock lion footprints. There was also reflected some hands by blowing technique, which is common in other areas that have podidio see during this trip. The best, no doubt, even more than the cave itself, is accessed with its discoverer and French arquelólogos you know it by heart.
The camp has outdone once again. Although there are no more Pronatura, since it is our last day of desert road. We camped in the middle of the white desert and panoramic everywhere we look we wonder. Shortly after eating (or rather, malcomer) I went out to walk alone to feel the force of the desert, looking curious formations and take some pictures.
Last sunset in the desert
I found a place where I sat listening to the hypnotic silence made me count the heartbeats as chasing his watch. I did not want to return but to stay until sunset. Although I finally did and I shared the last sunset with friends and Ivana Andrés. Today, for the latter has not been too bad. In fact I found one of the best of the whole trip. Certainly the white desert was a good place to hide in the horizon and enjoy the purest of the large fireball that burned minutes before if you do not situabas shaded goodbye.
This afternoon has been flavored party. He has been the Governor of New Valley to greet and socialize with organizing the expedition but I have the feeling, or rather certainty, which was to appear in the photo. It has really spoken to a few people, since the English do not control too much, and has brought us a band Oasis to end up having a private concert with himself in which none of us have been involved. I must be antisocial but these purely formal and lacking presence of mind disturbed me. Both for himself and retinue of bodyguards and advisers this visit is only stained sand for a while and if you've seen I do not remember.
Roasted lamb and traditional music Oasis
We have had special dinner, two newly slaughtered lambs that have been made to fire buried in the sand. It is something that is in Egypt on special occasions and surely this was it. For them it is a big barbecue worthy for large events and we are grateful vary our repetitive and tasteless diet in recent days.
Music has abandoned the bureaucracy and has been the fire with us. He has been singing and dancing while the fire consumed the last shreds of the whole team that he was happy to be there but sad at the same time saying goodbye soon. This international and intercultural experiment has made me grow and increase my belief that we are not as different as we may believe. At the end of the day we are all human beings and we love the desert alike.
I have retired slowly, without saying goodbye, to the tent. I looked at the starry sky and I have prepared my humble room to let me into the arms of Morpheus and be waved until dawn. Tomorrow we go to Cairo and awaits a reception at the height of the expedition. In the Mena House Hotel, at the foot of the Pyramids, this beautiful love story will close in the Libyan desert. As did the great explorers from her nineteenth century. But this time the protagonists are us and I can not be more proud and happy to have been part of such an adventure.
The drums sound bounces off the stone hill behind my shop. The figure of a desert fox shyly away from here. And then I start to write before sleep ...
March 27, 2014: 15th Day
Kamal Expedition puts an end
Yesterday I could not write anything in my travel because it was not only the last of issue but was also intense until dawn. I find myself returning to Madrid on a flight from Egypt Air and within hours I'll be eating at home with my family. I can not believe it's over, you again have so far most unusual landscapes of the Sahara, the stars of midnight and good stories in front of a fire that is never extinguished.
The last day was very emotional, perhaps more than I expected. The nearly nine hours away from the White Desert to Cairo, forming a special convoy guarded by no less than four vehicles of the military, I went on endlessly. Especially when we had to spend two hours in the extreme heat of Bahariya, swallowing dust and pride duty officer who bureaucratized our way to feel important. Such delay allowed us to closely monitor the first oasis after two weeks of desert.Bahariya are more than half of drivers Expedition Kamal, and his smile was felt to be for a while at home. Although they also came to Cairo, as we had to share together the closing ceremony at the Mena House Hotel and seal in the best way an unforgettable trip.
Received at the foot of the pyramids
I'll take the last hours, with the time to approach the hotel on foot, accompanying military SUVs and the first sight of the Pyramids of Giza. I could not think of better end to close the issue in front of the Great Pyramid one of the oldest hotels in all Egypt as it did the Prince Kamal, Laszlo Almasy and company. Lagrimaban eyes me more than normal and the heart was beating frantically. This was too shocking for me ...
After passing security checks all we passed a Ford Model T in the twenties used by Kamal el Din himself, whom we offered our respects in that plate set in 1933 by Almasy now see so far and lonely. Numerous posters announcing the event, in which we would be received in a ceremony by the Minister of Tourism and ambassadors from different countries. Being able to carry this out without a problem is the best image of an Egypt that is aspire to normality he always had and return to receive so many visitors as before the revolution we've all seen on television.
A final group photo, with the Pyramid of Cheops behind us, was the flash of a long goodbye that none wanted to arrive. While before we had candy to go to shower and enjoy a moment in a huge and comfortable room. I looked in the mirror several times to see me after spending around thirty minutes in the water bath and let swallow all the dirt accumulated in the desert for many days.
Closing ceremony of the Expedition Kamal in the Mena House Hotel
At eight o'clock in the afternoon closing ceremony so all our rooms leaving Fumos find ourselves in the hallway or in the main hall where the event was held began. The before and after they were worthy of being immortalized and whom I had crossed without knowing who they were when they had been with them a long time. Shaven, perfumed, not scabby skin tanned but ... some, some with their finery. It was a strange and funny at the same time situation. Quite a look at us, recognize us and exclaim game - How have you changed, damn it !.
Mena House Hotel is a palace of great runners, crafts in every detail and huge lamps that lit someday not only explorers but also presidents, monarchs, ambassadors, writers and actors posh Hollywood. But yesterday was our day, the day of Kamal Expedition, to remember and thank all lived.
The words of each other occurred as desert images projected from a large screen. In between the dishes they were being devoured, yet strangely miss the work of the expedition cooks who so deserved the biggest applause of the night they took. Humble and ordinary people who had become part of us, in this great family we learned to build in the desert.
That gala, glitz and strangers made me feel very strange. It's like I need time to adjust to hustle, to see other people. Also many diplomats and guests posh proved me absolutely alien and out of place. But at least beside me at the table as Macieh friends, Joana, Andrew, Teresa, Ivana, Patrizia or Andrei, with whom he had shared less affluent than those dinners.
Sad farewell
When the music sounded people started getting up and slowly Expedition members were firing us. Hugs filled that room in which many knew could be the last time we saw each. It was only 15 days were absolute strangers and yesterday I could not avoid watery eyes to rain on the cheeks.
A desert brought to our panel firms and phrases became a photocall improvised a backdrop for many nights served to project presentations archaeologists and scientists who accompanied us on this trip. On that screen even we learned to love our environment, without forgetting that it was the prelude to a dinner in which absolutely nothing left over, or repetitive beans that were part of our diet from start to finish.
With the warmly lit pyramids had five hours to sleep on a bed of 2 × 2. But ... how strange, I missed my small, worn and dirty tent. And the stars of the night, follow the tracks of the desert foxes or be able to understand the language of silence or the light of the Milky Way.
Somewhere in Gilf Kebir and Jebel Uweinat has been a part of me. Maybe you are in the endless dunes of the Great Sand Sea or in one of the caves of Wadi Sura . As Almasy wrote, "I love the desert." They are the only words that come to mind to close this daily journey to the unknown Sahara. I LOVE THE DESER
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