Getting into Egypt is a piece of cake. Getting the van in however, was another story, involving frustration, endurance, expence and a good deal of red tape.

Our journey began on the nineteenth of April 2018 in a small village in southern Germany south of Freiburg where we both live. The next day and not without mixed feelings I surrendered the keys to an employee of C.E.T.A.L. S.r.l. in Monfalcone, Italy. The Central European Terminal and Logistics S.r.l. is part of the Grimaldi Group, the shipping company that would hopefully, safely and soundly deliver and unload our van eleven days later in Alexandria.

Although Grimaldi is huge and has several daughter lines and services, they don't offer any ferry services to Egypt, only roll on roll off and freight container services. Sisa shipping, a turkish company, ran a ferry service between Iskenderun (which funnily enough means Alexandria)  in Turkey and Diametta near Port Said. It was the only service available after the Arabellion reached Egypt in 2011. It ran from 2012 after the Cilvegözü border gate with Syria was closed forcing turkish and other T.I.R. traffic to seek an alternative route south, untill April 2015. After the change of governement in 2014, the ro ro agreement was not renewd. Turkish - Egyptian relations are not the best at the moment. 

We needed a booking agent because it's of course inconcievable and not at all lucrative to book directly. Fortunatly our booking agent Transcamion GmbH in Munich, despite the fact that they without wanting to offend in any way didn't really want private customers, felt obliged to help us because we had initially contacted them back in Oktober 2017 prior to the new no private customer policy and because they had been recommended to us by a frequent customer of theirs (www.offroadkangeroo.de) who untill recently offered tours to the white desert but don't anymore on account of the uncertainty involved. 

We then took a taxi to the train station and a train to Venice - Mestre, another taxi to the airport (Marco Polo) and flew to Cairo via Istanbul including a seven hour stopover. In Cairo we checked the progress of our ship, the M/V Fides, very unnecessarily at least once a day on www.marinetracking.com. Closing time or the date by which the van had to be handed over at the port was the twentieth of April 2018. The estimated date of shipping was the twentyfourth and the estimated date of arrival the first of may. The schedule issued by Grimaldi Euromed S.p.a. didn't quite agree but that was of no real concern as all times were subject to change at their discretion. According to the schedule ports of call along the way were going to be Pyreus, Izmir, Limassol und Ashdod.

On the twentythird of april Transcamion sent a mail asking us to confirm our details on the attatched draft of the bill of loading. Which we did and thought it a little odd that a day before departure paperwork still had to be done and that the van probably wasn't even on the ship. On the twentyfourth we saw thanks to marinetraffic that the ship was still moored. But on the twentyfifth were relieved to see that it had left Monfalcone, hopefully with the van on board, surely we would have been informed otherwise. The next day we were eager to see if the ship had made up for time a little and was likely to arrive as scheduled in Pyreus but lo and behold it was on its way to Ravenna.

During the following week our ship "the old faithfull" criss crossed the Adriatic Sea. From Ravenna back to Venice, thence to Koper in Slovenia, needless to say, none of these destinations were scheduled. On the thirtieth, one day before its scheduled arrival in Alexandria, it was still on its way to Pyreus. Our agent Transcamion had no idea of what was going on, wasn't able to reach Grimaldi, apparantly, and concluded that they had "probably slightly rearranged something". Neither could he give us any information whatsoever concerning the whereabouts of the bill of loading, we only had the draft.  

Our Agent in Alexandria required us to be at their office a few days prior to the arrival of the Fides with all necessary documents, specifically the carnet, the bill of lading, the vehicle registration and the owners passport. Being aware of the delay we were in no hurry to leave Cairo but after eight days a change of scenery would probably do us good and so on the twentyninth we travelled by train to Alexandria. 

On the second of may, Marinetraffic showed us that the Fides was on it's way again and that the destination was directly to Alexandria. We immediately informed Transcamion of the good news and that the ship was due on the fourth, "only" three days late. Once again we asked about the bill of lading to no avail, still no reply from Naples.

The next morning we informed our agent in Alexandria and were able to come to the office an hour later. Nermien Mamish the managing director of Consolidated Freight Service, would not be there in person and we should ask for Saleh who would be expecting us and with whom we would start the process of getting the van out of the port by having the carnet stamped that very afternoon. I had read about Nermien in other travel blogs and forum conversations where her services whilst being a little pricy were highly recommended. I had allready been in contact  with her since last October, allong with Transcamion during our planning phase and so we were expected, had been quoted and were later very pleased to hear that her conditions remained as agreed upon.

The new Adresse is:

Consolidated Freight Service

24, El Pharana Str. 2nd Floor

Bab Sherk, Alexandria-Egypt.

Tel. +(203) 4809119 / 4819412 or +(203)4863295 / 4863285. Ext.:105

Mobile. +(203) 22404884

E-mail. nermien_mamish@cfsegypt.com

www.cfsegypt.com

Facebook.com/cfsegypt

(she uses whatsapp aswell)

An hour later we were on our way with Saleh who unfortunatly speaks next to no english, high spirited and confident that within the two or three days proposed by nermien we would be on our way. We were concerned about the bill of lading and for the time being hoped to get by with the draft. Perhaps Transcamion would have good news for us that evening. We wouldn't, contrary to the plan, get the carnet stamped today because whilst Sig is the vehicle owner, she doesn't really ever drive the vehicle, I'm the driver, but because I'm not the owner I'm not allowed into the port to fetch the van when the time comes. So we'll have to come again on saturday  when Sig can sign a proxy so that I too can enter the port. 

Together with Salah we took a taxi to the office for the administration of passports, immigration and nationality. The whole building was chockablock, even the stairs, with no fathomable system, no queueing up, a lot of shoving and bustling, loud, very warm, stuffy and filled with a variety of parfumes. Eventually thanks to Salahs' elbows, choice of vocabulary and queue hopping ability, we had a stamp put in our passports on the same page as the visa. it read "Residency untill 20.05.2018" I was still pondering upon it as we hurredly wove our way along the street back to the taxi waiting for us in a car park just round the corner, after all the visa was valid for three months so why not validate the residency permit for the same period? Eighteen days wasn't going to be long enough. Why didn't Salah ask us how long we intended staying in Egypt?  Why wasn't he asked? I asked him, but Salah speaks no english and besides we had allready reached the taxi. It's a wonder how fast a man with such short legs can walk.

The taxi took us then to an entrance with arabic signs where Salah took the next hurdle. I still don't know where we were or what was done there, Salah speaks no english. Not as crowded this time. I got the impression that here too it was imperative that we were present in person. Salah spoke to the officials, and they would then have a good look at us assuring themselves that we were the persons Salah was talking to them about. 

The next taxi took us along the sea front to the ATCE, the Automobile and Touring Club of Egypt. The equivalent of the ADAC in Germany or the AA/RAC back home. Here we were the only customers, and the centre of interest was our carnet. All of the officials were friendly, with the exception of the guy with the residence stamp.

The last taxi for today took us back to the office where we met Nermien. We were greeted very kindly and fiendly, had a coffee, and the whole process was explained to us, what we had done today, (the second building had something to do with police, I think) what we were going to be doing on saturday, what should with all luck happen on sunday and what might take till monday or tuesday. We now had to pay the fee in cash and in euros or dollars. Perhaps we could have paid in egyptian pounds, but we did'nt ask. We should have. It was by now late afternoon and we were quite happy with the progress we had made today. No news from Transcamion.  

The fourth of may was a friday, so we had to take the day off and do some sightseing ( Pompey's Pillar). Otherwise no news from Transcamion. On the fifth (the Fides had arrived yesterday) we walked back to the office and were soon on our way with Salah in his car to the Marina Shipping Agency who were the agents for Grimaldi in Alexandria. We had to show our passports and vehicle registration to very unfriendly people and it was quite obvious that their relationship to Salah or with C.F.S. wasn't at all cordial either. Salah had what was without doubt a difficult discussion with the people behind the counter, followed by prolongued phone calls after which he disapeared for a while. Upon his return, vexed and out of breath he proceeded to the cashier counter then returned with what we deemed to be a reciept to the aforsaid counter where Sig was summoned to sign what was probably the bespoken proxy and that was it for today. We couldn't go to the port because they had to apply for port passes to be issued, but were told that we could get the car tomorrow. Yipeee !!! at last. Hopefully the van is still in one piece.

Later that afternoon came a whatsapp from Nermien that Marina had a problem with our papers. Of course the bill of lading. The problem however wasn't that it was a draft but that my name as shipper and consignee appeared on it, whereas on the carnet Sig appeared as the owner. The rest of the day was spent communicating with Nermien and Transcamion, trying to find a way round the problem. Today was saturday and so today and tomorrow nobody at Transcamion would be working. Nonetheless I informed them about the new situation and that the bill of lading had to be changed to the effect that Sig had to be registered instead of me. The fact that we only had a draft up untill now and that any form of communication between Transcamion and Grimaldi hadn't apparently been possible since weeks and that we now needed the whole thing to be changed preferably yesterday wasn't reassuring. When I handed over the keys in Monfalcone nobody had a problem with the papers. Transcamion didn't hint at any irregularity as they asked us to confirm the particulars on the draft, which one would have thought they would have done had they noticed anything after all they weren`t doing this for the first time. Nermien spoke to Marina about the possibility of a proxy, as Sig and I are married, but Marina would not budge from their position. It was all in all a very frustrating afternoon, I still don't believe that the name on the carnet and the name of the shipper on the bill of lading and the name of the cosignee on the bill of lading have to be identical. 

The next day (sunday) we had to come to the office and go with Salah to Marina once again. On our way we console ourselves with the fact that the hotel isn't far from C.F.S. Salah is very gloomy today. After two hours or so at Marina where they check our documents over and over and make photocopies of everthing including my passport, we are told to come back again tomorrow. Salah becomes even sullen and I've given up. Later Nermien per whattsapp tells us that the bill of loading has to be changed and that Marina is irreconcilable, but that we wouln't have to come tomorrow and that C.F.S. (Nermien) would inform us when Naples (Grimaldi) their agent (Marina) the new bill of lading had emailed, which if was done on monday would mean that C.F.S. could beginn the process of recovering the vehicle, which as said usually requires two to three days. In other words thursday at the earliest. The rest of the afternoon as can be imagined was spent ranting and raging. I wrote more emails to Transcamion hoping they would have some influence on Grimaldi, knowing they wouldn't be read untill monday. By evening i had calmed down a little, we'd just have to wait and be patient. 

On monday we bought an egyptian simcard and very soon afterwards an sms from Vodafone informing us that it was valid untill the twentieth of may. The people in the Vodaphone shop had entered the residence stamp expiration date on the registration form. I had allready in one of my numerous exchanges with Nermien expressed my displeasure about that stamp and said that I was sure that if stopped by the police on the twentyfirst I'd be in trouble whereupon she was sure the only thing the police would want to see would be my driving licence. This time I wasn't going to be reconciled as easily and spoke to Nermien once again about it and added what had just happened and that I wanted the stamp to be prolongued, or that I was certain I would have to have it extended in two weeks (today was the seventh of may) somewhere in the middle of nowhere and at greater expence. From Transcamion of course no news.  

The next day, very much to our surprise, Nermien writes that the corrected bill of lading has arrived, that we could be at the office at ten, that Salah would go with us to Marina to get it and that aftrwards we would go and have the residency stamp extended as that office is just round the corner. Almost too good to be true, I thaught.

At the Marina office, we politely, humbly and gratefully pay five hundred egyptian pounds amendement fees and are very sorry indeed to have caused them so much trouble. Salah lets a sigh of relief as we enter the street and make our way to the passport office where the congestion is as worse and where we have no luck. Salah calls Nermien but nothing can be done. All residence stamps issued for the first time are valid for the same period of time (in our case for 18 days, from the third to the twentieth of may). Well I doubt it. Nermien explains to us later that it's normal and that a thirty day prolongation automatically follows and that we shouln't be in any way concerned and that everything would be as right as rain. Well I doubt that too. Salah then accompanies us to a Vodafone shop where the simcard at least is extended untill august at no cost.  

That evening Nermien writes that if possible we should come to the office tomorrow at nine because a signature is missing. Salah would take us to the port where I could sign. Something to do with the bill of lading, that I agree to the amendement or that I confirm that it was undertaken at my instruction or whatever.

The following day, wednesday the ninth of may, was to be the longest, from nine in the morning till four in the afternoon. We walked to the office  and drove with Salah to the port. Sallah's mood was much improved this morning. Eventually we were given our port passes and the two to three day process that Nermien had spoken of began. What followed cannot be expained in detail, we were in and out of at least a dozen customs and police offices, half of them more than once, upstairs, downstairs, in containers, through courtyards, along corridors, waiting rooms, halls and copy shops, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of hundreds of other customers, fixers, pedlars, beggars, and hundreds of officials, members of their staff, tea boys, cleaning ladies, police and military. Salah was in his element and at his best today, and we did our best to keep up with him, he had no time for conversation or for explanation. Seemingly every scrap of paper had to be disgussed and argued about, not only in our case, others seemed to be asking what was to be done next and the officials seemed to be saying you have to go here or there and get this or that. More disgussion followed and every now and then an argument. or some fierce shouting and agitation occured. 

Late that afternoon a customs official drove with us in Salah's car to the van. Thank heavens it was indeed still in one piece. I had had more than one nightmare during the weeks before about it. In Monfalcone we were in such a hurry to get the van ready in time, getting our stuff together for the flight and a couple of weeks in hotels, getting everything from outside the van inside, jerry cans, spare tyres, sand ladders and the such like, securing and tying the sand ladders as a seperation wall between cabin and load bay, that I forgot to take the heater fuse out. I was worried that at sea, something may fall against the switch, everything had just been chucked in, turn the heating on and set fire to something lying in front of the blower outlet and then the van. I awoke bathed in sweat and cursed myself for not having installed a master switch. A second customs officer was waiting at the van and together with Salah they walked around the van and talked with one another. One of them looked at me, smiled and said "safari"? "yes" I  replied and he then said "ahhh !!" and asked me to open the passenger door and the sliding door. He then had a look and asked what was in the two aluminium boxes, "cooking and tools" I said, took one out, began to open it and he waved and said "it's ok, it's ok". He then asked how many spare tyres I had, took a look at the bedroom and that was it. Unfortunatly it was now too late to get the number plates. Salah appologised and said we would do that tomorrow. Releaved and exhausted we then make our way back to El Raml Station, our drop off. That night we celebrate and have a few beers.

The next day we walk to C.F.S. for the last time. Nermien isn't there. We say goodbye and thankyou to the staff, and  make off to the port with Salah for the last time. Getting the number plates isn't that easy and Salah has to fight his way through once again. The same procedure as yesterday, the same commotion, once again through half a dozen offices that we'd been to yesterday. Then a few new offices, two large and compulsory fire extinguishers, the number plates and at last we drive out of the port after being controlled twice at the gates. Outside we say goodbye and thankyou to Salah who is as pleased and reieved as we are and set off toward Abusir.  

We had read about the roro thieving that happens and decided as many others do to leave something in the cabin in the hope that it would suffice. An old navi, a pair of sunglasses, some gloves. As expected that all disappeared but they weren’t satisfied. A ten centimeter gap between the sandladders and the ceiling was enough to get an arm in and rip a pouch from the wall that Sig had sewn herself and which was attached to it with press studs. The contents, our electric toothbrushes, a wrist watch, spair reading glasses, shampoo, toothpaste and other cosmetic stuff. Even the small red horn, a good luck charm from Naples that hung on the mirror in the cabin was gone. Needless to say we didn’t bother reporting it, that would have been pointless. We can’t say either where it happened, in Monfalcone, at sea, in Alexandria, perhaps even one of the other ports, who knows. At least nothing of real value or essential for the journey went missing, perhaps our good luck charm bought us good luck after all.    

Travel Costs for the journey excepting fuel, food, and hotel :

The Austrian “pickerl” (Motorway toll)…………………………………..................................................................................….…….9,00 €

The Arlberg tunnel toll…………………………………………………….........................................................................................……….10,00 €

The Brenner Pass toll………………………………………………...........................................................................................………………9,50 €

The italien motorway toll…………………………..........................................................................................…………………………….10,20 €

Taxi monfalcone port to train station (we shared the taxi with someone)…………................................................………..5,00 €

Train Monfalcone to Maestre.........................................................................................................................................20,50 €

Taxi Maestre to airport marco polo (expensive, but he drove fast).............................................................................35,00 €

Transcamion……………………………………………………………........................................................................................…………..1,100,00 €

Flight Venice / Istanbul / Cairo………………………………….....................................................................................……………..600,00 €

Visa Egypt (at the airport)………………..................................................................................….…………………................……….42,50€

Taxi cairo airport to hotel…………………..........................................................................................................…………………..10,48 €

Underground hotel to Ramsis station (good value)……………………...................................................................……………….0,20 €

Train Cairo to Alexandria (first class !!! unbelievable !!!)………………………....…………………….........................................……….4,68 €

Consolidated Freight Service…………………………….................................................................................................…………930.00 €

Marina (bill of lading amendement fee)…………...................................................................................................…..…..21,38 €

Total…………………………………………………………………......................................................................................................…….2,808,44 €

• Thankyou Marco
• Thankyou Nermien
• Thankyou Salah