Finally arrive in chaotic Khartoum!

Beyond the Saddle ....Cairo to Cape Town
Howard Fairbank
Sat 3 Feb 2007 18:52
*position: 15:35.962N 32:31.705E In the centre of downtown Khartoum.....Hotel Meriden in fact!

Our (Douglas and I on the tandem) time trial started at 8h07.....we were setting a blistering pace having passed all 6 riders in of us, when we hit a patch of soft sand where there was still road construction on the go...and oops next we knew we were struggling, and then down we went..twice in fact...and that blew our chances of a podium finish! The tandem is not good in the soft sand....we ended up about 8th fastest,,,but will be back together for the time trial on the next section...each of the ten sections has one...and that will be the limit of my racing!

Thereafter we went with police escort to The Blue Nile Sailing Club in the centre of Khartoum.....this was a long, slow but very interesting journey.....more in the newsletter.....I'm heading off to have a well earned bath and then explore the chaotic Khartoum! More soon,,,,