Egypt’s Black and White Desert normally hosts a smattering of tourists every evening. Student groups traveling from Cairo, tourists looking for a break from Ancient Egyptian monuments, and expats taking short vacations bus down to the desert on chartered tour packages, sleeping under the stars while their local guides set up camp and drive jeeps.
James and Pollyanna Townsend-Rose are not those tourists. No local driver piloted their jeep. They drove into the desert themselves. From England.
The Townsend-Roses call their trip “Sand Bags to Sand Dunes 2010 : an eight-month drive from England to South Africa. Their route thus far has taken them through France, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Turkey, Syria, and Jordan. Upon leaving Egypt, they plan to continue through Sudan, Ethiopia, Mozambique, and other African nations before finally arriving in Cape Town.
Adventure Plans
James told the Daily News Egypt he and his wife Pollyanna, both 28 years old, were inspired to make the trip after their recent marriage and James’ departure from the British Army.
“I had decided to leave the army and before ‘settling down’ to a family and a future we decided to have an adventure, he said.
The Townsend-Roses had originally planned to drive through China, after James competed in the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race. However, financial constraints changed their route.
“China is difficult . as you need a guide costing $100 a day, James said. “We still liked the overland idea so [we] started to look for destinations. It was easier to get a vehicle and sort out our plans in the UK so that formed an obvious starting point.
“Cape Town seemed a natural end point, James said, “I was born in South Africa and before [my family] returned to England, we spent three months . driving a beat-up VW Combi through Southern Africa. So, to a certain extent, it’s in the blood.
Pollyanna said she was less familiar with the route, but excited nonetheless.
“I was keen for this route as, unlike James, I do not know Africa at all, she said. “I have backpacked before, but this is my first overland trip in a 4×4.
After deciding the route, the couple’s next task was deciding what vehicle to use.
“A Land Rover Defender or a Toyota Land Cruiser are the only two real choices, James said. “The British bit in me decided on the LR (British make) . less comfortable but simpler to fix.
“A LR never dies, but is always slightly sick, James wrote in the couple’s travel blog, also titled “Sandbags to Sand Dunes .
The couple decided to make their expedition – whose expenses are paid for through corporate sponsorship evident in 11 placards plastered all over the vehicle – a charitable endeavor.
“We wanted to raise money for charity while having the adventure, Pollyanna said.
The couple settled on three charities: the Prostate Cancer Charity (James’ father died of the disease 10 years ago); Help for Heroes, an organization helping wounded veterans; and Hope and Homes for Children, an organization assisting youth across Africa. To raise the money, the couple held a charity ball, raising £15,000 in an event they described as “a resounding success.
Any extra money from the 11 sponsors goes to the charities, in addition to money donated through the couple’s blog.
With their money raised and route planned, the couple left London in February. Since then, they have driven overland across Europe, crossed the Bosporus into Istanbul, and headed south through Damascus, Amman, Cairo, and then further into Africa, stopping to camp and tour sites along the way.
“Probably 20 people a year do this trip or a similar one, James said, “The internet has been a Godsend… we have read many blogs which have helped with our planning preparation, as well as our decision-making en route.
“Everyone has their own experience, he added, “Some good, some bad – mostly good.
The Townsend-Roses have met with a few difficulties since beginning their adventure – however, not always in expected ways.
“Safety is an ongoing concern, they said, especially as they make their way through Sudan during an upcoming election. “To the contrary though, we have not heard one lander say one bad thing about their experience in Sudan.
“Strangely, our biggest concern is road accidents, they said, “You cannot drive the way you’ve been taught. When in Rome, do as the Romans.
A cultural cruise
Yet the couple said their experience has been overwhelmingly positive.
“From France to Egypt we have only been welcomed with smiles and open arms, they said, “Especially in Syria, Jordan and Egypt . Arab hospitality has lived up to its expectations.
James had previously visited the Middle East. Even so, he said Syria, Jordan, and Egypt have provided him with new experiences.
“I have been to Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE before this expedition, he said. “The last three were quite different from Syria, Jordan, and Egypt. The huge oil and gas wealth in those countries makes them different, more western-orientated, and harder to define as ‘Middle Eastern’. I am sure the . charm is there but it is harder to find under the mobile phones, fast cars and yachts.
The couple said they have been especially surprised by Egypt.
“The word on the overlander street is that Egypt is not the nicest of the Arab countries to visit, they said, “Full of tourists and not so welcoming.
“[We] would agree with the first point but not the second, they said, “We have felt very welcome . Egypt has been great and the Egyptians equally charming.
While the travelers said they “love this part of the world, some habits die hard.
Every morning still “starts off with a good old English cup of tea, they said.
Follow the adventures of James and Pollyanna Townsend-Rose at www.sandbagstosanddunes.com
