Well we finally did it, we left Wadi Halfa. It wasn't long before we were doubting the wisdom of setting off along a desert track in the dark in a double decker bus.

The batteries had arrived half an hour early by tuk-tuk, to our huge relief and suprise. they were full of juice. Alas we now found that we had starter motor problems. It's a stupid saying to use in a place like this, but 'It doesn't rain, it pours'. Amazingly though, with a bit of fiddling by Bill the engine roared in to life. We were mobile once more.

The tarmac heads south from Wadi Halfa, apparently for about 80km. It actually lasted about 500 metres before we hit our first detour off the road. We then came to a checkpoint and a junction. Luckily a policeman was there to gawp and point out the right road. It soon petered out to a track again.

Against Bills advice, I took a right fork at the next option. The track meandered down a track then we saw water to our right, then water to our left and straight ahead. A peninsula! I performed a 5-point turn and a spectral figure appeared out of the gloom. It was a Ken Dodd lookalike in a white shamma (ok, that's not a Ken Dodd lookalike outfit). "No road, end, feesh" he informed us. His grasp of English and the bleeding obvious was impressive.

The road, if that is what it is, is a dusty, gravelly track. The surface due to the vehicles using it has formed a corrugated surface. This is known locally as 'The Washboard'. It criss-crosses the new road they are constructing, which is marginally flatter. I expect in a year or two bus drivers will be able to cruise effortlessly down this road at speeds in excess of 20mph. We however are less fortunate on the whole.

I drove off in to the night. It was just nice to get back behind the wheel. My last driving experience was in Cairo, so at least the traffic was less dense out here. At about 1am I spotted a hare. Confused at the sight of a double decker bus it ran off, zigzagging across the road. I had almost caught up with it when the evil little critter pulled a mean trick and led me in to some deep sand. the bus stopped with the front wheels dug in. So, the first use of the sandboards.

Well, actually we were dragged out by a road roller, but at least we got them sandy.

Talking of sand, I've got a fair bit of cleaning to do. Foolishly I swept and cleaned the floor in Wadi Halfa. Everything, including my lungs, is coated in a fine layer of sand and dust.

We are progressing though, Dongola here we come!