"Wahat Al-Kharga" a Al Kharijah Travel Page by maykal

Al-Kharga was a luxury item on our trip. It was not on the direct route to Sudan, and we shouldn't really have had money or time to spare...but I thought "when am I next going to be in Egypt?", and the answer wasn't anytime soon, so that logic saw us boarding an overnight bus on a bit of a whim.

Arrival at some ungodly hour of the morning was odd...not a single taxi at the bus station, and no hotels in sight. After a couple of teas from a mystified-looking cafe-owner, we spotted a policeman who almost wet himself at the thouhgt of having two foreigners to deal with. After a lengthy discussion with the cafe-owner and a few other early morning customers, it was decided that we should be escorted to a hotel.

Sleep was the main thing on our minds...the overnight bus had not provided either of us with much more than "nowm ad-deek" (that state of half-sleepiness when your head falls down and jerks back up again), and the hotel owners forgot about us after a while. In the afternoon we set off to explore, were invited to drink coffee by some locals and discovered the market.

Returning to the hotel, the owners were agog with worry..."how did you leave the hotel without us noticing? You must have an escort to leave the hotel!" What? An escort? "Yes, all foreigners must be escorted by an armed guard." Is it dangerous then? "Oh no...very safe, very safe"...

So next morning, we met our personal armed guards, one for each of us. We explained that we wanted to see the sights, the museum, the temple, the ruined castle on the hill, the old town. A taxi was suggested, but I'm not one for taxi tours. What about walking? "Very far...ufff too far! You won't like walking. Better is taxi". It was winter...a sunny day but not too hot to walk, so I pressed the mater, and reluctantly they agreed.

Off we went on a slow amble round town, the two of us striding ahead until we heard the shouts of the armed guards complaining we were too quick. At first, it seemed a bit of a restriction, having these two cumbersome oafs keeping a close rein on us...but when we arrived at the ruins of an ancient temple, they turned out to be quite knowledgeable. Walking round the old town later, they even became quite friendly, and seemed to be enjoying it themselves. "I've lived here all my life, and this is the first time I've been to this quarter", said one, as we headed down a dusty lane of houses built in Kharga's unique desert style.

Al-Kharga is one of five desert oases, although according to the guidebooks, it is not the most scenic. But it was a welcome break from tiring Cairo and the tour guides with umbrellas, and I could justify it being en route for Sudan, as it is the traditional end of Darb el-Arba'een, the camel drivers route from Darfur to the camel markets of Egypt. There isn't anything spectacular in Al-Kharga, just a lonely unvisited temple complex, a rugged citadel on a hill which demands much of your imagination, and a relaxed atmosphere in the twisting backstreets of the old town.

More will be added to this later...photos still to be developed, diaries to be re-read...check back later ;@P