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This was the first rally along North Africa and into Egypt, and particularly the first into Libya.
It was never my intention to upload this diary daily since too many places would lack adequate internet connections. Unfortunately, for reasons which will become apparent, my notes were later lost and so this report is rather short and probably lacking in accuracy when it comes to some locations!
I treated the rally as a shakedown for my 1924 Silver Ghost, which I bought for the 2010 Peking to Paris rally and has been superbly prepared by P&A Wood.
We started by trucking the car down to Marseille and flying down to meet it on 24th January.
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On 25th January we loaded it on to the ghastly but huge and modern Danielle Casanova ferry for the 22 hour crossing to Tunis, which turned out to be extremely rough, causing seasickness to more than half of the rallyists.
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Arrive in a wet and chilly Tunis
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and after immigration drive to the passable El Mouradi Gammarth hotel for lunch. Then off by taxi for a look at Carthage and the museum...
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...and to the rather lovely and only a little bit kitsch blue village of Sidi Bou Said.
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The rally starts and the first day includes two timed off-road sections. We get the taste of many ruins to come.
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Unfortunately, the bar holding the nearside spare wheel suddenly sheers without warning and the wheel rolls down the road behind us. Thankfully, there is no traffic or a major accident could have been caused.
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On to Tataouine and a glorious amphitheatre on the way.
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An off-road section caused some problems, but not to us...
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...and we pass a troglodyte village.
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To the Libyan border and the prospect of 6 days with no booze. Libya is dry and we have been warned not to try to smuggle. As it happens, we are waved through, though some cars and their crews are very thoroughly examined.
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Temporary Libyan number plates are applied...
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...and David Ayres’ wonderful 1907 Itala (which completed the 2007 Peking-Paris) needs some attention.
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On the way to the hotel, we stop off at the magnificent ruins of Sabratha.
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And just in case we don’t know where we are:
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Misratah to Sirt via the even more spectacular ruins of Leptis Magna, founded by the Phoenicians in the 6th century BC.
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On to Benghazi with some off-roading
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but mainly just a very long tarmac slog along the coast, refuelling on the way.
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Benghazi seems an attractive modern city from this view.
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Benghazi to Apollonia via the cave from which the war of liberation against the Italians was launched.
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Stunning Cyrene
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and a chance to photograph some of the cars.
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The next day takes us to Tobruk.
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and the Cooks’ 1926 Vauxhall 14/40 continues to need attention. Note that the fuel tank has already been replaced and now it’s the transmission causing problems. They have had problems since Day 2 and its their first rally. They have soldiered on magnificently and will certainly get the Spirit of the Rally award if they can finish.
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Into Egypt and Marsa Matruh where Rommel had his HQ, and finally a beer on the beach, where some Egyptian enthusiasts join us with their cars.
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So to Cairo via more off-roading...
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...and El Alamein
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and then some horrible soft sand
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Get upgraded to a smashing corner suite at the Mena House Oberoi, Cairo, and wake up to this:
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Our first rest day since we started...
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Off to Soma Bay down the Red sea via a stunning monastery.
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The road is a tarmac dual carriageway, two lanes each way with 100m of scrubby rocky desert in between.
Suddenly I am confronted with a truck reversing at speed towards me and swerving over both lanes. I have no time to think, not that it matters, as I have nowhere to go anyway. I can’t just drive into him, and the central reservation is most unappealing, so I go for the verge where there seems to be three of four feet of tarmac before the edge. I clip the truck's nearside rear quarter and hit the sandy bank at the verge.
The car takes off and my navigator and I both lose consciousness at virtually the same instant, and wake up also virtually simultaneously lying on the desert.
If my grandmother had balls she'd have been my grandfather. If, if, if...
If we had been wearing seat belts we wouldn’t have been thrown out and I wouldn't be writing this.
If the hood had been up...
If we'd had just hit a small rock with our head when landing...
If there'd been a deadly snake or scorpion where we landed...
As it was, we got away with broken bones, bruises, and torn muscles. El Gouna hospital was fantastic.
We are so lucky to be alive.
Bye for now.
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