October 20th Alexandria-Cairo-Johannesburg.

The day starts early and ends late.. At 8am Mr Ehad and I are at the port and we meet the broker who is to arrange all the paper work for the car to be exported.

I say goodbye to Mr Ehad who has been most helpful.. The broker drives my car into the port.. He knows his way around.. the first office asks for the Traffic department vehicle release ..no outstanding fines.. I have that.

The broker suggests I take a seat and he is busy..here there and everywhere.. it will be about an hour he says. After about an hour and a half I am requested to open the back of the vehicle for a customs inspection. The official takes a quick look and that's done.. Back to my seat. A cup of tea arrives, thanks to the broker.. Black tea, very sweet.. I'm getting used to this.. nice.

At about 12 it's all done. Nothing more to pay..thanks Radwa.

I phone Radwa tell her I'm done and I will head back to Jo'burg tonight.. She, careful as ever, asks me to wait..so she can cross the t's and dot the i's.. about 2 hours later she tells me all is O.K.. I book an Egyptian airline flight Cairo to Johannesburg tonight..

The hotel has given me a late check out and organised a taxi/limo to Cairo airport about 250k away. We leave at 4 and are at the airport at 6.30 through the Cairo traffic..

Whew.. fast! 11pm I catch the plane to Johannesburg and a welcome from Leonie and Paul

More fun than a 70 year old should be allowed to have

Well I'm not the only one to have done it.. but probably one of the oldest.

And that ends the journey.

Thanks to everyone..

My big sister.. The guys at Acropoli Hotel in Khartoum.. Link Cargo.. Ms. Radwa and

Zoe. Not to mention Rayna, who gave me permission. And a lot of others.

Hard facts:

23000 kms travelled.. that's Sydney to Perth over 4.5 times.. about 1.5 times around Australia.

Fuel usage: approximately 3100 litres of diesel. Average price A$1.50 per litre.

except in Sudan 30 cents per litre and Egypt 68 cents per litre.

Motor vehicle breakdowns: Nil

Vehicle services: Two. One in Lusaka and one in Nairobi.

Punctures: Nil. one tyre side wall damaged

Accidents: A scrape in Sudan

Traffic offences: 24.. 4 paid with a receipt, 3 paid at a reduced rate without receipt .

Let off 17.

Arrests: One in Sudan ..Black Marketeering/Fraud fixed by friends in Khartoum.

Fun: More than a 70 year old should be allowed to have.

Estimated cost: about A$20,000. excluding capital cost and flights

Photo's taken: 1405