• Lake Nasser (somewhere between Abu Simbel and Aswan)

September 2, 2004

When we arrived at Wadi Halfa yesterday, the two barges and a passenger ferry were waiting for us. While most PAT members boarded the passenger ferry to Aswan, a journey of 24 hours, the others (mostly from the management team) remained with the cars.

Each barge carried nine cars; I'm on one barge with six members, and Logistics Director Faruk Abdul Rahman is on the other with several other members. Our journey to Aswan will take 48 hours.

Our roofless barge will be our floating camp. We will cook in a nook, sleep in our cars, and during the day, try to find shade under our flysheets.

This huge lake was formed after the Aswan Dam was built in Egypt. On the Sudanese side, it's called the Nubian Lake, but the Egyptians call it Lake Nasser.

Last night was indeed magical. It was pitch black as the barge chugged across the lake; no lights were needed to find our way as we were the only barges in the vicinity.

A spectacular display of thousands of glinting stars offered unmatched entertainment. Priceless even for the hardcore adventurers on board.