Once upon a time, on a sunny day, the thought of visiting Egypt hadn't even crossed my mind. In fact, the idea of traveling to this mysterious country didn't appeal to me at all. However, in a moment of spontaneity, I said "Yes!" to my friend, Good Man, when he asked if I wanted to join him on an unexpected adventure.
With a pounding heart and a myriad of unanswered questions, such as the transportation of our motorcycles and the safety of Egyptian roads, we decided to go with the flow, together with Good Man and the help of two friendly Egyptians, Mr. Sherif and Ahmed (whom we will thank every chance we get), who guided us throughout the journey. That day, a band of road knights was formed, members of HOG Romania: Doc, Don' Bila, Good Man, Profu', Trikey. As uncertain as the adventure seemed, I purchased the plane tickets, and the thought of turning back was no longer an option.
We pooled all our knowledge to find the best solution to send our motorcycles to Egypt, but after weeks of discussions, we discovered that this was nearly impossible for the month of March. So, Plan B became a reality: we would rent motorcycles in Cairo, even though our hearts ached that they weren't Harleys.
Before we knew it, everything was ready to go: the plane tickets, the route, the hotels, the five non-Harley motorcycles, a support vehicle, and a minibus for luggage, passports, international driving permits, Egyptian visas, and last but not least, the ride flags.
The flag of our ride symbolizes the meeting between Romania and Egypt through the HOG riders. The two Sphinxes, Romanian and Egyptian, stand face-to-face, representing the connection between the two cultures. Behind them, the riders - Doc, Don' Bila, Good Man, Profu', and Trikey - illustrate the friendship and camaraderie that developed during this adventure. Reminiscing about our ride in Scotland, where we were lords, now, touching Africa, we transformed into modern Sphinxes, traversing the fascinating territories of Egypt. The flag was created by the talented Mai'Nea, our brother and master of ride flag artistry. We wholeheartedly thank him for this beautiful symbol that will forever remain in the memory of this extraordinary experience and the connection we created between the two countries and adventures.
Returning to our journey, miraculously, Ahmed, our brother from HOG Cairo (by the way, as we travel the world, we appreciate even more this impressive brotherhood, this "Brotherhood," which connects strangers through a shared passion) heard our cries and offered us Harley motorcycles at a good price.
And the insurance that we considered so necessary was transformed there into a gentleman's agreement! In other words, if something happens to the motorcycle, we'll fix it ourselves. 😊 And so, the big day arrived, and we, the road knights, were ready to face our adventure. We gathered at Henri Coandă Airport in Bucharest, our eyes sparkling and full of hope. However, fate had other plans for Don Bila, who unfortunately couldn't make it due to unforeseen circumstances. We waited until the last minute, but our missing knight didn't show up. Don Bila, we rode for you too, brother!
And so, on the wings of Turkish Airline, we soared towards our destination, Alexandria. Upon landing, we were greeted by a small but lively airport and a long queue at passport control. Here, we had our first encounter with local customs and the "official fee" to skip the line: 20 dollars, and you were at the front. But we, the heroes of this story, chose to wait in line, chatting and dreaming of the sunrises we would greet on our Harley motorcycles.
After passing through the controls and withdrawing some money from the ATM, we stepped out of the airport and almost missed our friend, Sherif, but luck smiled upon us, and we finally recognized each other. We got into the cars and headed towards the hotel, on a road that offered us a preview of the adventures to come: cars and motorcycles going the wrong way, a symphony of honking horns, chaotic traffic, but also a perfectly synchronized choreography of Egyptian drivers.
The following morning, we headed to Cairo by minibus, accompanied by the two Egyptians. Ahmed the driver, always cheerful, confidently told us: "Ahmed good driver," while the other Ahmed, our silent and imposing bodyguard, nicknamed by Trickey, Apollo (at first he was somewhat skeptical, but then, when he realized, he became proud of his nickname), was to ensure our protection. In Cairo, we received the big news from HOG: the motorcycles were waiting for us at the Custom Bike Shop, at a guy named Atta, a former Harley mechanic, a flavorful and eccentric character who had an answer for everything: "Brakes? Why do you need them, just gently stop in the one in front! Neutral? You don't need it, don't stop the motorcycle in Cairo!"
Like children in a candy store, Doc and Good Man were jumping for joy in front of the motorcycles, thrilled at the prospect of the adventure that was about to begin. We each chose our steed, completed the paperwork, paid, and impatiently agreed to pick them up the next day. Then, we had the opportunity to meet the HOG Cairo members, without whom this adventure would not have been possible. We felt like we were in a dream, a dream that was about to continue. The next day, at 9 in the morning, we were in front of the Custom Shop Bikes, ready to collect our toys and join our fellow HOG Cairo riders for a ride through the chaotic city traffic.
The chaos and noise were fascinating, and although everyone seemed to drive by their own rules, we were witnessing a symphony of attention and cooperation before our very eyes. Chaotic, did I say? It's an understatement... Cairo - a city with at least 3 lanes in each direction, but with 100 seemingly chaotic cars per square meter. 95% of them looked like they'd been hammered all over by a master bodyworker who seemed intent on reshaping them from their original form 😊.
If you see a galloping horse coming the wrong way, with a boy on its back laughing heartily, while a girl with a huge tray (full of warm bread) on her head crosses the street without a flinch, and you're searching for a traffic light or thinking that the logic of driving is playing tricks on you, then you should know that you're neither dreaming nor in a John Wayne western... You're alive in Cairo!
So, we decided to ride our motorcycles every other day, to admire the beauties of Egypt and enrich our souls with its ancient history. After parking the bikes at the hotel and drinking 3 liters of water, thanking the HOG members and the Motorcycle God for keeping us unharmed, we set off with our guide to explore Cairo's wonders: the pyramids, the Sphinx, the museums, and, of course, the souvenir shops. We made a special visit to the Church of St. Sergius, an oasis of ancient and authentic Christianity in a sea of the Arab world, said to have sheltered Christ in the first year of Christianity after fleeing from Palestine. We also learned that in a country with over 80% Muslim population, "all religions are welcome in Egypt."
We spent a pleasant evening in the company of our HOG Cairo brothers, sharing stories about our adventures, the flags of our journeys, and our common passion for Harley Davidson. With our batteries charged and our hearts full of courage, we got on our bikes and set off for our next destination, El Gouna, passing through Cairo's chaos once again, half expecting a crazy director to yell "Cut!!" at any moment.
Along the way, we encountered our first mishaps: Om Bun's engine broke down. What's it like to communicate with someone who doesn't understand a word you're saying? Well, we discovered that it can be both challenging and amusing! Luckily, we had Google Translate and an Egyptian PrePay SIM card to call our HOG friend Ahmed for help. Promptly, he and Atta, who seemed to waltz through traffic on a huge Road Glide, brought us another motorcycle; we swapped bikes and continued our journey.
The road through Cairo gave us a new perspective on traffic in Bucharest, making us realize that, in fact, it's quite good back home. So, if you feel the urge to curse in traffic, you might as well smile and say "thank you" for not being in Cairo. With this lesson learned and much humor, the road knights continued their journey in an adventure filled with spectacular sunrises, unexpected friendships, and unforgettable memories. And as an old Egyptian saying goes: "Those who drink water from the Nile always return to Egypt" - and so we will, the heroes of this humorous and eventful story.
So, on the highway, we felt like kings: four lanes in each direction, ample space to enjoy the freedom provided by our motorcycles. It seemed that all the chaos had been confined to Cairo, where indeed, there were many people. If you don't believe me, just search on Google!
We continued our journey with wide smiles on our faces, feeling the vibrations of the engines beneath us and reveling in the adventure. Even though Trikey wasn't too comfortable on his Sportster, nothing could overshadow the joy of traveling through Egypt on Harleys. But, as they say, happiness doesn't last forever. We learned this when we arrived at the second police checkpoint. While the officer wished us a "Have a nice trip," he signaled us with a broad smile to load our motorcycles onto a platform and continue our journey in the minibus. We looked at each other, astonished and disappointed.
All our Egyptian friends were just as shocked and outraged. Phones began to ring in a desperate effort to find a solution, but to no avail. In the end, our motorcycles were loaded onto the platform, and we reluctantly climbed into the minibus.
So, while three of our motorcycles rested comfortably on the platform, Apolo had the honor and task of riding the fourth motorcycle to El Gouna. Maybe 350 km didn't seem like much, but for Apolo, who had only ridden a scooter a few times and never a 400 kg Harley, it was a massive challenge.
We recovered from our disappointment with the help of Romanian humor, and Apolo got on the bike, while Trikey took the wheel of the platform vehicle, holding licenses for all categories. Apolo set off determinedly, albeit slightly wobbling, and we followed behind him.
We were in for a long evening and night full of adventures. We encountered numerous checkpoints along the way, where we learned new words like "Baber Car" (paper car), and went through all kinds of controls. At the last checkpoint, the story took on a joke-like twist: Apolo was fined for being too short for the Harley motorcycle. Upset and amused at the same time, Apolo got back on the bike and continued his journey with a wide smile.
Later, we found out that, due to this unexpected adventure, Apolo had learned to ride a Harley and had fallen hopelessly in love with the bike. We arrived at the hotel at 3 am, exhausted but glad that the following day was dedicated to relaxation.
The boat ride, diving, snorkeling, and the underwater tranquility, followed by a meal on the boat, erased any trace of stress and recharged us with energy. The sea, with its shades of blue, corals, and fish of all colors, was incredibly beautiful. We all went to bed early, thinking that the next day, at last, we would be able to continue our journey on motorcycles.
At 23:30 pm, while I was sleeping, the room phone began to ring. The hotel receptionist asked me to come down with all our documents to speak with the police. I didn't quite understand what was happening, but I woke up and found myself standing in front of the officers with the documents in hand, trying to figure out what they wanted and what I needed to do. In the end, I resolved the issue by talking to our friend, Sherif on the phone and then returned to my room to sleep.
At 00:30 am, the phone rang again. This time, they were interested in our official travel itinerary. I explained that we didn't have one since we hadn't come with an agency. After speaking with our best friend, Sherif, everything seemed fine, and I fell asleep peacefully, happy that the next day we could leave on our motorcycles.
In the morning, as we were getting ready to leave, we found the police at the hotel reception, asking for even more documents. After tense moments, we were advised to enjoy our vacation without the motorcycles and got into the minibus with smiles on our faces. Apolo stayed behind to enjoy the attention of the police and their escort back to Cairo, ensuring the motorcycles wouldn't find their way back to us.
So, dear friends, that was our Egyptian adventure. We set off with hearts full of hope and dreams of freedom on two wheels, but fate had other plans for us. We adapted, befriended wonderful people, and discovered that sometimes, the journey itself is more important than the mode of transport.
And even though we didn't manage to complete the entire route on motorcycles, we were not defeated. We decided that for our next adventure, we will prepare better, gather detailed information, and traverse the fascinating lands of Egypt, from Alexandria to Cairo, from El Gouna to Marsa Allam, and the impressive Temple of Dendera near Luxor, on motorcycles. Jordan with Mount Moses and Petra are not too far away either, so who knows where we might go in the future.
Until then, we will fondly remember the wide smiles of the Egyptians, their hospitality, the delicious food, and the stunning landscapes. We learned that, despite obstacles and hardships, friendship, solidarity, and humor are what unite us and keep us moving forward.
One day, we will return to Egypt and fulfill our dream of traveling through this wonderful country on motorcycles, but until then, we will spread our stories, humor, and memories of this unusual adventure around the world, bringing us together and showing us that, ultimately, friendship and the love of travel are the most important things.
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We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to our dear Egyptian friends who made our journey unforgettable and showcased the true Egyptian hospitality. A special thank you to Mr. Sherif, who meticulously crafted our itinerary and ensured a seamless experience; without his efforts, our journey wouldn't have been possible. We also extend our warmest appreciation to our HOG brothers, particularly Ahmed, who went above and beyond to find the perfect Harley steeds for our adventure. Your kindness and support will always hold a special place in our hearts.
Our journey was made even more extraordinary thanks to the generosity and assistance of many more wonderful people. Our deepest gratitude goes to the owner of Divino, Samy Bindary, the General Manager of Radisson, who ensured our stay was comfortable and enjoyable. We were also fortunate to have Ahmed as our safari guide, who introduced us to breathtaking landscapes and unforgettable sunsets. In Cairo, we had the best guide in Mizo, while in Luxor, we were amazed by Mahmoud, who not only shared his vast knowledge but also spoke Romanian. We can't forget the ever-smiling and joyful driver, Ahmed, who brightened our days, and last but not least, Ahmed (Apolo), the toughest guy in the world. To all of you, we extend our warmest thanks for making our Egyptian adventure truly special.
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