Day 27-48, December 1st-22nd
The way to Egypt.
Nowak got the permission to enter Egypt, unless he goes there along the cost. As for that, the participants of afrykanowaka.pl are heading Egypt by coming back to the sea.
The end of the first lap of afrykanowaka.pl was nothing but troubles. The video camera was damaged and Dominik Szmajda calls to Poland with bad news. What is the problem?
- The most serious one – he says – We were stolen a bike!
The spare parts for the video camera were immediately sent by Playextreme company. The spare bike arrives to Libya with Anna Garbieniow (the participant of the second lap).
The others: Marcin Lajborek and Kasper Piasecki have been waiting for a week in Tripoli. From the last part of relay only Dominik and Fadel remain. There is also Hamid – escorting the group of cyclists by his car; Hamid is a cousin of Mohammed – the driver from the first lap. And one more participant-stowaway. Ania brought with her a mascot – since now, the teddy bear Kazio will travel with them.
Delivery of the stick is in Ghata – till now, the farthest place on south of the trip. Since then- as it had been done by Kazimierz Nowak in the past- the participants will be heading north, to Egypt.
- We have been speaking English, Arabian, Polish and French. We have been learning one from each other- say the participants of the second lap.
They travel through Sahara. On 14th of December, 6th day of the second lap, the storm arouses. Is it this famous gibli about which Kaziemierz Nowak writes? No, it is not – Hamid and Fadel explain that gibli is the south wind, from the word “gibl” meaning south. This storm is from west and is called harbi. Gibli usually blows at least twenty- four-hours while harbi should calm down till evening .
A big surprise in the form of sand storm hits us strongly. – Fadel relates. We could see nothing. It was a disaster but finally not far from the city we could see the sign with the Arabian word Murzuk. At last the end of the spectacle!
Nowak reached Murzuk no sooner than after four months of travelling, at the end of winter 1932. He wrote to his wife:
- As you can see Mary, I also have worries and there are so many of them- though there is someone who may envy me this trip- truly no reason to do so.
Today I am to have my hair and beard cut, but you know- a lot of gray hair had sprinkled my head even though it is bald. So many gray hair! – for sure not a reason of pleasure or wellness.
Today, not as it used to be in Kazimierz times, in the cities we pass, among the Libyan Arabs, there are a lot of black newcomers from the heart of Africa. It is common to say that for 5 millions of Libyans there are as much again of working immigrants. It is truth indeed.
Meanwhile the Christmas is coming. Nowak, travelling definitely slower than his today followers, arrives to Ghadames on Christmas Eve.
Early in the morning on 24th of December I saw finally a spot on the rocky desert. – he noted 78 years ago.
But the cyclists of afrykanowaka.pl has already ridden more than half of Libya and have been going through the desert to Egypt.
We come back to the bike trail. The road is rough, windward. My eyes are aching, running a bit because of the sand. A stork! After a while I can see next two of them. The flying storks are a certain sign of coming winter. They must have been coming from Poland, they looked like a good fellows- Anna Grebienow relates and adds: For the next few days there might be no contact. We are entering the wilderness.
Till Christmas the relay should reach Zillah. They will spend the Christmas time on the desert.
