Date: 10 Jan 96 03:29:07 EST
From: "Stefan R. Jacob" (100043.2400@compuserve.com)
To: Land-Rover-Owner@uk.stratus.com
Subject: 4X4 in Sinai (was:Andrew Grafton)


) Turns out that apparently you cant take "foreign" diesels into the Sinai ) region of Egypt.So they had to be shipped round.Although they *were* ) considering replacing the diesel heads with petrol just to get them in ) and then replaing the petrol heads once inside....academics..jeez! ... ) Also,4X4 vehicles are forbidden in the Sinai,too,and the only way round ) *that* one is to remove the front propshaft,and the 4WD lever *and* the 

I know that those are the official regulations... and yet: Sinai is *full* of 4X4's, diesels, and diesel 4X4's, both local and foreign! Why? Because egyptian border guards frankly don't give a frigid fart if the bakhshish is right. We travelled Sinai (and the rest of Egypt), naturally in Land Rovers, and one of them was a TDi. No problem whatsoever. 

There is one catch, perhaps: It makes a difference whether you enter Sinai from Isreal, or via Jordania (Ferry from Aqaba to Nuweiba). We did the latter and had no problems whatsoever on arrival in Egypt, no-one even asked or cared. This diesel thing has a simple reason: Diesel in Egypt costs less than one-tenth of the price in Israel, and apparently after the border opening following Camp David, isreali motorists swarmed into the now egyptian Sinai by the thousands daily and virtually sucked up the region's entire diesel supply on a regular basis. The ensueing diesel ban was intended to put an end to this, and so it did. But of course you could surely persuade the guys at the border that as a tourist in transit this ban logically shouldn't apply to you. Problem is that the ban is enforced from *both* sides, egyptian as well as israeli. While the Egyptians are usually friendly, flexible and corrupt, the Israelis are rather rigid and stubborn and not easily persuaded. 

The 4X4 ban also has a 'historical' origin: The UN outposts surveilling the demilitarized zone along the Sinai egypto-israeli border found it increasingly difficult to distinguish between - forbidden - movement of military vehicles of either side and tourists - mainly Israelis in old battered army Jeeps - romping about in the deserts and canyons. Whenever they followed up a complaint by the Egyptians about alleged Israeli military intrusion into the DMZ, they usually came upon a bunch of isreali kids having fun offroad. Another, more serious, problem are old Israeli landmines which can still be found at once strategically sensitive spots. When retreating from Sinai, the Israelis left all their military installations including all plans, maps etc. intact for the Egyptians to take over, as provided in the Camp David agreement. Among these were also the plans of the exact locations of mines. When the egyptian troops did move in they were so enthusiastic that in their first frenzy of victory and achievement they immediately torched and blasted any israeli installation they came across. Apparently the Israelis didn't keep any copies of their plans (or so they say), so the mine displacement plans were eventually lost. Therefor there is still the real possibility of hitting a mine when venturing too far away from well-trodden territory in the Sinai. Though a lot of mines have meanwhile been cleared 'naturally' by being touched off by goats, sheep and bedouins, there are still plenty hidden. 

Hence the ban on all 4X4's which is still officially in effect. 

As I said, if you enter into Sinai via the Aqaba-Nuweiba ferry (US $ 250.- one way, bit of a rip-off) and disembark in Nuweiba, well away from the Israeli border and the DMZ, none of this is a problem. 

Talking about problems, I heard some months ago that the ferry Aqaba- Nuweiba was damaged by fire. I don't know whether the ship (there was only one running) has been replaced, repaired, or if perhaps, following the opening of borders between Israel and Jordania at Eilat, service has ceased altogether. Of course then again you would have the problem of having to enter Sinai via
Israel.

Cheers,

Stefan