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May 09, 2008

Africa | Egypt | Middle East   12:09 AM
The Return of the Zambian Tire & Doc Rides Again

I wandered over to the tony or ritzy section of downtown Cairo looking for the DHL office. Smart trendy shops with elaborate window displays, wide sidewalks and still the crazy ebb and flow of auto and pedestrian traffic. The DHL office was air-conditioned to below zero, or so it felt. Waiting for more than 45 minutes, the previous customer finally mailed his 10 packages which took the entire time to complete. Then my package is confirmed to be in the warehouse and I'm asked to wait again. Another 45 minutes passes until my tire shows up in the lobby. They want about $12 US to cover the duty, and none of my best explanation nor negotiation nor story telling skills could get the fee waived. I was given a phone number to the customs office which I could visit, but I'd have to wait to get my package.

I shelled out the $12 and moved on.

Tremendously thirsty whilst whiling my time away in Cairo, this character spoke no English yet sold me a cold drink and we had a completed conversation using our hands and facial expressions. I was so happy he let me take his photo!

M. Anwar found a matching front tire. I asked him to get me a replacement tube, because my previous tube was stored in the tank panniers which was breached by the fuel bottle that exploded. At first look M. Anwar thought there's nothing wrong with this tube. I explained the fuel story and we watched in slow motion as the tube developed protruding bulbous growths. No, a new tube was in order.

Mohamed Anwar, best motorcycle mechanic and source for parts in Cairo, Egypt
puts the finishing touches on Doc before I head to some famous Egyptian sites and Mount Sinai.
If you're in Cairo, call him 002-010-145-48-49

The work that was ultimately performed included:

- new front tire (sourced in Cairo)
- new rear tire (DHL from Zambia via Nairobi and Addis Ababa)
- replaced one fork seal (my spare)
- oil & filter change (my spare)
- battery was bone dry (again)
- adjust valves
- coolant
- new fuse for PIAA lights
- loose motor mounts tightened (this was the vibration that felt like a bad bearing)
- crash bars/engine guard was also very loose and contributed to extra vibration
- tighten Adventure Pipe Exhaust
- new rear tire tube
- straighten Jesse brackets (again)

The tire and tube was expensive at about $170, I had paid $125/135? in Zambia each for front and rear. M. Anwar's labor for everything was about $130 - very reasonable what he did.

With the bike finely tuned, vibration free and ready to roll, I began planning my next stop: Sinai Peninsula.

Oh. But before I can go to Sinai, I must stop and see the most famous of all Egyptian sites, shouldn't I?

Posted by allan

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	That's some tyre you have there... It's spent more time traveling than the average tyre!!! I remember you losing it in late January on the way to Chipata... We could write a book about that darn tyre...
	Commented by  TheDarkDestroyer  On  August 18, 2008
	I love the "character who spoke no English" :-)....
	Commented by  Angie  On  September 11, 2008

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