|
New Dvd out now
|
Expedition to the Gilf Kebir In
October 2006 we joined an expedition to the Gilf Kebir, a high plateau
in south-west Egypt on the borders with Libya and Sudan. An area too arid
even for camels, it is a serious undertaking as there are no communities
or rivers: all water for over two weeks in the desert had to be carried
there. There is much rock art in the area, including the Cave of the Swimmers,
made famous in the film The English Patient, with even more just across
the border in Sudan's Jebel Uweinat. The area saw much activity during
World War II when the Long Range Desert Group set up bases and airstrips
there, and there is still much evidence lying around in the form of burnt-out
trucks and 4-gallon vintage petrol cans. We carried out a great number
of sketches, although most of the group were not artists, and we were
constantly entertained by the dancing of the support team led by Mohammed
Marzouk, with whom I've been on expedition before, and one of the best
guides in the Western Desert. The latter part of the trip involved crossing
the Great Sand Sea to Siwa Oasis, driving over huge dunes and descending
their incredibly steep northern slopes. Naturally some wagons became stuck
in the sand at times. It was a fascinating expedition and we've produced
a film of the expedition on DVD |
|
|
![]() 'Top of the Gilf Kebir' watercolour by David Bellamy |
|
|
|
|
Filmed
on location by David Bellamy and Jenny Keal For
more pictures from the trip click here An MwK production for Clockwork Penguin by Mike Keal |
|