Part 2 (continued) Trampoline, Gymnasts and Pyramids

Returning to our hotel that evening, we met with the Egyptian Federation executives...we had yet to solve the problem that all our Nissen equipment was still stranded at sea; floating in the Mediterranean just off the coast of Alexandria.

Stronger actions had to be taken. On that point we were all in agreement since only a few days remained before our trip was over. Further complicating these last days was the special trip to Port Said and the Suez Canal that the Egyptian Federation had arranged for our entire group. This trip included one more exhibition plus, an overnight stay.

Lt. General Gadawi made the decision; announcing that the very next day George Hery and I would accompany him and his officer to Alexandria in hopes of putting government pressure on the port officials to allow our ship to dock. Meanwhile, the rest of our tour party would travel on to Port Said.

The following morning found George Hery and myself off to Alexandria. We soon learned that there are only two routes traveling from Cairo to Alexandria - - the "quick route...via the desert or, the "slow route" down the Onion Road.

Both George and I got along well with the General's friends!

Lt. General Gadawi

The General's vehicle took the Onion Road and I must say, it not only was slow, but most certainly filled with numerous onion wagons along the way! We did manage to arrive however by early afternoon, with enough time for the General to visit a few of his military friends in Alexandria.

  

The next morning we were up early "with the roosters" and now off to the port itself.  I’m pretty sure they knew we were coming, since once there we were instantly loaded onto a pilot boat that chugged out of the safety of the harbor and soon entered the open sea heading towards the anchored ship which contained the Nissen equipment deep in its hold.  Once there we shimmied up the ladder on the side of the big ship and were taken directly to the captain’s quarters.  The captain who was Norwegian, spoke English and was most accommodating.  He produced a manifest and showed us were all the cargo was located. Together we looked at the chart and saw that the boxes containing a full set each of Nissen men's gymnastic apparatus, women's gymnastics apparatus plus, two Nissen trampolines was located under... 30,000 pounds of flour!

The captain was on our side, as he didn’t want to stay anchored out to sea for up to a month either. He heartily assured us that if his ship was given priority to enter the port he would see to it that our equipment would be "second off"... just as soon as the flour was gone. We thanked him for his assurance and sailed back to the port office. 

Lt. General Gadawi then spoke with the officers of the port and in no time at all, authority was given to let the ship come into port... once the next available berth opened up.

Lt. General Gadawi added that he would make the arrangements for military trucks to be on standby, load up the equipment and bring it all to Cairo post haste. We thanked everyone all around for their understanding and headed back to Cairo feeling much better but, still not knowing exactly when our equipment would arrive.

Reuniting with George Nissen, and the group who had just returned from Port Said, we shared the good news. But, since we now were down to only two days before having to leave Cairo, it was still a big question of whether or not we would actually see the equipment at all. Staying on was impossible as we were scheduled to travel on to Madrid, Spain, for a few days of more exhibitions and were told we absolutely could not make any changes to our travel arrangements.  

THE BIG DAY ARRIVES

Our final day in Cairo arrived, and now plans were under way to place a trampoline on top of the Great Pyramid.  Apparently the international press had gotten word as well. For when we arrived at the pyramids that morning with our trampoline on board, we found the Associated Press ready and waiting.  We also had arranged for a 16mm camera to take photos out of the helicopter window so of course, all eyes scanned the skies anticipating the helicopter's arrival. 

There was a special area near us that was apparently within range of Anwar Sadat's home and was off limits to any aircraft. But our helicopter had received special permission to fly over the area, thus securing a more direct path to the pyramids.

Finally the helicopter arrived!  And, what excitement there was. This was the first and possibly, the only time a helicopter had ever landed at the Great Pyramid………..and of course, the amount of dust it created was unbelievable! Keep in mind that in addition to our group there were also hundreds of tourists from all parts of the world standing nearby; wondering what was going on. They had come to see the pyramids, but now were in for a possible show as wellJ Even the camel jockeys were standing by eagerly waiting to see what was going to happen. The pilot of the helicopter was from France and even he had brought along his wife to enjoy the show.

After a great deal of discussion on how the logistics of the operation would actually be handled, it was finally time to begin.  George Hery and I climbed to the top of the pyramid. Once there we anxiously waited for the helicopter to start up its engine, then lift slightly up off the ground in order for someone to attach the net containing the trampoline!  That would be the signal for George and me at the top to disconnect the supports holding the pole and dismantle the entire pole apparatus.

We waited and waited. Looking down, we could see that the helicopter did not move…then finally, the blade of the helicopter began to turn and our level of excitement increased.  The helicopter rose up off the ground and continued to move upward...but no net was attached.  George Hery and I were puzzled as to what was happening…the helicopter continued to rise upward until it was eye level with us at the top the pyramid…and then, the pilot and his wife both waved to us as they flew off over the desert!  “What had gone wrong? Why were they leaving?”  We would soon find out why as George Nissen then began climbing the pyramid and when he was finally close enough for us to hear him, yelled out, "The pilot felt that the weather was to dusty and it might be unsafe!” 

Of course we were very disappointed, but from the start of the project we had all agreed that safety would be the number one priority.

Even so, we decided to make the best of the situation. There was one last exhibition taking place that evening so the remainder of the group returned to Cairo. George Nissen and I, along with George Hery and Glen Sundby stayed back with a mini-tramp since we were still determined to “turn a somersault on top of the pyramid.”

To get things started, George Hery and I hauled the mini-tramp to the top of the pyramid…no easy task! Once there, the fun began.  George Nissen and Glen Sundby were already at the top, and Glenn was ready with his camera as we finally made it as well.

Getting the mini-tramp situated in a spot that was level took a bit of maneuvering as we were determined to do a back somersault but had no landing mat...the fear was avoiding injuring our ankles when landing on the large boulders.

In honor of the occasion, George Nissen was allowed to go first, and at the age of 63, it was certainly an outstanding accomplishment. 

Although there are numerous names and initials carved into the boulders at the top of the pyramid that date back many, many centuries, we’re pretty sure that George was the first person ever to turn a somersault off a mini-tramp. 

Congratulations George Nissen!

      Of course, we figured if George could do it, so could we…

                     


Glenn even joined in on the fun and we partnered up for some impromptu hand balancing. 

By late in the afternoon we finally decided that we had flipped, and balanced as many ways as is possible and had taken enough photos. It was time to return to Central Cairo and meet up with the group that was performing their last exhibition. 

When we arrived at the exhibition Lt. General Gadawi was waiting for us with good news…the Nissen equipment had been off-loaded and was at that moment being delivered to the outdoor field of a local sports club.  As soon as the exhibition was over, George and I went directly to the sports club to check things out.

The last truck was just unloading as we drove up.  We saw that all the boxes containing the multiple pieces of equipment were now lying scattered in an open field.  Knowing that we were leaving the very next morning there was no way to set up the equipment and show it to possible buyers plus, leaving it in the open was not a good idea at all. 

But, there was nothing else we could do but thank the General and tell him that we would return to Cairo as soon as possible. Not exactly what we had planned, but it was the only option that was available.

At the airport the next morning we said goodbye to our new found friends.  Everyone on the tour agreed that they had a wonderful time.  It was a great experience for all and, as we flew over the pyramids and on to our next stop in Spain, both George and I knew we would be back very soon…not only to rescue and sell the gymnastics equipment that we had left behind, but also to get a TRAMPOLINE on top of the Great Pyramid….. George would not give up!

Jump to Part 3: "Wanna Buy a Sidehorse?"