08-Nov-2006 -- On a trip to Gabal al-`Uwaynāt, the triple point where Egypt/Libya/Sudan meet, we set out south from Mūt in Dākhila Oasis along the hardtop road towards Bārīs. Before we got to the take-off point across the Western Desert for `Uwaynāt and the Gilf Kabīr we found ourselves very close to this degree confluence at 14:00 hours. Deciding to 'bag it', it only took 15 mins to find the spot on flat driveable sand just about 2 km east of the hardtop.

Fig #1 shows the generally featureless terrain around the Confluence with our Toyota Landcruisers in the background. Figs #2, #3, #4, #5 are the North East-South-West views from the Confluence. Fig #6 shows one of the 3 separate GPS instruments we used to locate the Confluence. Fig #7 is of the successful team comprising (left to right) Alan and Sue Edwards, Stan Howe and David Merrie. Fig #8 is of our local guide, Cheidy Ma'mūn of Pan Arab Tours.

One of the odd items to be found on the desert floor here are small hollow spheres of quartz - the outer layer being case-hardened by the elements leaving the soft sand inside to flow out of the shell. The impression is then that they are hollow metal balls. Fig #9 shows David Merrie with a selection picked up around the confluence site.

Continued at 23N 28E.