Alexandria, Egypt — A British vintage car, the Bean 14 sportster, has entered the bustling Mediterranean port city of Alexandria after overcoming significant delays at Egyptian customs. The 100-year-old automobile is part of "Team Bean," an adventurous British expedition attempting to traverse several countries en route to Australia. The team’s journey faces mounting challenges from bureaucratic hurdles, geopolitical tensions, and shifting seasonal conditions.
After the Bean was cleared through the labyrinthine Egyptian customs process—facilitated by local fixers Mahmoud and Hatem—the vehicle drove into the crowded streets of Alexandria, navigating through heavy traffic dominated by yellow-and-black taxis. The team’s original itinerary planned a route through Jordan, but this was disrupted by recent regional hostilities, including Iran’s missile strikes over Jordan into Israel, which caused widespread congestion as people fled the area. Consequently, the team opted for an alternative and untested path through Saudi Arabia.
Before continuing south, Team Bean sought to recreate a promotional photograph previously staged before the iconic pyramids of Giza, a symbolic image featured on their business cards across Europe. However, Egyptian authorities imposed a $17,000 U.S. fee for commercial photography at the site—due to changes in government regulations concerning the display of logos—effectively barring the team from shooting alongside the Great Pyramid.
Denied permission by armed tourist police at the Giza site, and finding the surrounding crowds and tour groups made capturing a clear image impossible, the team pursued an alternate location suggested by their guide Mahmoud “Turbo” Ezzeldrine: the lesser-known Red Pyramid, located nearly an hour's drive outside Cairo. This pyramid, the third-largest in Egypt and virtually devoid of tourists, offered an opportunity for a more authentic and unobstructed photo session.
The following morning, the team conducted their photoshoot at the Red Pyramid. The site was remote, with minimal modern infrastructure save for a single police presence. Despite initial scrutiny—including confiscation of photographs taken with local children on government land—the shoot proceeded successfully. Mechanic Tony Jordan, who had been awaiting the opportunity to service the Bean, completed an essential oil change and inspection ahead of the desert outing.
After the photoshoot, the team departed the tourist route, venturing into the desert around the Dashur region. Traveling through sandy terrain reminiscent of classic desert expeditions, they later rejoined a under-construction motorway, speedily proceeding toward Safaga on Egypt’s Red Sea coast. There, they plan to cross into Saudi Arabia, where the Bean 14 sportster is poised to become the first Australian-registered vehicle to traverse the kingdom.
The journey remains on a tight timeline, with the team balancing seasonal weather changes—including approaching Himalayan snow and Australia’s wet season in the Top End—and geopolitical uncertainties. Team Bean’s perseverance underscores the logistical and diplomatic complexities of such an ambitious cross-continental expedition.