Back in 2010 we took a water-taxi over the river back to Aswan from Elephantine Island. It was a small boat (perhaps 10 passengers) with an outboard motor. I had already noted that the outboard's throttle was operated bu a piece of string tied to the driver's toe, and that a bit of rubber tube went from the carb down into the boat. As we were about to depart another man came along with a jerrycan of petrol which he proceeded to pour into the back end of the boat where that rubber tube went. Before I fully took this in the driver started the boat and we set off across the river. I looked more closely and realised that in the bottom of the boat (beneath the driver's feet) was a large bucket - an open fuel tank with several gallons of petrol.
The driver was quite unperturbed by this as he drove the boat and puffed away on his cigarette. Perhaps his perseverance in continuing when most others would have refused to be within a hundred yards of such bodgemanship is equally deserving of an award...
PDR