Ethiopia

To view photo album of Eithiopia click on any photo.

Thursday 25th June
We have arrived in Ethiopia!!! Looking up the hill, it looks horrible. Lots of small stalls. The street for a better name is crowded, packed with people everywhere, donkeys walking about, cattle; you name it its walking or pulling a cart.

So we have to run the gauntlet to get out into the country. Shouts of Hey You, You, You, You, Shrill whistles, Hey mister! (that’s the polite one) all to attract your attention and to try to get you to stop and give them something. Once over the top of the hill it didn’t look too bad.  So we thought. We are making our way to a camp site at Gorgora which is situated on the north edge of Lake Tana.

Friday 26th June

The campsite is in a beautiful setting and run by a Dutch couple Kim & Tim.

although not completely finished yet it will be very nice when it is. We also met up with the other English couple again and also the French. Another couple Julie and Quinton were there, he is South African and Julie is from New Zealand.

We have not done much today as we have not felt to good, think it’s the sudden drop in temperature from 48degrees in Sudan, to 15degrees in Ethiopia, plus we are very high up at roughly 7.000 feet here, so we just slept a lot all day. We did however feel a good deal better by the evening and as it was Quinton’s birthday we celebrated with a goat curry which Julie had cooked, and very nice it was too tasted very similar to lamb. 

Saturday 27th June 

Left campsite after breakfast to head for Gonder, we gave a couple of Dutch girls a lift but it was a tight fit for them in the back but better than getting up at 5. Am to catch the local bus.

We arrived in Gonder which is a very nice little town and promptly booked into a hotel. The campsite at Lake Tana had no running water as yet so we were in need of a hot shower, and hot shower we had it was fantastic. All for £20.00 for a room which made it  well worth it. We had a look round town and found a nice restaurant for a meal then went to bed as we have driven along way today.

Sunday 28th June. 

We did not know it but we had our own alarm clock at 6am on the outside window.

After a bit of quick shopping we left to head for Addis Abeba via the Blue Nile waterfall, it is a two day drip so we intend to camp at the waterfall tonight. It was supposed to be spectacular prior to a Hydro Electric dam being build which has most of the water diverted to it for power nowadays. The drive was on tarmac which we were soon to learn to appreciate the next day. We tried to stop a couple of times for a coffee  but every time we did we were surrounded by kids who seemed to come out of no where. We did manage it in the end, but Jackie was asked for her flip flops and tee-shirt from a woman who just appeared. The answer was no. Just seen a little girl who must have been all of five with a herd of cows all by her self in the mountains, you just had to feel sorry for her. We have also seen a lot of armoured troop carriers left over from the internal fighting. At the falls we decided to take a guide with us as we would have been surrounded by kids otherwise. So, we saw the falls and no it was not that spectacular but before the dam was built you could see that it used to be.

When we came back down we looked where we could camp at the falls but our guide said it was not a good idea to camp there. He took us back to the edge of the village and to  the entrance of the Hydro plant. He spoke to the security guard there who said we could camp. He would be on duty all night so we would be safe, and over the other side of the fence was another guard with an AK47 and on the other side of us was a similar guard also armed. 

We spent the evening talking to Yedersal our guard which was very interesting to see how he viewed tourists. Now and again the village folk would come up and chat to us but if the children  came the guard would ask them to go away. There was a man from the mountain who was very ill with malaria. We were asked if we had any malaria tablets that they could treat him with. We had spare and were pleased to help but also gave them the instructions and stressed that they were Larium and needed to consult a doctor but we doubt that they would. But it was our gooddeed for the day.

Monday 29th June

Had a peaceful night’s sleep but the village people were up at 6 0’ clock so we thought we had better get up and start moving. We left after thanking Yedersal and continued towards Addis Abeba. The local road which was shorter was appalling. Rutted, corrugations, potholes and the usual livestock just wandering around. We passed through the Blue Nile Gorge which was awesome, and the scenery was spectacular. At Addis Abeba we made our way to Wims camping, the way point is 0900509 – 03845325. If anyone reading this is going to Wims. You won’t find it easily. Follow the waypoint and go to the front of the railway Station which is at the top of the Bus Station. Once in front of the Railway Station facing it, turn to your left and you will see a dirt track road. Take that road and turn second left. His food is very good as his beer and hospitality. Unfortunately with the electric on and off all the time(not his fault) hot showers are infrequent but he is to build a new toilet block so things should improve substantially. We arrived at the campsite around 6 0’ clock and Sam the cyclist was there from England so caught up with what he had been doing. Another couple were South African  going the other way to England.

Tuesday 30th June to Thursday 2nd July

We spent the next couple of days just chilling really and looking round Addis Abeba. The Swiss, Wurly and Esther also arrived so we were able to catch up with them which was really nice. We also went with them to obtain a yellow card insurance certificate which covers us for road insurance right down to Botswana. For 1700 Birr it was excellent value. Info:-The insurance office is just across the road from DHL by the big cross roads.

Friday 3rd July

Today we are going shopping to a GOOD supermarket, no more black beans and rice for a while. Looking into applying for our Kenyan visa while we are here as it is cheaper than obtaining it at the border. We hope to leave here in the next couple of days and head towards the Kenyan border travelling through the rift valley which will be nice. Needing to update the internet, do some on line banking etc we decided that an internet café was may be not the best place to use apart from the fact they are so slow that two baked bean tins and a bit of string would be better and far quicker. So we went to the Sheraton Hotel. Ok so we were not dressed lounge suits etc. But they were great. Put us into the business centre, plenty of space between computers and a reasonable speed. Bit pricy but it’s the Sheraton at the end of the day and that’s that. After finishing the internet  we just had to have tea and cakes. It had to be done. To sample a bit of old fashioned service was marvellous. 

Saturday 4th July.

Today’s the day we start the trek towards the Kenyan boarder which will take about 4 days at a steady pace. We had a text (SIMMs for you non English) from the Swiss to let us know that they had made camp about 3 hours south of A/A by the Lake Langano. Now this was a bit of tranquillity to be recommended to any traveller. Way point N 07’35,860 S 038’41,660. We took an earlier turn to the lake and had to track it down the lake to reach them. Bit of wasted effort really when the correct turn off is signposted Langano camping and holiday chalets quite clearly. The lake and surroundings are quite stunning and the lake dose not have the bilhorzia (a worm that pen iterates the skin) so swimming is fine although the lake is quite brown. Lots of birds about and they are quite tame coming within 2 or 3 metres of you. 

We had a camp fire and cooked some Tilapia fish on the grill (fresh from the local fishermen that day). The temperature is much warmer as we have dropped some 2500 feet in altitude.  On the site was an American Chris and his girlfriend Lara from Italy.

Chris had been on the road for 12 years in a 40 year old petrol Land rover with a build on box body. They don’t move very quick just amble along as the mood takes them. Keep it up guys. 

Sunday 5th July.

We decided to stay another day. I had to do a bit of work on Sandy as we had once more had severe wheel wobble. It was just as well as Jackie was not too good. Constant headache and feeling run down with no energy. In the end we thought it was sinuses and a good steam in the nostrils with some tablets and after a sleep she was much better. Me, I took the front wheels off, checking the balance, Chris had told me that by taking out some shims from the axle swivel pinion I should cure my wheel wobble.

I did one wheel, then washed Sandy, she looked a right state. We also cleaned out the front, another job that’s like painting the Forth Bridge.

Monday 6th July.

During the night it rained quite hard, thunder and lightning. But by morning it was dry. After a slow leisurely breakfast we set off for the Thermal springs at Wondo Ganet. Only 50 miles away but a nice steady slow drive. We tested the steering and it looks like the cure worked. I need to do the other side and balance the shims but looks like Chris was right, thanks Chris it is appreciated. The Hotel by the Springs allows camping and it is only a few minutes walk to the Springs. Now this is African Springs. Yes its similar, but not the same. The water is very hot. We don’t know if it is beneficial for your health or not but it did feel good. The hotel site has a colony of Monkeys and Baboons resident and it didn’t take them long to welcome us in. sitting on top of the cars. Peering into the windows looking at their reflection. We can see we are going to have fun and games with them .

Tuesday 7th July.

Indeed we did have fun with the monkeys, whilst we were having our dinner last night they were above us and all around us. Then we saw some that were black with white beards and flowing white tails, these are called Columbus monkeys.

This morning while we were having breakfast again they had surrounded us, and the ones that were up in the trees had a pee which landed right on Sandy, Bob was not impressed at all and proceeded to get the catapult out. We left the hotel and headed off again, we have some way to go to day and hope to get to a place called Yavello, which means we only have 120 miles to do tomorrow. On our journey to day we encountered the same old problem, how do we stop for a tea break without being surrounded, we didn’t!!.

But at the end of the day they just stand there and stare at you, but some did shout out you!. We travelled 180 miles and found hotel which is letting us use there car park to camp.

Wednesday. 8th July.

What a night!!!! Beeping of horns, shouting, small trucks doing wheelies. How much more can you stand. Needless to say we didn’t sleep too much. But at 8.30 we were up and moving out towards the boarder. The roads were dead quiet with only an occasional person moving about. We even found time to stop without getting mobbed by the kids. We arrived at the boarder at about 12 ish.  After filling up with diesel and buying bread and bottled water we went to the customs to find that they had just closed and were not opening until 2pm. fortunately they allowed us to park in the customs compound away from the hordes. (That’s the way they make you feel as soon as you stop you are surrounded by children and adults who want food or money. The sad thing is that most of them are quite well dressed and do not look very hungry). At 2 o’clock we had the documents stamped and went to the Immigration Office, Getting the last stamp seemed to take ages as it was quite a social office. People dropping in for a chat with the official, telephone calls but eventually we were stamped and out to the Kenyan border.

Our thoughts on Ethiopia.

Ethiopia was a surprise to both of us. We were not prepared for the backwardness of the country and the farming methods, still plowing with two Oxen and a wooden plough like in the Biblical times.

The country side was very nice, scenic, and diverse. Shame that most of the trees have been chopped down for firewood and worse they don’t replant for the future generations.

But above all the biggest disappointment is the constant barrage of children and some adults who just put out a hand and expect you to put something in it. The constant shouts to attract your attention of you, you, you, whistles, hey you and mister. They actuality score an own goal. The harassment deters you from stopping and looking around the villages and stalls. The result is you drive straight through and don’t spend anything. Money spent on the local market stalls we believe is money direct to the people where it is most needed. 

You also have to appreciate that some of them have only what they stand up in and to tell them you have nothing is an insult to them. When you have spent more to get to Ethiopia that they will earn in a year and spend more in a day sometimes than they earn in a month you start to put it into perspective.

 But on our own we cannot feed or resolve the problems in Ethiopia that is the job for the government of the country.  But to just have the attitude that if you put your hand out a tourist will put money in it is ridiculous.

 For all that, there are nice people who work hard and strive to better things who do understand the problems of the country unlike us. We just hope that they succeed and move the country on to better times.

 See Kenya.