Ethiopia 2011
Map from Intrepid Travel
The oldest posts are at the bottom of the page.
December 11th 2011
We
made a stop at the Suma tribe, who we found to be quite
developed. They were wearing western clothing and had cellphones. Their
homes looked like the average Ethiopian houses. They didn't wear very much jewellery or other tribal markings, like those that I saw in Ethiopia. Overall, it looked like they had lost most signs of their
culture. Sadly, our local guide informed us that it is projected that
all of the tribes that we saw over the last few days will be in the same
situation within 10 years. This really is a case of 'see it before it's
gone' as Western influence is growing all the time.
We stayed in a scary hotel in Konzo. There was no water, lights, or electricity. We could hear a bar fight below us and a woman screaming in the middle of the night. A man came around banging on the doors at 5am. We were more than happy to pile into the truck and leave come morning. Come tomorrow, we are going to Kenya!
We stayed in a scary hotel in Konzo. There was no water, lights, or electricity. We could hear a bar fight below us and a woman screaming in the middle of the night. A man came around banging on the doors at 5am. We were more than happy to pile into the truck and leave come morning. Come tomorrow, we are going to Kenya!
December 10th 2011
Another extraordinary day!! We drove well into
the bush to find the Hamada tribe. We had to leave the truck behind at a
certain point due to the mud, so we hiked for 45 minutes through mud
and a river to get to the tribe. There was sinking mud; several people
in the group got covered in mud when they stepped in the wrong spot. It
is really humid here, so the river walk was a welcome feeling.
When we arrived at the Hamar tribe we quickly realized that we were in for a real treat; there was a coming of age ceremony going on. This is the moment when a boy becomes a man and is entitled to get married. The boy has to get completely naked and jump over a half dozen bulls. However, this is getting off easy, as the women in his life are whipped mercilessly, to indicate their love for him. The deep scars and bleeding gashes of the women walking around helped to prove that this was no tourist show, but something that has been going on for centuries in this little part of the world. It was a shocking, amazing, and unforgettable experience.
Due to the events of the last couple of days, three people have decided to leave the tour. They want to do their own thing in other areas of Africa, rather than staying with the group in Ethiopia.
When we arrived at the Hamar tribe we quickly realized that we were in for a real treat; there was a coming of age ceremony going on. This is the moment when a boy becomes a man and is entitled to get married. The boy has to get completely naked and jump over a half dozen bulls. However, this is getting off easy, as the women in his life are whipped mercilessly, to indicate their love for him. The deep scars and bleeding gashes of the women walking around helped to prove that this was no tourist show, but something that has been going on for centuries in this little part of the world. It was a shocking, amazing, and unforgettable experience.
Due to the events of the last couple of days, three people have decided to leave the tour. They want to do their own thing in other areas of Africa, rather than staying with the group in Ethiopia.
December 9th 2011
Today was an extremely dramatic, yet amazing day. It ranks very highly in terms of the highlights of the trip.
The roads here are very, very basic. There is a ton of mud and we got stuck for a few minutes multiple times. Our first big event was getting firmly bogged down in a mud pit. Thankfully, there was a man with an excavator waiting on the other side (people must get stuck there a lot!). We were pulled out and then carried on our way.
Unfortunately, we didn't get very far, as we got stuck again. This time, we were bogged down in a swamp. After a long time trying to get out we took our bags from the truck, walked out of the bog, and left the truck sitting there. We hitched a cattle truck to the nearest village.
We had to cross the Omo River to get to the village. We piled far too many people into a decrepit, leaking row boat. It was filled with rotten grain that was fermenting in the water that was sitting in the bottom of the boat. We were steered across the river by a man with a long stick.
On the other side we found the Gnagatom tribe. We visited their village, watching them dance and asked questions through our local guide. They wore elaborate jewelry, with the number of necklaces indicating wealth. The unmarried women wear short beaded goat skin skirts, while the married women wear longer, plain ones. They wear nothing on their tops.
On the way back to our stuck truck, we hitched a ride in an army surplus truck. When it dropped us off, it was discovered that the amy truck had 4-wheel drive, so it was able to pull our truck out. Yay!
We had to drive well into the night, but we made it back safely to our campsite. We were all quick to fall into bed exhausted from such a good day (or scary and risky, depending on who in our group you ask).
The roads here are very, very basic. There is a ton of mud and we got stuck for a few minutes multiple times. Our first big event was getting firmly bogged down in a mud pit. Thankfully, there was a man with an excavator waiting on the other side (people must get stuck there a lot!). We were pulled out and then carried on our way.
Unfortunately, we didn't get very far, as we got stuck again. This time, we were bogged down in a swamp. After a long time trying to get out we took our bags from the truck, walked out of the bog, and left the truck sitting there. We hitched a cattle truck to the nearest village.
We had to cross the Omo River to get to the village. We piled far too many people into a decrepit, leaking row boat. It was filled with rotten grain that was fermenting in the water that was sitting in the bottom of the boat. We were steered across the river by a man with a long stick.
On the other side we found the Gnagatom tribe. We visited their village, watching them dance and asked questions through our local guide. They wore elaborate jewelry, with the number of necklaces indicating wealth. The unmarried women wear short beaded goat skin skirts, while the married women wear longer, plain ones. They wear nothing on their tops.
On the way back to our stuck truck, we hitched a ride in an army surplus truck. When it dropped us off, it was discovered that the amy truck had 4-wheel drive, so it was able to pull our truck out. Yay!
We had to drive well into the night, but we made it back safely to our campsite. We were all quick to fall into bed exhausted from such a good day (or scary and risky, depending on who in our group you ask).
December 8th 2011
Today was the first day of our tour through Ttribal Ethiopia. It is one of only three large tribal pockets left in
Africa (the other two being Ghana and Congo).
We started our tour at the tribal market in The Banna Village. The market is an opportunity for members of the Banna and Hammar tribes to exchange goods with each other. Although there were a few small items that could be bought for souvenirs, most items were food, produce, and clothing. This was no tourist market, rather the 'real deal'.
I was walking around with Liv and Norms, two other light-haired people. Norms has a beard, which was constantly gawked at. Our local guide informed us that beards are a sign of virility, and that most of the people there would never have seen such a full beard before. I received an equal amount of attention, with dozens of women touching my hair in curiosity.
Although the locals were very interested in our appearance, we found theirs very fascinating as well. The women had tightly plaited hair that was covered in reddish-brown mud. Most of them wore goat skin skirts that were long in the back and short in the front. Many of the men were wearing miniskirts with painted arms and legs. Everyone had numerous bangles on their bodies.
After a lunch of injera and spaghetti (which is all that is ever seems to be offered on the English language menus in Southern Ethiopia) we started driving to our campsite. The roads were so bad that we never made it and camped in a field instead. These types of bush camps are often better than the official camping sites, as they do not attract as many onlookers coming close to our truck.
We started our tour at the tribal market in The Banna Village. The market is an opportunity for members of the Banna and Hammar tribes to exchange goods with each other. Although there were a few small items that could be bought for souvenirs, most items were food, produce, and clothing. This was no tourist market, rather the 'real deal'.
I was walking around with Liv and Norms, two other light-haired people. Norms has a beard, which was constantly gawked at. Our local guide informed us that beards are a sign of virility, and that most of the people there would never have seen such a full beard before. I received an equal amount of attention, with dozens of women touching my hair in curiosity.
Although the locals were very interested in our appearance, we found theirs very fascinating as well. The women had tightly plaited hair that was covered in reddish-brown mud. Most of them wore goat skin skirts that were long in the back and short in the front. Many of the men were wearing miniskirts with painted arms and legs. Everyone had numerous bangles on their bodies.
After a lunch of injera and spaghetti (which is all that is ever seems to be offered on the English language menus in Southern Ethiopia) we started driving to our campsite. The roads were so bad that we never made it and camped in a field instead. These types of bush camps are often better than the official camping sites, as they do not attract as many onlookers coming close to our truck.
December 7th 2011
We took a boat ride out on Lake Chamo. We saw giant crocodiles and many hippos. It was a nice ride!
We had a group dinner that was a less than pleasant experience. A portion of the group is stressed and scared after the truck being stolen from our driver and we got stuck twice recently. The tension is definitely affecting group harmony.
Still living the dream!
We had a group dinner that was a less than pleasant experience. A portion of the group is stressed and scared after the truck being stolen from our driver and we got stuck twice recently. The tension is definitely affecting group harmony.
Still living the dream!
December 6th 2011
We headed back to Shasheme to check in on the stolen items. A few of our group were really scared of the town, so we stopped at a resort type place and had juice while a few people headed to the police station.
Chris got his camera back, complete with photos of criminals on it. It seems that the culprits had used the camera to take photos of themselves, their friends, and family while it was in their possession.
We drove to the town of Arba Minch to spend the night. Everyone got their own cabins, which were spacious and decorated with local art.
At dinner Chris experienced some Ethiopian service standards. He ordered a chicken curry. He wad presented with a full roasted chicken. After sending it back, a new order arrived. This time it was half a fried chicken. He sent that back as well. Next, a half eaten roasted chicken came out. The potatoes and chicken had visible bite marks out of it. Chris finally gave up and ordered a pizza at this point.
Living the dream, still living the dream!
Chris got his camera back, complete with photos of criminals on it. It seems that the culprits had used the camera to take photos of themselves, their friends, and family while it was in their possession.
We drove to the town of Arba Minch to spend the night. Everyone got their own cabins, which were spacious and decorated with local art.
At dinner Chris experienced some Ethiopian service standards. He ordered a chicken curry. He wad presented with a full roasted chicken. After sending it back, a new order arrived. This time it was half a fried chicken. He sent that back as well. Next, a half eaten roasted chicken came out. The potatoes and chicken had visible bite marks out of it. Chris finally gave up and ordered a pizza at this point.
Living the dream, still living the dream!
December 5th, 2011
Being
around the same 21 people all day, every day, can take its toll. One of
the things that tends to occur is that silly bets get made in an
attempt to keep entertained. Last night our driver was bet $200 to drive
naked. Although nothing could be seen from the back of the truck,
everything was on view to the locals through the windshield. He quickly
lost the bet for fear of the consequences.
The second thing is that you truly are always with someone. This changed today. We are staying at a hotel with a 'one person per room rule'. I am alone. There is no one else with me. It's shocking, weird, and quiet. I hadn't realized how long it had been (since Cairo really) since I had been by myself. I upgraded my room to get one of the suites. Having a jacuzzi tub rather than an electric shocking cold water dribble (seriously, why do so many of the showers here shock the users?) was worth the small fee.
In the afternoon we went to visit an orphanage. All the children there have lost both parents to AIDS. Most of the children were at school, but we got to see the center. It was impressive. Local 'house mothers' take care of feeding and washing for nine children each. Each child gets a bed, clean clothing, food, private schooling, and after school programs. Children aged 4 and higher participate in chores to teach life skills. At age 14 they move out into homes to integrate them into society. If the children go to university (which they aim for all their charges to) then they support them financially during that time. These children seem to have a very good chance at success. We were the first group to visit, and Dragoman will be returning on all their future trips.
Oh, I'm in the town of Hawassa. I love it! This is definitely my favorite town in Ethiopia. In fact, this is the first time since leaving Jordan that have thought 'I could live here'. It is clean, modern, and beautiful. The restaurants serve Western food, there is a supermarket (nothing like shampoo, mars bars, and razors to make you happy!), and tuk-tuks zoom around town. Yup, I like it here!
The second thing is that you truly are always with someone. This changed today. We are staying at a hotel with a 'one person per room rule'. I am alone. There is no one else with me. It's shocking, weird, and quiet. I hadn't realized how long it had been (since Cairo really) since I had been by myself. I upgraded my room to get one of the suites. Having a jacuzzi tub rather than an electric shocking cold water dribble (seriously, why do so many of the showers here shock the users?) was worth the small fee.
In the afternoon we went to visit an orphanage. All the children there have lost both parents to AIDS. Most of the children were at school, but we got to see the center. It was impressive. Local 'house mothers' take care of feeding and washing for nine children each. Each child gets a bed, clean clothing, food, private schooling, and after school programs. Children aged 4 and higher participate in chores to teach life skills. At age 14 they move out into homes to integrate them into society. If the children go to university (which they aim for all their charges to) then they support them financially during that time. These children seem to have a very good chance at success. We were the first group to visit, and Dragoman will be returning on all their future trips.
Oh, I'm in the town of Hawassa. I love it! This is definitely my favorite town in Ethiopia. In fact, this is the first time since leaving Jordan that have thought 'I could live here'. It is clean, modern, and beautiful. The restaurants serve Western food, there is a supermarket (nothing like shampoo, mars bars, and razors to make you happy!), and tuk-tuks zoom around town. Yup, I like it here!
December 4th, 2011
There
are monkeys in our camp ground! They are sitting on the truck, playing
on our tents, and stealing things. Oh, and a vulture just swooped down
and stole our local guides' sandwich. Seriously!
We spent the afternoon at the hot spring next to our hotel. It consisted of a few pools filled with warm water. They were hundreds of locals bathing. As our tour leader Tom said, 'these are the moments that mean the most; things that aren't designed for tourists, but that would be going on without us'. Tom and I amazed the locals using our acrobatic skills. Our driver, Daniel, had us stand on his shoulders, where we were launched off, flipping backwards until we landed in the water. It was SUCH a fun afternoon.
Living the dream!
We spent the afternoon at the hot spring next to our hotel. It consisted of a few pools filled with warm water. They were hundreds of locals bathing. As our tour leader Tom said, 'these are the moments that mean the most; things that aren't designed for tourists, but that would be going on without us'. Tom and I amazed the locals using our acrobatic skills. Our driver, Daniel, had us stand on his shoulders, where we were launched off, flipping backwards until we landed in the water. It was SUCH a fun afternoon.
Living the dream!
December 3rd 2011
Most
of the group took a three hour drive up to the highest point in the
Bale Mountains; the Plateau. It stands at 4377 meters. We saw lots of
endemic birds, mole rats, and a few Ethiopian wolves.
It was my groups turn to cook dinner. We sent our local guide to buy us beef and he came back with eight giant filet mignons. He payed the same in birr as we would have paid in dollars at home. I butchered the meat into steaks and cooked them to everyone's taste. There was also mash patsies, gravy, and stir fry (for the picky people). We spent the night by the fire.
It was my groups turn to cook dinner. We sent our local guide to buy us beef and he came back with eight giant filet mignons. He payed the same in birr as we would have paid in dollars at home. I butchered the meat into steaks and cooked them to everyone's taste. There was also mash patsies, gravy, and stir fry (for the picky people). We spent the night by the fire.
December 2nd 2011
We
stayed in the Bale Mountains National Park last night. We slept in a
reasonably sized lodge with a large fireplace. The rooms are dorm rooms
for 6-8 people. During the day a small group went horse back riding.
The quality of the horses was dubious, a theory that was proven correct
when one of our group members received the catcall 'You're horse is a
donkey!' along with a chorus of laughter.
I started on a horse named Sparkles (okay, its Amharic name was likely something else, but it sounded like Sparkles to me). Sparkles found it prudent to go no faster than a walk. The only time this changed was when a dog came out and scared both Sparkles and the horse in front of mine. By a stroke of luck I managed to stay on my petrified horse, but the girl in front of me wasn't so lucky; she was thrown to the ground. Thankfully, she was okay, so we moved on. Not ten minutes later, Sparkles' saddle started to come off. Sparkles was very unhappy about this and chose to throw both me and the saddle to the ground. I was fine, but demanded a new horse. I was given the guides' horse. This horse was able to trot on occasion, which was a great improvement from Sparkles. Ironically, Sparkles' new rider was thrown off by her later in the ride; she needs to be retired! The guide kept telling us we were galloping, which was ludicrous, as only two of the horses managed a slow canter and most trotted at best. All that considered, it was still an awesome day! The scenery was top notch and there were tons of antelope to be seen.
I started on a horse named Sparkles (okay, its Amharic name was likely something else, but it sounded like Sparkles to me). Sparkles found it prudent to go no faster than a walk. The only time this changed was when a dog came out and scared both Sparkles and the horse in front of mine. By a stroke of luck I managed to stay on my petrified horse, but the girl in front of me wasn't so lucky; she was thrown to the ground. Thankfully, she was okay, so we moved on. Not ten minutes later, Sparkles' saddle started to come off. Sparkles was very unhappy about this and chose to throw both me and the saddle to the ground. I was fine, but demanded a new horse. I was given the guides' horse. This horse was able to trot on occasion, which was a great improvement from Sparkles. Ironically, Sparkles' new rider was thrown off by her later in the ride; she needs to be retired! The guide kept telling us we were galloping, which was ludicrous, as only two of the horses managed a slow canter and most trotted at best. All that considered, it was still an awesome day! The scenery was top notch and there were tons of antelope to be seen.
December 1st, 2011
The truck was having some technical difficulties, so we stopped in
the town of Shashamene. By some incredible stroke of luck, I saw a wifi
sign, so I collected my iPad and went inside to write home. Why lucky
you ask? I would have otherwise left it charging inside the truck. This
shouldn't have been a problem, as the truck is very secure and the door
is always locked by padlock. Unfortunately, one of our more foolhardy
members of our group opened the truck. During this time, a man was
allowed to come into the truck to drop off bread. Within a span of
thirty seconds, the valuable items plugged into the power bar were gone.
Our leaders took our local guide to the police office in an attempt to identify the thief. During this time another man attempted to break into our truck. He tried to open our door, while a friend tried to pull mechanical items off the side of our truck. When one of my larger male companions went outside to confront him, a third man attempted to pickpocket him. By this point tempers were running very high and there was a crowd about about twenty Ethiopian men surrounding our truck. Our men were forced to stay inside to prevent further escalation.
Our local guide made it very clear that Ethiopian Police interrogation techniques are not gentle, so it is likely that the missing electronic equipment will be recovered. The questions is, for what price?
We spent the evening by a nice campsite, where everyone could de-stress a bit.
Our leaders took our local guide to the police office in an attempt to identify the thief. During this time another man attempted to break into our truck. He tried to open our door, while a friend tried to pull mechanical items off the side of our truck. When one of my larger male companions went outside to confront him, a third man attempted to pickpocket him. By this point tempers were running very high and there was a crowd about about twenty Ethiopian men surrounding our truck. Our men were forced to stay inside to prevent further escalation.
Our local guide made it very clear that Ethiopian Police interrogation techniques are not gentle, so it is likely that the missing electronic equipment will be recovered. The questions is, for what price?
We spent the evening by a nice campsite, where everyone could de-stress a bit.
November 30th 2011
Stuck in the sand!
We
left Addis Ababa for the Lake Abijata National Park. There are
thousands of flamingos on the lake.
Unfortunately on the way in our local guide had us drive through a path with sinking mud. We got hopelessly stuck! The guide wouldn't call for help, as we shouldn't have been in that area in the first place. It took over five hours to get out.
During that time the women played with some local children that came to visit (whose fathers were helping the men dig us out. Once we got out we drove further to a beautiful campsite.
Unfortunately on the way in our local guide had us drive through a path with sinking mud. We got hopelessly stuck! The guide wouldn't call for help, as we shouldn't have been in that area in the first place. It took over five hours to get out.
During that time the women played with some local children that came to visit (whose fathers were helping the men dig us out. Once we got out we drove further to a beautiful campsite.
November 29th 2011
The National Museum houses one of the most famous skeletons in the world- Lucy. Although she is no longer the oldest human ancestor to have been discovered, she is arguably still the most famous. The exhibit hosting her was surprisingly good, with detailed information and great specimens.
After the museum we went for a group dinner. Only 7 of our 21 people showed up, as a lot of people are ill. We went to the best rated restaurant in Addis- Jewel of India. The food was great and the service was surprisingly Western.
After the museum we went for a group dinner. Only 7 of our 21 people showed up, as a lot of people are ill. We went to the best rated restaurant in Addis- Jewel of India. The food was great and the service was surprisingly Western.
November 28th 2011
Off to explore Addis Ababa! The ethnological museum is highly recommended and a small group of us headed there this afternoon. It explains the traditions of the largest Ethiopian ethnic groups. The museum spans from childhood to after death, which is a really cool way of organization.
On the way I to the museum I was distracted by a dress in a store window. Although it was significantly too big the seamstress assured me that she could alter it. Sure enough, I received a perfectly fitted, traditional Ethiopian dress only hours later. The best part? instead of being the traditional white, it is purple! The fabric is hand loomed and each design is unique. Each section (the size for one traditional dress) takes one week to make. It is amazing how little people's artisan skills are valued here. The total price (fabric and labour) cost less than many Canadians make in an hour.
On the way I to the museum I was distracted by a dress in a store window. Although it was significantly too big the seamstress assured me that she could alter it. Sure enough, I received a perfectly fitted, traditional Ethiopian dress only hours later. The best part? instead of being the traditional white, it is purple! The fabric is hand loomed and each design is unique. Each section (the size for one traditional dress) takes one week to make. It is amazing how little people's artisan skills are valued here. The total price (fabric and labour) cost less than many Canadians make in an hour.
November 27th 2011
Driving into Addis Ababa is a surprising experience. The town is significantly more developed than anywhere we've been this month. It has its share of slums, but there are also concrete buildings, luxury hotels ($12,500 USD a night for a suite), and even a supermarket. The hotel has wireless internet, the town is filled with multicultural restaurants and beggars.
November 26th 2011
Our camp
I have an African conundrum for you: although it is cheap to wash your clothing (compared to a dry cleaner at home) they always return several shades lighter and often with holes (albeit clean) from the washing techniques. There is rarely enough water to have a shower and wash your clothing (obviously the shower wins out). So, do you wear dirty clothing? Or do you wear clean clothing with holes?
Zoom, zoom, zoom! We set off at noon today to start our drive to Addis Ababa. Looking out the window at the Ethiopian countryside, I can't help but ask myself, 'is this real life?'.
Zoom, zoom, zoom! We set off at noon today to start our drive to Addis Ababa. Looking out the window at the Ethiopian countryside, I can't help but ask myself, 'is this real life?'.
November 25th 2011
Today was such a wonderful day! Each day is special and fun, because every situation is new, but sometimes,we see or do something that really takes my breath away.
This was the case with the trip to the Blue Nile Falls. It is not the highest, widest, or most dramatic waterfall I've seen, but after a week of straight churches, it was so great to see a wonder of nature. The baboons feel like weeks ago! We got right up close to the falls, sitting right in the spray. We all commented that in the developed world there would have been a fence a few dozen meters back from our vantage point. A few of our strongest swimmers went skinny-dipping under the falls. I have a feeling that wouldn't have been allowed in North America either...
For lunch we went to a pizza place. Besides several mysterious additions to our bill, it was a good place! At this point being scammed for extra money is a daily (at best) occurrence.
In the afternoon I went to the flash hotel next door with Andrew and Beth. We spent a good five hours being pampered in their spa. For less than $35 USD we received a one hour massage, a full body wax, eyebrow sculpture, manicure, pedicure, and use of the best shower I've had since September. My newly bright pink toes create a real contrast against my decrepit sandals (the bottoms are about to fall off and the back straps are long gone; I'm hoping to have them last another three weeks... Chances are slim).
For today, we are clean and pretty. The real test was when we headed to the posh bar that our friends had been turned away from last night for being too scruffy. We were welcomed in and served machiattos with a Starbucks price.
This was the case with the trip to the Blue Nile Falls. It is not the highest, widest, or most dramatic waterfall I've seen, but after a week of straight churches, it was so great to see a wonder of nature. The baboons feel like weeks ago! We got right up close to the falls, sitting right in the spray. We all commented that in the developed world there would have been a fence a few dozen meters back from our vantage point. A few of our strongest swimmers went skinny-dipping under the falls. I have a feeling that wouldn't have been allowed in North America either...
For lunch we went to a pizza place. Besides several mysterious additions to our bill, it was a good place! At this point being scammed for extra money is a daily (at best) occurrence.
In the afternoon I went to the flash hotel next door with Andrew and Beth. We spent a good five hours being pampered in their spa. For less than $35 USD we received a one hour massage, a full body wax, eyebrow sculpture, manicure, pedicure, and use of the best shower I've had since September. My newly bright pink toes create a real contrast against my decrepit sandals (the bottoms are about to fall off and the back straps are long gone; I'm hoping to have them last another three weeks... Chances are slim).
For today, we are clean and pretty. The real test was when we headed to the posh bar that our friends had been turned away from last night for being too scruffy. We were welcomed in and served machiattos with a Starbucks price.
November 24th 2011
Church bells
It was an early morning today, for the chance to speak to my family on Skype. It has been a long 2.5 weeks without Internet; I apologize for the lack of blog posting that has been occurring accordingly.
This morning we went on a boat trip to the Island Monasteries of Lake Tana. They were definitely one of my favorite Christian sites, only behind a small church in Munich, whose name I will never remember, but that has stood out in my mind since I saw it almost 5 years ago. The art work inside these sites was stunning. Although the images were primarily of the martyrs being murdered, the colors and craftsmanship was impressive.
On the way back to shore we visited the source of the Blue Nile. This location is known to be the home of hippos and crocodiles, but we were not fortunate enough to see either. There was a wide variety of birds and some monkeys on the islands.
This morning we went on a boat trip to the Island Monasteries of Lake Tana. They were definitely one of my favorite Christian sites, only behind a small church in Munich, whose name I will never remember, but that has stood out in my mind since I saw it almost 5 years ago. The art work inside these sites was stunning. Although the images were primarily of the martyrs being murdered, the colors and craftsmanship was impressive.
On the way back to shore we visited the source of the Blue Nile. This location is known to be the home of hippos and crocodiles, but we were not fortunate enough to see either. There was a wide variety of birds and some monkeys on the islands.
November 23rd 2011
Driving days are more fun with our bigger group. Although we have less room, this causes people to spend less time sleeping and more time hanging out. We played cards, talked and laughed for most of our drive today. There was also some time in the roof seats, which is always a pleasure!
When we got to Bahir Dar, we were pleasantly surprised to find ourselves in a real town. Since starting this section of the trip, we haven't seen anywhere that had more than tin, mud, or wood shacks. It was a nice change to see many multi-storey buildings, well paved roads, and a general cleanliness around the town.
Due to the modernity of Bahir Dar, there are few hotels in our price range that do not require you to share your bed with insects. Therefore, we ended up camping on the grounds of one of the better hotels. Thankfully, there were room upgrades available, meaning that we could pay a supplementary fee and sleep in a room. This fee added up to $2.50 USD. Man, I love Ethiopia.
We are spending three days here, which is likely for the best, as our driver has contracted Malaria. Yikes!
When we got to Bahir Dar, we were pleasantly surprised to find ourselves in a real town. Since starting this section of the trip, we haven't seen anywhere that had more than tin, mud, or wood shacks. It was a nice change to see many multi-storey buildings, well paved roads, and a general cleanliness around the town.
Due to the modernity of Bahir Dar, there are few hotels in our price range that do not require you to share your bed with insects. Therefore, we ended up camping on the grounds of one of the better hotels. Thankfully, there were room upgrades available, meaning that we could pay a supplementary fee and sleep in a room. This fee added up to $2.50 USD. Man, I love Ethiopia.
We are spending three days here, which is likely for the best, as our driver has contracted Malaria. Yikes!
November 22nd 2011
Standing outside the graveyard
Thanks to a birthday gift, my budget increased slightly. Accordingly, I went on a rather pricey trip to the Yemrehanna Kristos Church. It was built inside a cave. Inside is a palace and church made out of marble and wood. There was a graveyard with 5741 bodies. They weren't buried, just sitting outside, so it was a bit shocking to see.
After the trip we went to a cafe and ordered juice. There were several different kinds, so we ordered the layered drink. It had banana, papaya, and avocado juice. The avocado was surprisingly awesome!
In the afternoon we went to visit a local School. After turning down thousands of begging Ethiopian children over the last two weeks, it was very nice to be able to donate some books and paper to the school. We visited an English class and the library.
After the trip we went to a cafe and ordered juice. There were several different kinds, so we ordered the layered drink. It had banana, papaya, and avocado juice. The avocado was surprisingly awesome!
In the afternoon we went to visit a local School. After turning down thousands of begging Ethiopian children over the last two weeks, it was very nice to be able to donate some books and paper to the school. We visited an English class and the library.
November 21st 2011
Sharing my birthday with new friends
We arrived in Lalibella yesterday afternoon. This morning we had a full day church tour with a guide. One or two were very interesting, but the majority were nothing special. Churches are my least favorite thing planned for my trip, so this portion of the trip can get a bit dry...
Right, so today is my 21st birthday! After the churches, we went to the best restaurant in town. It is like a sculpture sitting on the edge of the mountain. It was a great dinner and I had a ton of fun with my travel companions. Everyone made sure that I had a wonderful time!
Right, so today is my 21st birthday! After the churches, we went to the best restaurant in town. It is like a sculpture sitting on the edge of the mountain. It was a great dinner and I had a ton of fun with my travel companions. Everyone made sure that I had a wonderful time!
November 20th 2011
More driving! Ethiopia is huge and the roads are so windy. We spent most of the day sitting in the Roof seats watching the world go by at 15km/hr.
Still living the dream!
Still living the dream!
November 19th 2011
Today was a driving day followed by a bush camp. It was Kelly's (a male Kiwi) birthday, so there was a nice dinner with singing.
Living the dream!
Living the dream!
November 18th 2011
We left Axum this morning and drove to Mekele. It is a university town with an awesome atmosphere. We went to two churches along the way. They weren't terribly interesting and the priests living there were very mean. They kept changing the price to visit and grabbed several of our group members by the arm. One young man kept yelling at me until Chris told him firmly 'no'. It seems he respected a man more, so he walked away instantly.
We had a group buffet dinner. It was really nice, as it feels like I haven't sent much time with some of the people. With 20 people, the group splinters off much more than it did when we were 10. Afterwards, we headed to the closest bar. It wasn't until I went to the bathroom that I began to suspect it may not be a bar after all. The back was filled with beds and women in various states of undress. We had found a brothel.
We had a group buffet dinner. It was really nice, as it feels like I haven't sent much time with some of the people. With 20 people, the group splinters off much more than it did when we were 10. Afterwards, we headed to the closest bar. It wasn't until I went to the bathroom that I began to suspect it may not be a bar after all. The back was filled with beds and women in various states of undress. We had found a brothel.
November 17th 2011
Local wildlife
No trip to Askum (or Axum- another case of mysterious Ethiopian spelling differences) would be complete without doing a bit of historic site seeing. We couldn't go to the Mary of Zion Church (where the Arc of the Covenant is supposedly resting) or the Derbe Demo Monastery, as they are closed to women. We were able to go to the Stella Fields, which is an area where there are tons of obelisks. They are relic from Ethiopia's pre-Christian time. We also saw the supposed Palace of the Queen of Sheba and a graveyard.
Dinner was another great Ethiopian fare! We went to a restaurant owned by an Ethiopian woman and an American man. They served awesome food at a great price. It is going to be hard to go back to paying more then a few dollars a meal!
Dinner was another great Ethiopian fare! We went to a restaurant owned by an Ethiopian woman and an American man. They served awesome food at a great price. It is going to be hard to go back to paying more then a few dollars a meal!
November 16th 2011
The view from the rooftop seats
Axum is the reported resting place of the 'Arc of the Covenant'. Although that is the main attraction of the town, there are also various bars, restaurants and music joints. After a long drive a group of us went for drinks and dinner. There was the best roast lamb I've ever had! That may have had something to do with the fact that the dead lamb carcass was hanging in the restaurant- it doesn't get much fresher than that!
November 15th 2011
Driving
our truck down from the Simien Mountains was an extremely slow
process. It took over 10 hours to travel 150 km. Since we were going so
slowly the roof seats were opened. Three of us spent the entire day
sitting on the roof watching the world go by. The scenery was the best
that I've ever seen. The drive was broken up by some swimming, lunch,
and a landslide. We were trapped behind a pile of rocks for some time.
But, it was no big deal, as we just sat on the roof and waited.
November 14th 2011
This
morning was our last trek. We bundled up and headed up the mountain.
We found a breeding pair of walia ibex and spent some time taking
photos. Upon returning to our camp site, we discovered that it was
overrun with baboons! They were within two feet of us as we packed up
camp.
Before dinner, five of us played a cash game of poker. Although I've only played half a dozen times, the buy in was 20 birr, a little over a dollar, so I couldn't say no. The outcome was our driver winning 100 birr, but we drew quite the crowd of locals between the start and finish. Upon running out of chips I walked into the bar adjoining the poker table. A young Ethiopian came up to me and said, "how are you all so rich?". It turns out that one of the onlookers had been explaining the game to the others. During this process he told everyone that we all had $2500 worth of chips (which we likely were playing with). Perhaps the entertainment value for the locals who had been watching us was more to do with the fact that we were enthusiastically pushing our whole piles in for 'all in' a little too often. In the end, the winner ended up with $12500 worth of chips, adding up to 100 birr; less then $6 USD. Needless to say, we're a little worried that Daniel is going to get rolled in the middle of the night for his big jackpot.
Before dinner, five of us played a cash game of poker. Although I've only played half a dozen times, the buy in was 20 birr, a little over a dollar, so I couldn't say no. The outcome was our driver winning 100 birr, but we drew quite the crowd of locals between the start and finish. Upon running out of chips I walked into the bar adjoining the poker table. A young Ethiopian came up to me and said, "how are you all so rich?". It turns out that one of the onlookers had been explaining the game to the others. During this process he told everyone that we all had $2500 worth of chips (which we likely were playing with). Perhaps the entertainment value for the locals who had been watching us was more to do with the fact that we were enthusiastically pushing our whole piles in for 'all in' a little too often. In the end, the winner ended up with $12500 worth of chips, adding up to 100 birr; less then $6 USD. Needless to say, we're a little worried that Daniel is going to get rolled in the middle of the night for his big jackpot.
November 13th 2011
It's below zero. I'm from Canada, this shouldn't be an issue. However, there is a big difference between staying in a heated house and wearing fall sweaters in a tent. The trip notes said "desert nights can get down to 15 degrees; be prepared". Needless to say, the clothes suitable for that temperature do not work very well at this altitude. The five sweaters I'm wearing better do the trick, or else I might not be around to write tomorrow.
There are consolations for being up this high. The first being a trek to 4430 meters to see the highest peak in Ethiopia. There are zillions of baboons here and a few of the near extinct ibex. At least if we survive there will be some great memories!
There are consolations for being up this high. The first being a trek to 4430 meters to see the highest peak in Ethiopia. There are zillions of baboons here and a few of the near extinct ibex. At least if we survive there will be some great memories!
November 12th 2011
5 degrees. Brrrrrrrr!!
We left Debark pretty early tonight, picking up two guides and three scouts along the way. They are mandatory to be able to go into the park. The scouts speak no English and carry rusty World War era guns. The guns are carried supposedly to protect us from the leopards, who went extinct in the park several years ago. The truth is that it is an attempt to create jobs for locals using the park; I can certainly support that, although I wish that it didn't involve a man with a gun sitting next to me on a bumpy road.
We saw the bleeding heart baboons almost right away. There are thousands of them, in groups of 10- 100 along the roads. They are the only grass eating species of monkey in the world. One baboon eats 1kg of grass a day. They are disliked by the people who are still living in the park as they also eat crops and fields meant for livestock.
We set up camp at one of the designated sites (the spots are limited to reduce the impact on the environment by trekkers). It wasn't long after we arrived that we left on our first trek. It was a hike through the mountains to a waterfall. The altitude (well over 3000m at this point) had serious affects on many of the people in the group. Although it feels like there is a book on my chest, that isn't comparable to the dizziness and vomiting that a few members are experiencing.
After the trek our cooking group started to make dinner. This took forever due to the altitude and the newbies in the cook group. Our guides invited me to come and sit with them for a while. They fed me some ingera (the national dish if Ethiopia) and we chatted for a while. It helped tide me over until our fairly simple dinner that took four hours to prepare.
I'm really not sure what I was expecting from Ethiopia. The main images we receive in the West are the 'famine in the Horn of Africa' type, which skew how most people perceive this country. I know I wasn't expecting a country so lush it could be a Caribbean island (or the Irish countryside, as one of my fellow travelers insists that it looks like). This really is quite a cool place!
Living the dream, still living the dream!
We left Debark pretty early tonight, picking up two guides and three scouts along the way. They are mandatory to be able to go into the park. The scouts speak no English and carry rusty World War era guns. The guns are carried supposedly to protect us from the leopards, who went extinct in the park several years ago. The truth is that it is an attempt to create jobs for locals using the park; I can certainly support that, although I wish that it didn't involve a man with a gun sitting next to me on a bumpy road.
We saw the bleeding heart baboons almost right away. There are thousands of them, in groups of 10- 100 along the roads. They are the only grass eating species of monkey in the world. One baboon eats 1kg of grass a day. They are disliked by the people who are still living in the park as they also eat crops and fields meant for livestock.
We set up camp at one of the designated sites (the spots are limited to reduce the impact on the environment by trekkers). It wasn't long after we arrived that we left on our first trek. It was a hike through the mountains to a waterfall. The altitude (well over 3000m at this point) had serious affects on many of the people in the group. Although it feels like there is a book on my chest, that isn't comparable to the dizziness and vomiting that a few members are experiencing.
After the trek our cooking group started to make dinner. This took forever due to the altitude and the newbies in the cook group. Our guides invited me to come and sit with them for a while. They fed me some ingera (the national dish if Ethiopia) and we chatted for a while. It helped tide me over until our fairly simple dinner that took four hours to prepare.
I'm really not sure what I was expecting from Ethiopia. The main images we receive in the West are the 'famine in the Horn of Africa' type, which skew how most people perceive this country. I know I wasn't expecting a country so lush it could be a Caribbean island (or the Irish countryside, as one of my fellow travelers insists that it looks like). This really is quite a cool place!
Living the dream, still living the dream!
November 11th 2011
Debark is the starting point for all Simien Mountain tours. It's even colder here... We're down to 15 degrees. We drove here this morning. It was a four hour drive covering 101 km. Ethiopian roads are a mess. Someone should call in the Chinese- they did such a good job recovering all of Sudan's roads!
Besides the glorious scenery, the biggest difference in Ethiopia is the people. While the older adults are friendly, it is clearly evident that aid and tourism has had an enormous effect on the younger generations. Kids run out of their houses when we pass. They try to grab our hands when we walk in town. The smiling faces and waves are adorable. The pleas for "bic?" "plastic?", and "money?" get very old, very fast. As our local guide pointed out to us, the children who are out flirting with the foreigners are skipping school or ignoring their family's animals (Ethiopian farm children [80% of the population are farmers] receive ten animals to take care at age four).
The adult version of this type of aid was also evident throughout the town. There were dozens of 2011 Toyota Hilux in the town. How do Ethiopians afford $40,000 cars you may ask? Each truck had the logo of an aid organization emblazoned on the back. Or 'donated by Moenaco'. Oone of my traveling companions really wants a Hilux. He has dreams of driving it across the rest of Africa. As such, we asked the owners of one of these trucks what he would be willing to sell it for. Here is how it went:
"4000"
"Dollars?"
"No, birr"
Upon seeing the shocked looks on our faces he tried to change the currency to dollars. But, the damage was done, we could have bought a virtually new truck for $235 USD.
A few members of the group are in charge of shopping for food on any given day. While exploring the town, we saw those individuals a few blocks away (blocks being a loose term in this town, but certainly far enough away that we couldn't do anything). Children were holding their hands on either side, with a few out front dancing and looking cute. We watched helplessly as a final child reached into the pockets of our comrade, pulled out bill(s), and ran. The three shoppers continued to laugh with the children, completely oblivious that they were the fools.
Besides the glorious scenery, the biggest difference in Ethiopia is the people. While the older adults are friendly, it is clearly evident that aid and tourism has had an enormous effect on the younger generations. Kids run out of their houses when we pass. They try to grab our hands when we walk in town. The smiling faces and waves are adorable. The pleas for "bic?" "plastic?", and "money?" get very old, very fast. As our local guide pointed out to us, the children who are out flirting with the foreigners are skipping school or ignoring their family's animals (Ethiopian farm children [80% of the population are farmers] receive ten animals to take care at age four).
The adult version of this type of aid was also evident throughout the town. There were dozens of 2011 Toyota Hilux in the town. How do Ethiopians afford $40,000 cars you may ask? Each truck had the logo of an aid organization emblazoned on the back. Or 'donated by Moenaco'. Oone of my traveling companions really wants a Hilux. He has dreams of driving it across the rest of Africa. As such, we asked the owners of one of these trucks what he would be willing to sell it for. Here is how it went:
"4000"
"Dollars?"
"No, birr"
Upon seeing the shocked looks on our faces he tried to change the currency to dollars. But, the damage was done, we could have bought a virtually new truck for $235 USD.
A few members of the group are in charge of shopping for food on any given day. While exploring the town, we saw those individuals a few blocks away (blocks being a loose term in this town, but certainly far enough away that we couldn't do anything). Children were holding their hands on either side, with a few out front dancing and looking cute. We watched helplessly as a final child reached into the pockets of our comrade, pulled out bill(s), and ran. The three shoppers continued to laugh with the children, completely oblivious that they were the fools.
November 10th 2011
Egypt was relatively devoid of tourists, Sudan, almost completely lacking, but Gondor has a different flavor. Tour buses full of German, French, and English tourists pack the city. There are more people in pressed pants and dress shirts walking around than anything else. It certainly makes our crew, with our scraggy hair, desert wrecked clothing, and sense for real adventure stand out. During the city tour today, my German friend made the following comment (albeit with a different expletive) upon coming across another of these groups, "oh no! more tourists!". The comment was made far too loudly, so the entire group of tourists stared right at us. When someone had the courage to ask "well, what are you then?" she replied, "hardcore adventurers, of course". I suppose once you've been camping in Sudan you're allowed to utilize this title.
We saw some neat castles and ceremonial baths. Gondor is known as the 'Camelot of Africa' due to the massive number of royal quarters. As per usual, the tour guide became boring after a while, so a few of us wandered off on our own. Something about exploring, after you've gotten the basic information about the place, that makes you feel like you're discovering it on your own.
In the evening, we went to the local brewery for a tour. We learned all the ins and outs of making Daschen beer. We then spent some time in the beer garden before moving to a local bar. There was drumming and a type of dance popular with the Ethiopian youth that can be best described as a chicken dance, where only shoulders are used to dance. It was the best time we've had so far!
Tomorrow is our first drive in the truck with the new group. We have 21 seats and 18 people; things are going to be much less comfortable than they were with half that number...
Living the dream, still living the dream!
We saw some neat castles and ceremonial baths. Gondor is known as the 'Camelot of Africa' due to the massive number of royal quarters. As per usual, the tour guide became boring after a while, so a few of us wandered off on our own. Something about exploring, after you've gotten the basic information about the place, that makes you feel like you're discovering it on your own.
In the evening, we went to the local brewery for a tour. We learned all the ins and outs of making Daschen beer. We then spent some time in the beer garden before moving to a local bar. There was drumming and a type of dance popular with the Ethiopian youth that can be best described as a chicken dance, where only shoulders are used to dance. It was the best time we've had so far!
Tomorrow is our first drive in the truck with the new group. We have 21 seats and 18 people; things are going to be much less comfortable than they were with half that number...
Living the dream, still living the dream!
November 9th 2011
It's cold here. Compared to the 40 degree weather in the Sudanese desert, the 25 degree weather here feels like winter. The 2200 meter altitude doesn't help the situation. Brrrr.
Today we went to a really cool church. I'll let the photos do the talking on that one. We walked around Gondar (the spelling varies between Gondar, and Gondor, depending on the mood of the person making the sign) to get a vibe of the town. Nice place, very different from anywhere I've been before.
Our new group members arrived today. Various sexes, ages, and nationalities- the best situation for a good mix-up of personalities. They seem keen to get going, so I think that it is going to be a good three weeks with this group!
Today we went to a really cool church. I'll let the photos do the talking on that one. We walked around Gondar (the spelling varies between Gondar, and Gondor, depending on the mood of the person making the sign) to get a vibe of the town. Nice place, very different from anywhere I've been before.
Our new group members arrived today. Various sexes, ages, and nationalities- the best situation for a good mix-up of personalities. They seem keen to get going, so I think that it is going to be a good three weeks with this group!
November 8th 2011
Things
change dramatically, almost ironically so, when you cross the border
between Sudan and Ethiopia. Gone are the sand dunes, replaced by grassy
hills and bare bottomed children.
The border process was fairly quick, but too boring to include in this account. Far more interesting were the herds of animals taking the same roads as us. They paid little attention to our big truck, continuing on their journey as they pleased. This is the Africa we had all been expecting. We are going to be in Ethiopia for the next six weeks, I think I'm going to like it here!
Today is the last day of my third trip! We finish in the Ethiopian town of Gondor, with the new trip starting tomorrow evening. This one is a bit different, as no one is leaving the trip, but eight new people are coming aboard. Hopefully they fit in well!
According to the Lonely Planet guide we are staying at 'easily the best high end hotel in Gondor'. A stark contrast to the bush camp of last night, or the flea hotels of a few days prior. The new group will arrive to this hotel, little do they know what they are really getting themselves into.
The border process was fairly quick, but too boring to include in this account. Far more interesting were the herds of animals taking the same roads as us. They paid little attention to our big truck, continuing on their journey as they pleased. This is the Africa we had all been expecting. We are going to be in Ethiopia for the next six weeks, I think I'm going to like it here!
Today is the last day of my third trip! We finish in the Ethiopian town of Gondor, with the new trip starting tomorrow evening. This one is a bit different, as no one is leaving the trip, but eight new people are coming aboard. Hopefully they fit in well!
According to the Lonely Planet guide we are staying at 'easily the best high end hotel in Gondor'. A stark contrast to the bush camp of last night, or the flea hotels of a few days prior. The new group will arrive to this hotel, little do they know what they are really getting themselves into.
