Travelogue: Day 11, Bahir Dar to Addis Ababa

The plan was to get up early, 5:15 a.m., and be out the door before 6 a.m. To my family’s credit it happened for the second time on the trip. Both times we got up early, dressed and packed and travelled for a while before eating breakfast. Logically, it seems to me, that shouldn’t be as efficient as having cereal on the table and people catching a bit to eat before we go and then not having to stop. But it doesn’t work that way. Breakfast causes delays on the front end. But for girls like Abby, we had bananas ready so that the morning would start with something in the tummy.

We said good-bye to the Ivys and picked Mekonnen up at his hotel and were on our way. Another advantage of an early start is that there are fewer people and animals on the street as well as traffic. So we were in Debre Markos by 9:30 a.m. making good time. This day was to be one of the longer days, kilometer-wise. But that was mitigated by some of the best roads in Ethiopia; two-lane paved asphalt roads almost all the way to Addis (a few short exceptions). I drove 2/3 of the way and Mekonnen drove the final 1/3 into Addis. I was happy to let him. I always become tired in the early afternoon. We arrived in our compound safe and sound around 3:30 p.m. After over 2,500 kms (and spending about $1, 500) we had returned without a major incident or accident to report. No flat tires. No going over a cliff’s edge. No stolen wallets, purses or other valuables. No one hurt or sick. Thanks be to God!

So what did we learn from this long trip?

Travel – that our girls can make such a trip and we can all survive it! Amani, Abby and Sophia did quite well in spite of the long travel days. That doesn’t mean that there wasn’t any complaining or whining over the length of the drives or the meals or the lodgings (frankly, Wanda and I had much of the same complaints but weren’t quite as vocal or ‘in-your-face’) but they managed to make it around the entire northern circuit without any huge melt downs. For that we can be grateful. And yet, we shall heed Abby’s words made near the end of our travels, “Next time, don’t take me on a long trip like this again. Airplanes are ok, but not cars.” We understand . . .

Ethiopia – is magnificent in natural beauty. Of course there is the obvious poverty and underdevelopment wherever one goes in the country but Ethiopia is surely one of the few African countries that can boast a variety of landscapes rivaling the North American context; mountains and highlands that rival the alpine or appalachian scenery in Europe or eastern U.S., dry arid country that looks very much like the American desert southwest. Waterfalls and rivers. Mountains and plains and lowlands below sea level, lower than any place else on earth (the Danikil Depression; we didn’t go there).

Roads – two words; rough and scary. But the good news is that asphalt paved roads are being constructed all over Ethiopia by the Chinese. Just about everywhere we travelled we saw sections of roads be constructed. And in most hotels we were in the other guests were Chinese. If those roads are finished in a year’s time we can try traveling some stretches again and enjoy our traveling much more.

Money – the good news is that the U.S. dollar goes pretty far in Ethiopia. The bad news is that in every tourist place there are two prices; an ‘Habesha’ price (very low or free) and a ‘Ferenji’ price (very high and sometimes in U.S. dollars instead of Birr). Now I don’t mind paying a little more than the nationals, after all we can acknowledge that most westerners can afford to pay more. But there is a fine line between a fair price scale and gouging. In some places it felt like gouging.

I finally said no in Axum at the church where supposedly the Israelite Ark of the Covenant is held. Obviously we weren’t going to see it (no one can), and we weren’t allowed inside without paying 60 Birr each (what would we see for that anyhow?). So I decided to just take a photo from a distance of about 50 yards away, not a close shot but it would do. But no, I was told, you must pay 30 Birr to take the photo. What? Forget it. I didn’t need the photo that badly. Needless to say I was thoroughly disgusted.

Those are a few thoughts. Others may come in future blogs. But for now, it is finished . . .