Thompson Falls, Nyahururu

Although I am now already the third time in Kenya, there are still quite some places I have not visited yet. Nyahururu is one of those places. This city is at an altitude of 2400 meters. 

Thompson Falls, Nyahururu, Kenya

Here there is a big waterfall, 74 meters high. It is a very nice spot!  Here the soil is very fertile and there are many corn and wheat fields. Moreover, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, apples and oranges are harvested at the moment. Right next to the fields, people sell fresh vegetables and fruits.
Because of the height it is quite cold in Nyahururu at night - I was very cold despite of sleeping-bag and two blankets...  Apparently I became African again... My best sleeps I have with temperatures in between 24-28 degrees. Well, sooner or later I will find this again...

Hakuna Matata - by bus to Isiolo

Bus to Isiolo, Kenya

The bus trip to Isiolo was nearly embarrassingly unspectacular. Though the road was also bad here, it was not as bad as the day before. Moreover, there were some interesting people to see - in this dry area, there lives Ghabba, Pokot, Samburu and other ethnic groups. A third of the way is even tarred. Still, I was extremely glad to arrive in Isiolo. Well, poor Hage and the girls had to continue to Nairobi.

Bus to Isiolo, Kenya

When travelling in Africa, I am very often surprised to see, how African children stand a lot of things without any complaints. Hage's girls are 7 and 5 years old - they never complained, were never bored or pissed and never cried. To be honest, for all that would have been more than enough reasons. Basically, we were travelling for 3 days in a row under tough conditions. It was in most parts noisy, dirty and uncomfortable.  They did not have enough sleep, the food was bad and given at the wrong times.  Then looking for hours for a room for the night, just the truck and bus by itself was just not nice at all. They went through all this without any protest.  It is amazing, what the African kids can do - especially in comparison to some kids in the western world, who have no clue, what kind of things are just possible on the other side of the world!

However, I was very happy, when we finally reached Isiolo. A bed just for myself in a nice hotel, tasty chicken for dinner and, moreover, Anita - THE nice employee of the hotel, who had to laugh so badly at my dirty laundry and for sure she immediately knew, what was going on - yes, the bad road  Moyale - Marsabit - Isiolo.....  But she treated my clothes with plenty of water and lots of soap, now they look like new!

Hage and Bettyna in the truck, Kenya

Moyale - Marsabit by "car"

Hage and the car, which turned out to be a truck

Dirt road to Marsabit

Hage told me, we will travel by car. Well, the car turned out to be a truck. At least, we could travel in the cabin and not on the back. However, this was the only good thing today!  The track was in a very bad condition and it took us 10 hours and two breakdowns to reach Marsabit.  In Marsabit, things became very interesting. The idea was that we spend the night in Marsabit and go with the same truck towards Nairobi the following day. So, it was also communicated by the driver. 




 

More camels than trucks on the way in between Moyale and Marsabit, Kenya

In Marsabit, it turned out, that we can go with him, but only 3 days later, because the driver has to go somewhere to fetch a load of sheep first and deliver them in another place. And this means one day going there and one day of return...Well, Marsabit is not exactly the place at which one absolutely wants to spend three days... So, we had to find an alternative. After a long fruitless discussion, we bought bus tickets for the bus to Isiolo. Then we started our search for a hotel.  Well, as said before, this day was not the best day I ever had. The first six hotels were full... And all that at 9pm (European time) with two small girls and pregnant Hage, who was already completely wore out.  After one and a half hours of searching in the dark, we finally found a place to sleep. Though expensive, but, at least we found something.

Moyale border - a masterpiece of african reality

Hage and the girls, Moyale, Ethiopia

In this bus to Moyale at the border I got to know Hage. She is a Kenyan with Somali roots living in Nairobi. She has family on both sides of the border. She was in Yabello to fetch her daughters there. Her husband has brought them there four months ago. She told me, that he had taken them away from her. I have no idea, if this story is true or not. However, Hage has family also in Moyale, so I could stay with her and her family. Moyale is on both sides of the border and a rather unspectacular place.  On the Ethiopian side the infrastructure is slightly better. It was nice for us, that the family lives on this side as well....This night was clearly not one of my best - four people trying to sleep on two mattresses... Then, we continued to Kenya.

The border is a masterpiece of African reality - the Kenyan side of the border is open 24 hours, the Ethiopian side only 12... So, someone, who comes from Kenya can easily get stuck, if worse comes to the worst, 12 hours in no-man’s-land.... And this is not only named like this....But well, this was one of the few problems, we did not have.

Ethiopia and the clock....

Injera, traditional food of Ethiopia

From Awassa, I continued towards the border with Kenya. This was not so much fun anymore. From Awassa to Yabello, the street was okay, but I needed for 250 kilometers three different busses and about 10 hours... And this was only the beginning....

Flat tyre number 3, before Yabello, Ethiopia

From Yabello the street became worse, at least, the scenery was somehow exciting. Before, it was very green with banana plants, mango trees and tomato plants, etc. Then it became drier, everywhere termite hills - some of them were really huge, several meters high...  Well and then there was the problem with bus departure times.... In Ethiopia the time goes literally different. The Ethiopians say - not at all very clever - the day begins in the morning with the sunrise. The Ethiopians call that accordingly 00.00 o'clock or also 12.00 o'clock. (With us it is 06.00 o'clock in the morning). At noon our time, Ethiopians say it is 06.00 (what is of course 12 o'clock with us). Okay till here? Is this still understandable after a 10 hours bumpy bus ride, when asking for the timings for the bus the next morning? Not really....

So, I was very pleased to hear, that the bus will start at 12.00 o'clock... Thank god, the guy also added, I need to get up early at the moment... 12 and early? This does not make so much sense... Oh - it does - it is 6.00 in the morning, and I even had to be at the petrol station at 05.30..... 

Holiday destination Awassa

Lake Awassa, Ethiopia

Linda and Tomas, Awassa, Ethiopia

Fun at the boat ride, Awassa, Ethiopia

After this exciting day I allowed myself one more extra day in Addis, before I moved on to Awassa.  Awassa lies directly at a big lake. There are many birds, monkeys and hippos. The town is very relaxed; there are many cafes and restaurants. Moreover, there is a big selection of hotels. Why is there all that here?  Awassa is the number 1 place in Ethiopia for honeymooners! Everywhere young couples, everybody in a good mood, a really pleasant atmosphere....

In the minibus to Awassa I got to know Linda and Tomas. Of course - on honeymoon, maybe a little bit late, as they married already in February. Their story is definitely worth telling. Tomas is originally from Eritrea, which is the big enemy for most Ethiopians. Eritrea became independent from Ethiopia in 1993. Since then both countries fought in several wars, the borders are closed. Tomas is very good in running. Norway gave him a scholarship; he studies sports and starts now at marathon events for Norway.  Linda is from Mekelle in northern Ethiopia. She studies economy.

How did they get to know each other? Well, we live in a modern world - it was Facebook, where they got to know each other! Several meetings followed, and then they fell in love with each other. In February this year they got married. What a story!

Linda having fun on the boat, Awassa, Ethiopia

We had some meals together and went out for a funny boat ride. I am very sure, that we will stay in contact. Moreover, in Awassa there is a big university. So, English speakers do not face here any problems.  The problems here were more of the animal kind - monkeys! One of these crazy creatures took my nearly full bottle of coke and drank it. There are no photos of that, because, who takes a coke away, will not hesitate to take a camera as well....

Monkey thief, Awassa, Ethiopia

Addis Abeba and His Holiness

Addis Abeba, Ethiopia

Since some days, I am now in Addis Abeba, capital of Ethiopia. About 4 million people are living here. 
Here in Addis, I met Yusuf again, a friend from Mombasa, which I got to know 4 years ago at the beginning of the last Africa trip. Yusuf and his extended family hat a great influence on my travels through East Africa in 2009 and so I was very glad to meet him in Addis Abeba.

His Holiness arrival at Sheraton Hotel, Addis Abeba

His Holiness, Sheraton, Addis Abeba

Yusuf prepared everything there for the visit of his holiness. He is the leader of the community of  Bohras. His holiness lives in Bombay and it was the first time, he paid a visit to the small community of Bohras in Ethiopia.

For sure, everybody was very excited.
And I was right in the middle of things. The Holiness lodged in the Sheraton Hotel. And he was also very well guarded - police in front and behind the convoy, and all that, wherever he wanted to go....I was very astonished, when it turned out, that I was chosen by the 2nd man after his holiness to be the photographer of the day. This meant, I was with his holiness, when he met the son of the prime minister with family, I took photos, when presents were exchanged and nice chats were done. And I was also allowed to take photos of the ceremony in the evening including two weddings.

It is absolutely unusual, that foreign non-believers are present with such ceremonies, as a woman and on top with camera.... Probably not everybody liked the idea, but those, I got into contact with, were very charming, friendly people, who came all the way for this event from America, India, Yemen and Dubai!

A great experience!
Unfortunately, I had to promise that I do not publish the photos of the ceremony. For sure, I will stick to this promise!

Lalibella and its rock churches

St George Church, Lalibella, Ethiopia

The tourist highlight of all Ethiopia is Lalibella and it's 11 rock churches. The rock churches are cut out of the  rock  - this mean, that all rock, which is not needed, is removed, so finally, there is only the rock you need for the church. Moreover, the churches are connected by a whole series of ways, tunnels and bridges with each other. More than just once I had a kind of Indiana Jones Feeling looking for the holy Gral or whatever.....

Ethiopian girl, Lalibella

Axum, Ethiopia

Travelling in Tigrai area, Ethiopia

Stelas, Axum, Ethiopia

Through a wonderful mountain region we went to Axum. In Axum the Ark of the Covenant is kept supposedly in a church. However, only the uppermost priest knows where it is- and he is supposed to tell his successor where it is hidden, before he dies....
Moreover, there are a lot of stelas in Axum, which are hundreds of years old. There is also a Swimming pool of the queen of Sheba.... Today, the local children have a bath there.

New shoes for some children in Axum, Ethiopia

Rock Churches in Tigrai

Trekking in Tigrai, Ethiopia

Together with three others from our group I rented a car and we went to Gheralta.

The climb up to Maryam Korkor would have been adventurous enough, but then a bad thunderstorm  arrived on top. We waited for the big rain to stop in the church, but the stones were quite slippery afterwards and the descent was a true nightmare!
There are many rock churches which have been really cut out from the rock. Lot of them stand on top of high rocks or  mountains. Many are very inaccessible and for most you need a guide to find them at all.

Great landscapes in Tigrai, Ethiopia

Hot, hot, hot - the Danakil Depression

Camels loaded with salt in the Danakil, Ethiopia

In Bahir Dar, I also got to know other tourists, who have booked a tour in the Danakil depression. As it is quite difficult to find other tourists for that kind of tour at the end of the season, I just changed my itinerary according to the date of Danakil depression. 

The Danakil is one of the hottest places of the whole world. Moreover, one of the places with most active volcanoes.
The most active and interesting of them is  Erta Ale. In the Danakil, you face something like 50 degrees centigrade, so, it makes sense to climb Erta Ale at nighttime. There it has only refreshing 35 degrees....
However, because of my eye situation and of course also because of the heat I will rent a camel for getting on top of the vulcano. The ascent takes three hours in the middle of the night - someone, who does not see very well and in addition not  three-dimensional just has to take the consequenes. And that was the camel. also, I agreed with a guide, that he will look after me on top of the crater, as there is a bg lava lake and I do not want to fall into there, just because of bad eye sight and taking pictures without looking further.... This would be definitively final!

Soldiers for our security, Danakil, Ethiopia

In the meantime, a few days have passed, actually, 10. The Danakil Depression was a great experience. Temperatures up to 48 degrees. All together we were 12 slightly mad tourists who did not want to miss this dubious fun to experience the hottest place of the world... We were distributed to three jeeps and had another vehicle for guide, cook, cooks assistant and the various soldiers whom we had to take on the way. Everything to our security, for sure. Actually, when it comes to security, these 10 soldiers did not understand any fun - before every camp, before every midday their jeep went to the place, the soldiers were spreading out and protected the area with their ready to shoot guns.... Why all that? Last year there was a raid on tourist in the Danakil. Several tourists were killed and others were kidnapped. What exactly happened, why and who was it - there are the wildest rumours. Fact is, that now every tour is guarded there by several armed soldiers from the area, so that someting like this does not happen again.

Camp in Hamed Ale, Ethiopia

We have spent the first one and the third night in Hamed Ale. This place was called a camp - well, this was a little bit exaggerated. Hamed Ale is an impoverished village in the middle of nowhere. The agency has there two houses - one for the beds, one for the kitchen.
The beds are covered with cords, so that it cools at night from below. A thin mattress on it, ready. Covers nobody needs in the Danakil, that is for sure!
The second night was exciting - we spent it on top of the volcano. We started around 7pm and arrived about  3.5 hours later. Whether I with my camel was better off as others on foot - I have no idea. 3.5 hours on a camel back, this is definitively not very
amusing. Climbing a vulcano on foot at pitch-black night is not better.
However - when on top all hardship was forgotten, whether on foot or by camel!
In the crater a lava lake bubbles, about 30 metres wide, 60 metres long. And we looked from above directly into the crater - just about 20 metres away!
All the bubbling, the outbursts and the fire - it was just great. Something like this I have never seen before...
It was so exciting!

Erta Ale Vulcano, Ethiopia

Erta ale Vulcano, Ethiopia

On our fourth day we went to Dallol. There are sulphur lakes. This looks out like in a bad movie - anyway, I had these two days the feeling, that I am somehow in the movie "Lord of the rings". Because of its many minerals, the lake has quite different colours - yellow, green, orange, red..... And it has a very bad smell!!!
But photogenic these lakes are anyway.

Sulphur Lake, Danakil, Ethiopia

There is also a big salt lake. To this place, the men of Hamed Ale come to dig out the salt. They knock out it literally from the salt lake and hack it to 30x40-cm-pieces. Camels take these pieces to Mekelle. A salt piece costs in Dallol 15 Birr, in Mekelle one can agree up to 40 Birr (25 Birr is 1 Euro). A camel can carry up to 50 such salt pieces.... 

After these 4 days we were pretty tired and reached Mekelle. It was just great to have a decent shower, get on clean clothes and have a gigantic pizza in the best pizzeria in town!

Sulphur Lake, Danakil, Ethiopia

However, there also remains a big thoughtfulness - we were so glad to leave this inhospitable place after four days. There are people, who live there their whole life, stand barefeet every day in salt, dig out salt at 50 degrees without any shade for 8 or 10 hours a day, ladies deliver their babies somewhere in the wilderness without any assistance. Children get a marginal school education, if at all - for example, if they live in one of the villages.

Getting salt, Danakil, Ethiopia

All inhabitants of the Danakil depend on food programmes. Otherwise, they could not survive in this area.  Still, they refuse to leave. This would be the end of their culture and their traditions.

Warm Coke and Fanta in a pub in Hamed Ale - still, a great taste!

Bahir Dar and Lake Tana

Lake Tana, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

Blue Nile Waterfalls, Ethiopia

From Gondar it is only three hours to Bahir Dar. Bahir Dar is directly at lake Tana and here is the spring of blue Nile. 
Bahir Dar is a very pleasant town with tropical atmosphere. It lies at 1800 metres altitude, has many palms, tropical flowers, fig trees and other gigantic trees.
I stayed at the same hotel as 10 years ago - the Ghion. The rooms are a little bit tired and the beds strongly remind of hammocks, but the location is a dream. The hotels is just at the shores of lake Tana, and there is a beautiful garden with gigantic trees, many Canna flowers, a restaurant, in the evening campfires and a nice manager, who looks very much after the concerns of his guests. Whether Ethiopian music, a tear in the trousers, Internet or the reservation of a tour - Bisrat looks after everything.

From Bahir Dar it is possible to do some nice daytrips. One day, I spent at the Nile Falls. Though the rainy season has already started, it takes some time till the water comes all the way to the falls. So, this  waterfall was not really spectacular, but it was a very nice trip nevertheless.
Around Bahir Dar, there are quite a few old monasteries. Many of them are situated on islands. Inside they are painted with all kinds of saint's pictures. Quite often Holy Georg, how he kills the dragon.
Natural colours were used, many pictures were restored, others left in the old style to see the difference.

10 years ago, I had quite some problems with Ethiopian children. Rather irritating was their shouting of  "you, you, you" and "Farangii (White)". This has clearly become better. In the big towns anyway, but the direct comparison I had at the waterfalls. 10 years ago, it was especially bad there, now it was okay. I was told, that they teach now at school, who to treat foreigners. And there are programmes on radio and TV.
No stone throwers so far - at least up to now. 10 years ago this has happened to me in three weeks three times and this is no pleasant experience...
But as said - toi, toi, toi, hopefully, it will stay like this!

Ethiopia - country of runners and scufflers....

Near Gondar, Ethiopia

Ethiopia is well known for its good runners, especially marathon. However, in Ethiopia, there are even more people, who like to scuffle. Just like anywhere  in Africa. Best observed in the office of Ethiopia Airlines in Gondar. There is in the door an about 4 centimetre high threshold.... Well, I sat there long time waiting for my turn. The funny thing was, that nearly everybody coming in, stumbled inside. There is a man standing close to the door, who turns away the worse, as he "catches" the people before falling on the floor. I have been three times in this office - and the type always stood there. He is working there, I found out. Basically, he remembers, in which order people came to the office and he tells, who is next in the row. Besides that, he is responsible for the fact, that nobody injures itself nastily in the threshold.... Well, this is Africa.
In Germany, there would be a sign saying beware  of the treshold or even better, there would n\be none at all. In Africa, these things gives people a very important job!

Simien Mountains

Simien Mountains, Ethiopia

From Gondar it is possible to do a trekking tour in the Simien Mountains. Some people go for several days, others just for a daytrip. As it is rainy season now and I do not really like to camp on 3500 Meters altitute and being wet all time, I just went there for a daytrip, which was perfectly fine for me. On the trip we were caught in a rain storm. This was a rather poor turn of events. First, there was a little bit of wind, about 2 minutes later more wind, another 2 minutes thunder, and about 3 minutes later it started pouring down. This was really crazy. I can not remeber, that I ever was so wet as on this day. And soooooo cold.

Well, after that, we were happy to be back in Gondar and reddy for a nice hot shower - but this bad thunderstorm has disrupted  the water supply of the whole city. It even took two days for the water system to be under control again! On top, the same evening, the electricity went off...

Gondar - city of the castles

Castles of Gondar, Ethiopia

Then it was done and I was officially in Ethiopia. Just a few minutes later a minibus to Gondar left.
I reached Gondar in the early afternoon. Gondar was in former times the capital of Ethiopia and there are several castles from the 16.-18 century. The landscape is pretty green, so one could just think to be somewhere in Scotland with all the castles around. Gondar also gets its share of rain and it can become very cold at an altitude of 2200 metres.... This is the first bigger town you reach after coming from Sudan.

Castles of Gondar, Ethiopia

At the border, it is still pretty flat country, but soon afterwards, the road goes into the mountains.

Fasilidas Bath, Gondar, Ethiopia

It becomes greener and greener, there are trees, some even with leaves! Grass is also available, and so, there are more and more cows looking better than one the other side of the border, will see, you could not count the ribs on the cows...

From Sudan to Ethiopia - paperwork paperwork paperwork....

10 years ago I was not only in Sudan, but also in Ethiopia. My initial foray into Ethiopia , did not start well. I was stuck at the border with Sudan in Metema. A very basic , town with mostly tree built structures.  At the time, it was very hard to find accomodation in Metema.  However - the "hotel" ,

However, no wonder, that this time, I wanted desperately to avoid this place. And it worked out! I spent the night before crossing the border in the next bigger city in Sudan and started early in the day. So, I arrived at the border already at 11.00am. The formalities at the border were rather irritating - in Sudan I had to see three different offices for getting stamps and papers. On Ethiopian side one I was photographed and fingerprints of all 10 fingers were taken. Hmmm - okay....
that I found, had at that time no glass in the window - at the same time, the manager keeped warning me from thieves coming through the window. Perfect! Also, there was  no bath and no toilet. I do not speak of a private ensuite. No - the whole hotel had no bathroom or toilet...

Suakin - town made of corals

I liked Suakin with his crumbling houses already 10 years ago.

Suakin, Sudan

The houses were built from corals and are several hundred years old. In earlier times, slaves were shipped from here. Even today Suakin is an important harbor.  Moreover, a ferry goes from here to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This service is used mainly for the Haj, die Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.

I was told that Kassala is the place to go to for a nicer climate even in summer. Maybe a misunderstanding.  However – there are many ethnic minorities that live here and the market is very exciting. Everywhere big swords are produced and sold. These are made more for tradition than they are used as a weapon. They are not sharp anyway. Some swords are even out of wood. The swords are used in traditional dances and as a status symbol.

Taking photos here would have been very nice, but unfortunately, people did not like the idea. Well, better stay clear then.

Suakin, Sudan

Port Sudan - finally at the red sea

All the locals warned me not to go to Port Sudan - this place in the summertime is even too hot for the Sudanese people! Hmmm - usually I take advice like this pretty seriously, but this time I didn’t.  I absolutely wanted to visit Suakin and this is only possible from Port Sudan.

Port Sudan, Sudan

The sandstorm apparently also had its good sides. Port Sudan was cool at the time I was visiting. There, it was only 35 degrees. All that came with a nice sea breeze. Just great. 

For two hours I searched for the Youth Hostel in Port Sudan. No one knew where it was and instead I was brought to 2 children's playgrounds because the locals thought this is what I was looking for. What I would do there with my backpack no one could really answer.

So I did what always works out, when nothing else works - I just went to a pharmacy to ask for help. People working in pharmacies are usually educated people and they speak English and can help.

Though "my" chemist also did not know where there was a youth hostel, he knew a nice hotel close to the market with a receptionist, who knew about 30 or 40 words in English. So it worked out fine.

However, this is not the first time that I am angry about the maps in my guidebook.  According to the map I was about 200 meters away from the Youth Hostel. So, I went 400 meters in all directions, thinking I would surely find it.  Grrrr.... This was not the case!

However, the climate in Port Sudan was pleasant and there was great food and many ice-cream parlors. Not unimportant - also at only 35 degrees.

The pyramids of Meroe

Pyramids of Meroe, Sudan

After a few days in Khartoum I went to the east and to the coast. I wanted to visit the pyramids of Meroe. The pyramids are the tourist’s highlight of whole Sudan. If you visit only once place in Sudan, it's these pyramids. I was the only tourist there and there is no comparison with the pyramids of Giza in Egypt. I have to admit, that they are also smaller than the Egyptian ones. But they have more.  They have over 100 pyramids in just Meroe alone.  And there are other places with pyramids as well! They are covered with sand, partly broken, partly restored.  But they were beautiful, just the same.

Less nice was the bad sandstorm, which appeared just today. I do like sand between the toes very much, but not between teeth!  It was not all that great for the camera either.