Teanastellen! (Hello in Amharic)
I'm currently in Addis, Ethiopia where we have spent the past 5 days. It's been a lot of drive days to get here but it has been worth it as they go in some of my top nights of the trip.
After Uganda we hit Kenya once again to stay in Nakuru where we went to Nakuru National Park and saw the trip's elusive black and white rhinos. Sohette and I upgraded to an awesome cottage with a conservatory and a gigantic bed and our own bath. The epitome of luxury on our trip and we thought it would be a nice treat for us as the next 4 nights as we drove through Northern Kenya to Ethiopia would be spent bush camping. The bush camps were a nice break though from the campsite scene where a bar is always available and facilities are (generally if daring enough) at your fingertips. A great chance to take in the vast landscapes, play some wholesome games and slow the pace down a little. One night we had a tent fiasco as we were in a barren area with no protection from the wind, so gale force blows would crush the sides of the tent, even with us flailing and pushing from the inside. No sleep that night but an experience to be remembered. Throughout Northern Kenya we came across another tribe similar to the Maasai called Samburu. They also were the most fantastic beaded necklaces, slightly different to the Maasai as instead of giant flat neck pieces they have a series of beaded rings around their neck that they get given as objects of admiration as they grow up, that eventually form these huge, cascading, colourful necklaces. They can be spotted a mile away across the desert.
We finally arrived into Ethiopia relaxed but dirty and drove to our hotel, described as "skanky" in the lonely planet. The brothel might have given it away but in actual fact it was a great place to stay as it was central and we had beds, a hot shower and clean bathrooms (at least in our upgrade). Ethiopia is another stunning country for clothing. The women are draped in bright, bold scarfs and fabrics, paired with beaded necklaces and silver trinkets. The drive through the city was unbelievable as we arrived on a religious holiday, Meskel (Finding of the True Cross), which is also about a week after their New Year. The streets were packed with people to the point where they weaved in and out of the traffic because the sidewalks were too full. It was an amazing sight as we arrived in the evening and everyone was holding candles, dancing and huge bonfires called Dameras were being lit in the streets. Flowers and grass covered almost every inch of ground. I felt bad for our driver, Nev, who had to navigate through the sea of people but from the back it was the best time for us to have arrived. That night we went out on the town to celebrate with the locals and didn't get home until early morning. The next few nights have followed suit as I have had no more than 2-3 hours of sleep but we have taken full advantage of the towns nightlife. During the day I have been to the National Museum where I met Lucy, the 3.2 million year old, 40% complete, 1st humanoid skeleton to be found in Ethiopia. She's quite stunning and I can see why she attracts so much attention. We also hit the silver markets and the giant Mercato market where if you can't find it, it doesn't exist. I have bought some more awesome jewelery and a full store load of baby wipes for the next set of bush camps. While here I have tasted the local cuisine. Mainly enjira, a type of bread that looks and feels like a bath mat and isn't quite to my liking (as I would describe it's taste like... wet towel - a bit sour with a hint of soggy cloth) but I would definitely recommend everyone to try it as most of my friends actually really like it and prefer it to bread. Not to mention the sauces that come with it are out of this world delicious. I also tried Fatira which is eaten at breakfast and is kind of like fried chipati with egg and honey wrapped inside. It is amazing! Funnily enough I have also had the best Italian here as well so stop by this restaurant called Castelli if you are ever here!
We are now off the spend the next week and a bit exploring Lalibella, Axum and the Simien Mountains. I have read that they are all going to be spectacular so I'm anxious to hit the road again.
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