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Published: June 30th 2012
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The flight from Dubai to Addis Ababa was the most empty one I had ever seem, only about 40 passengers for about 190 passengers capacity of the airplane. Arriving in Addis Ababa airport, very simple one, and from the airport I took a mini bus to Meskel square, and my host's house is nearby, arriving there I was suppose to call him, and his house keeper will come to take me there, but I was trying to be there by myself asking to the local people, and the first impression was very nice about local people, somebody offered some snack to eat, another one took me to my host's house direction and called him for me, so in the end I called my host and his house keeper came, because the guy didn't know how to go closer, the place really was not easy to get there at night time, small alleyway, no light, the way to go at night was a little scary, but the place was really nice. My host was Claudio, a mix of Italian and Ethiopian, he has own business and enjoying his life in Ethiopia, we didn't have too much time to spend together, the most
of time I was walking around in the town, only back to home late, so he already slept.
My plan was go to north of Ethiopia, to visit Lalibela, Gonder and Bahir Dar then back to Addis Ababa, then head to south of Ethiopia to cross the border to Kenya, but after meeting some couchsurfer, I met Kiarash, a guy from Iran, musician and photographer, traveling around the world, he also is going to Kenya by the same road as well, but the problem was his Ethiopian visa is running out, so he is leaving Addis Ababa after 5 days, to north I need at least 8 days, so in the end I skip the north of Ethiopia to travel with him, it is better to have a travel mate to Nairobi, that was a pity, but heading to south should be interesting as well. So I should be around Addis Ababa and I spent my all time in the Ethiopian capital before we go to south.
In Addis, I went to see the Ethiopian Jazz, Jazzamba, I saw some wedding parties on the street, I went to Merkato, the biggest market in Africa with my camera bag,
later I knew that was not a good way to walk around, because that will call a lot of attention, and that could bring me some problem, so I didn't take a lot of pictures in Addis, somehow I felt uncomfortable to show my camera there. The most of the people I met on street looked very friendly to help, but they didn't help you for free, they wanted some money from me inventing some stories,or they always wanted take me to some place to get my money, like a place to see traditional Ethiopian dance, but the place always was like for another kind of professional girls, so basically I could make any local friend from the street, that was very sad. Some of the best things in Addis were free food and drink for the opening ceremony of a art exhibition in national museum, and free couch in Taitu hotel including free wifi.
Now we are heading to south of Ethiopia, me, Masay, Lena and Kiarash; Masay is a Ethiopian guy living in Europe, Lena is a German girl traveling around, Masay and Lena are a couple, they are going with us to south just half way,
Jazzamba
Ethiopian style Jazz then we will be back to Addis, me and Kiarash will go to Moyale, border city with Kenya. So our first stop was Wondo Genet, a city in the mountain area, where Kiarash spent one and half month there before, he knew a lot of people there, we also got free accommodation there. The place was really peaceful, a lot of green, mountain and hot spring. Masay also is a musician, he is a drummer, so Masay and Kiarash did some nice music together there with another local friends, and I also learned something about drumming, that was really cool!!
Next city was Awasa, very close to Wondo Genet, that was a very calm city with a lake, Kiarash had his networking there, so we stayed in his friend house for 2 nights. There we met Christian, another guy going to Kenya as well. Kiarash and Masay played music in a Italian restaurant, so we got free food, and they also paid them some money, it looks like musician can get money easier on the road, I should really pratice some music instrument. So Masay and Lena are not going Moyale, from Awasa we separated, now we are in
3 heading to Kenya, me, Kiarash and Christian.
The road from Awasa to Moyale was really beautiful, much more green, the most of the time I was inside the bus, so I couldn't take good pictures from the road scene. On the way to Moyale we stopped in Yabelo for one night, just for a break, bus trip in Ethiopia can make you tired easily. Yabelo was really a small town, nothing special, we just walked around then back to sleep near to bus station. Next day heading finally to Moyale.
Moyale, the border city between Ethiopia and Kenya, divided in 2 parts, Ethiopian and Kenyan side, and you can walk freely between both sides without problems, so we stayed one night in each side before we really go into Kenya, and the night in Ethiopian Moyale, Christian locked his room's door, but he lost his key, and I could open his locker with a clip, for long long time I didn't do that, and I could make it again was a great fun, Kiarash and Christian were really surprising with my skill. When we already got exit stamp from Ethiopia, entry stamp for Kenya on the border
and sleeping at Kenyan side, we went back to Ethiopia to spend our last Ethiopian money, technically we entered in Ethiopia without visa, that was fun, also was our last memory from Ethiopia.
Final account of Ethiopia:
- 13 days
- Total USD 300 ( the flight was USD 180 from Dubai)
- Average USD 23.08 per day
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Lígia
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Uau, esta foto está incrível!