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Ethiopia Travel Blogs

Background: Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule, with the exception of the 1936-41 Italian occupation during World War II. In 1974 a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A constitution was adopted in 1994 and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A two and a half year border war with Eritrea ended with a peace treaty on 12 December 2000. Final demarcation of the boundary is currently on hold due to Ethiopian objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to surrender sensitive territory.

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By Slowfeet
February 3rd 2010

Killing the Goose - Omo Style Africa » Ethiopia » Southern Nations Region » Turmi

P1040637

We can't say that we weren't warned. Other travellers told us that the Omo Valley would be a lousy experience. Our Dragoman leaders warned us not to expect too much in terms of interaction. Our expectations of the Omo Valley and the visits to the tribes living in the Valley were low as we travelled in through the beautiful scenery. I was prepared to be disappointed but I wasn't quite so prepared to be angry. The Omo is home to a number of tribal people of Ethiopia together known as the Southern Tribal Peoples. It is the home of the Mursi [View Full Entry]

By chrisdy
February 1st 2010

Khartoum to Addis Africa » Ethiopia » Addis Ababa Region » Addis Ababa

amini-eithiopia jan 12th entry 10 004

Ethiopia I left Khartoum in convoy with my German and Welsh friends and we took the tarred main road South East with the landy in the lead and cruising along at a comfortable pace. The plan was to cover about 500km, aiming for Gedaref and then pull off somewhere just before the city and free camp near the road. Unfortunately one of the little girls of the German couple developed a high fever and we were delayed sometime while they checked her out for Malaria in one of the towns about half way. This set us all back a bit and [View Full Entry]

By ethiopiadave
January 26th 2010

Sleeping with a Porn Star Africa » Ethiopia » Oromia Region » Jimma

My 24 hours of travel began with a flight from LAX to Heathrow. Sitting next to me on the flight was a pretty hot chick that I admittedly had noticed in the terminal prior to boarding. We started chatting, I ask her why she’s going to London and she replies “Oh I have a shoot.” So I ask her if she is a model because she obviously had a really great body, tall, skinny, etc. She says, “I’m an adult entertainer”. Sweet. Never met a porn star before. We continue talking along work-lines, she led the conversation not me…I swear. Evidently [View Full Entry]

By hongkey kong
January 14th 2010

New Flower Africa » Ethiopia » Addis Ababa Region » Addis Ababa

Local laundry

At 4:30am I hop aboard one of the steady stream of buses flowing out of Lalibela. After about three hours we stop. Apparently there is an important church located nearby and our pilgrim packed bus must take a break here. I walk along with the throng of people but, reaching a good vantage point, I see that the church is in fact on the other side of an enormous valley. That's two too many joint jangling descents and two too many agonising uphills for my liking and when a local gleefully informs he that it's a three hour round trip my [View Full Entry]

By Slowfeet
January 10th 2010

Addis - Another Big City Africa » Ethiopia » Addis Ababa Region » Addis Ababa

Standing Outside

Still no photos I am afraid. These internet cafes have slow connections and many also have a block on the programs needed to upload photos. It is going to be a big day when I finally find one that allows photo upload. This post starts out with some impressions of Ethiopia generally - litter, poverty, beggars, aid - and then goes on to cover what we have been doing and generally where we have been. I should also note that we are not sure that our emails are always getting out of the country. The posts seem to be going up [View Full Entry]

By Slowfeet
January 6th 2010

Ethiopia - Qongo - Beautiful Africa » Ethiopia » Amhara Region » Lalibela

Relaxing

Sorry, again no photos. Thought this connection might be able to handle it but have talked nicely to it and the lady in the internet cafe and nothing doing. Will try to get a connection in Addis that allows me to upload photos for the last 3 posts. In the meantime you will have to make do with the words. Dragoman trucks have a feature that I understand is unique to this company - roof seats. There are 4 seats at the front and another 4 at the back. You climb out of the cabin and sit - belted in of [View Full Entry]

By Al and Sara
January 6th 2010

Signing off @ the Assosa Showcase Africa » Ethiopia » Benishangul-Gumuz Region » Asosa

They mostly come at night...

With some sadness the doors of the Assosa Showcase cinema have closed for the very last time. Opened to all VSO volunteers and Ethiopian friends in February 2008, it started controversially when the "wrong" Sweeny Todd was presented to an expectant crowd! Not the Hollywood Todd of Johnny Depp, but the - rather less sexy - BBC Todd of Ray Winstone! Over the two years a variety of Ethiopians, volunteers, NGO staff and visiting Ferengi have graced the armchairs and sofa, watching Oscar winners and nominees (No Country for Old Men, The Wrestler), fun and adventure (Pirates of the Carribean, Hancock, [View Full Entry]

By Slowfeet
December 29th 2009

Into Ethiopia - Moving Into Africa Now Africa » Ethiopia » Amhara Region » Simien Mountains

Beards Together

I don't know when I will be able to upload this post. We are currently in Debark in the Simien Highlands of Ethiopia and I am writing this on Boxing Day. There are internet cafes around but the few that have actually been located are well closed. I don't hold out a lot of hope of finding one this afternoon and, truth be known, I won't get this completed in time to upload today anyway. No photos again. Connection just can't handle it I am afraid. A pity because some of these are ok I think. A small apology. There are [View Full Entry]

By Al and Sara
November 27th 2009

Taking Some Time to Do the Things We've Never Done Africa » Ethiopia » Benishangul-Gumuz Region » Asosa

VSO Kenya (5th floor)

THANK-YOU to everyone who has sponsored me for the Great Ethiopian Run! Your help is much appreciated by both us and VSO! The last 6 weeks or so have been a total blur - in Assosa I've hosted our friend Marta (the ex-VSO from Assosa) and our French friends Christine, Bernard and Liana. Then in Addis Sara and I have hosted her sister, Jan and husband Al. Lots of nice pictures that are completley blog-worthy, but with time against me now I'll be working hard in moments of free time to update you all too. In the meantime I took a [View Full Entry]

By WhereIsSteve
November 17th 2009

Ethiopia - The Final Challenge Africa » Ethiopia » Addis Ababa Region » Addis Ababa

Going Home On the last morning I have a few hours to kill before I have to go to the airport. I have not yet seen a fridge magnet or a local football shirt anywhere so I set off into the center of Addis (by turning left out of the hotel!!) in search of these. I think it's a sign that the Ethiopian tourist industry is only just starting that they haven't started making tacky fridge magnets yet. I think I do really well to eventually find one. I've wandered around a lot of shops and been led on wild goose [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » Africa » Ethiopia