Bahir Dar and Back

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This was my second trip to the north of Ethiopia with the National Road Safety Coordination Office - we went last summer to see what was happening with a pedestrian campaign in Amhara Region. The main purpose this time was to observe a children’s pedestrian training scheme that is being trialled by a local NGO, called JeCCDO.

We had to be there for the session on Thursday morning so we decided to the trip over two days - it is possible in one day, but being a road safety organisation, we would take our time so that the driver did not get fatigued. So, the plan was to leave on Tuesday, stay overnight in Debre Markos, and then continue on to Bahir Dar on Wednesday. Of course it didn’t happen that way!

I had left my bag, a box of stuff and a water filter (the last two being items I was delivering to two volunteers based in Bahir Dar) at VSO, rather than carrying them on a line taxi to work. I didn’t even have my laptop, as I didn’t want to take it with me or leave it in the office, especially as we were planning to get back at the weekend. So I walked to work. I had enough work that I could do for a couple of hours on one of the office computers as I (wrongly) assumed that we would need to leave mid-morning. In fact, I did leave, to go with Danny, the driver, who left me at VSO while he went home to collect some clothes, as he had not known he was going on a 5 day trip until he had got to work that morning. I had time for an egg sandwich at the café next to the VSO office, then Danny returned to take me, plus luggage, box and water filter to the office. Then, the waiting continued. By this point, I had run out of useful things to do and was playing spider solitaire on the computer. Until Danny (one of my colleagues, not the driver) announced that we could go. I shut down the computer, and stood up expectantly … then realised that he was only just beginning to get his camera and equipment together. Danny’s role is to film things! A job he does very well. The final member of the team was Habtamu - who had gone to the bank to get the money that we would need for fuel. The bank clerk would not give the money to him (for some reason I didn’t understand) so he had to phone Danny, sign the cheque over to him and the clerk handed over the cash. We left at 3pm. After collecting Habtamu’s bag from his house, we finally left Addis.

We didn’t get to Debre Markos. Instead, we ended up staying in a small town called Garba Gurracha (which means Black Lake in Afaan Oromoo), and after several attempts managed to find a small hotel, with basic rooms, for 15 birr each.

The following morning we headed to Bahir Dar and after various breakfast, coffee and lunch stops, arriving at around 5pm. I had arranged to stay with Yvonne, a VSO volunteer, Habtamu was staying with his brother, Danny and Danny had trouble finding a hotel - finally finding somewhere at 10pm.

Thursday morning, we went to see the Pedestrian Training scheme, which was great! It certainly caused a stir in the town, children wearing fluorescent jackets. Several meetings and lunch followed, then we returned to JeCCDO to interview the children and then the volunteer trainers.

I spent the evening with Yvonne and Judith (the other VSO in town). In the morning I had arranged to meet Danny and Danny at their hotel at 8.30am, but said that it was not a problem if I had to wait a bit. They emerged at 10. Having picked up Habtamu, we went for a very late breakfast, then it was announced that we would “recreate” by which my colleagues meant that we would go for a walk along Lake Tana. After lunch (!) we then had to collect some documents up from the local police. They wanted us to observe a scheme where professional drivers work with the police to advise pedestrians to walk on the pavement and cross at zebras. We were ready to leave Bahir Dar at 5pm!

All along, I had said that I needed to be back in Addis by Saturday evening as I had a VSO friend arriving who was staying with me. It was at this point that Habtamu announced that we would not get back until Sunday and that this had always been the plan. I lost it! He reckoned that we had discussed this with our boss before leaving, but nobody had told me. I was so angry! I don’t often lose my temper, or sulk, but I did both. I reminded myself of the 11 year olds I used to teach. When Habtamu wanted to shake hands to make amends, I was again acting like a juvenile and did the quick-touch handshake that children in my class would do when instructed by their teacher to shake hands. Then Habtamu started laughing!

This is the first time I have known an Ethiopian to play a practical joke! He said later, when I had stopped hitting him, that he had made a throwaway comment, but that when he saw the reaction he got he decided to push it. When I queried, “What are you like?” his answer was “I’m different!” He certainly is.

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Photos

Danny and Habtamu
A great double act!