Page 10 of Kim309 Travel Blog Posts


Africa » Ethiopia October 23rd 2006

The long, arduous journey on a local bus travelling mainly on an unpaved road was worth it to get to Awasa. My journey started at 5am (11:00 Ethiopian time) when the Guard who lives next door but one to me had offered to take me to the bus. There was a false start, when he woke me at 1am (Ferenji time) by shouting through the door “Is it time?” We made our way across the slippery mud road, in the rain, to one of the gates of the bus station - but most people were at the other gate! He said he would ask the Guard to open up for me, but I am always uncomfortable about getting “white” treatment. I need not have worried - as soon as the gate was opened a few centimetres, ... read more
Early morning boat to see the Hippos
Real Hippos
Chip butties

Africa » Ethiopia October 16th 2006

I didn’t get much sleep last night! There was a catalogue of things that happened. Firstly, the young college guard (who stops by most nights to say hello and who has started telling me about his marital problems - I think!) came by as usual, but told me that he had a key to my kitchen/bathroom door and asked if he could have a shower - his ‘best friend’, the previous volunteer used to let him. I didn’t feel I could refuse, but was very uncomfortable about the situation. The next thing that happened was that I was woken by my mobile phone ringing. It was only about 10pm, but I was fast asleep - life in the regions! It was my link person from VSO who regularly phones to check if I have any problems ... read more

Africa » Ethiopia October 14th 2006

What a shock! It is raining again. It always sounds worse than it is when I am in my house, due to the corrugated iron roof. The dripping of a drainpipe on the veranda complements the permanent drip from my shower. The rainy season had ended in Addis, but patently hasn’t here. There is no tarmac in the town at all, so when it rains, the mud road is turned into a quagmire - although this is a relief from the dust that is created when it has been dry for most of a day. Robe is very much a one-horse town. Actually that is not really fair; goats, donkeys and pedestrians, as well as horses, share the mud road through the town. It seems there are only a few “ferenji” (me and about 4 Chinese ... read more
Main road through Robe

Africa » Ethiopia October 8th 2006

Arrived in Robe after an incredible journey over the Bale Mountains. We left Addis at 6.30 am on Saturday, stopped for breakfast and lunch, dropped another 2 volunteers at Dilla, then headed back north and spent the night in Awasa - a very quiet, pleasant town - setting off to Robe after breakfast on Sunday. The road from Addis Ababa to Dilla had been good the whole way - just the occasional goat or donkey on the road to avoid: according to our VSO driver, if you kill a goat, you have to pay the owner compensation of 400 birr. It is more for a donkey! The tarmac ended 10m off of the Addis - Awasa road. There followed about 5 hours of mud and stone bumpiness. When it rains the road turns to slippery mud. ... read more
The Bale Mountains
The Bale Mountains

Africa » Ethiopia September 17th 2006

We arrived in Addis Ababa late, after a delay in Heathrow and surviving the traumas of the film Poseidon. The person, sitting next to me, covering her mouth with her hands at the most shocking bits, made the tense moments even worse. Just what you need - a disaster movie during a flight! I finally got to bed at 4am, as dogs were beginning to bark and the sky appeared to be getting lighter. I did drop off to sleep, only to be wakened at 5 by the call to prayer - a very evocative sound, which always reminds me that I am in a different culture. After breakfast (of toast, juice and coffee) I met up with two other volunteers to go for a walk. A man, who just happened to be outside our hotel ... read more
Great food

Europe » United Kingdom » England » Tyne & Wear » Newcastle Upon Tyne August 23rd 2006

I am still in the process of getting ready to leave for Ethiopia. Sometimes if feels as though I have too little time to get everything done, at others - like when I have time to set up a travel blog (!) I obviously have time to kill. Just got to make sure that I sell my flat, my car and most of my belongings and move the rest down to Mum and Dad's for storage in the loft/garage,anywhere else it will fit!... read more




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