I have written two versions of each item so if you are in a hurry read
the short version. If you like detail skip the short version and read
the long version further down.
Short Version:
Today was about getting from town of Jinka to the town of Arba Minch.
Getting up early brought some benefits in a New Year parade. After a
chat with March to confirm what we should do we headed back to Jinka
where we waypointed all the important points of interest for Tourists
like Tourism Info, Hospitals, police etc. In the afternoon we drove back
to Konso where we said our goodbyes to Chu Chu, our faithful guide. In
the later afternoon we drove to Arba Minch arriving at sunset. After a
accomodation hunt and supper of some yummy local fish, we spent the
night in the Bekele Mola Hotel with view of Laka Abaya and lake Chama
Long Version:
Despite the late night, I was the first awake and up around 6:20am. For
a change i had for breakfast the wheaties i had brought from Cape Town
which were yummy. Also for the first-time i had some Rooibos tea with
honey as i had a sore throat. Although i offered some to Chu Chu,
explaining the health benefits and thinking he would want to taste South
Africa's super tea, he declined, choosing old fashioned english tea
instead.
One of the reasons i had got up early is that i had heard the sound of
drums and singing. Upon investigation i saw a procession in the road
below the campsite, probably by the Christian orthodox church to
celeberate New Years day. I called Simon over and we watched it for a
while, the young boys and girls all smartly dressed and the drums
rythmic. I was really impressed they were up and out so early!
Because we had not completed the mapping the day before we were in a bit
of a quandry as to what to do. Should we go all the way back to Margo
National Park or should we skip it (as it was probably the same as the
gps data) and head to Arba Minch. After much discussion we called March
who said for us to make our own decision and so we decided to go
straight to Arba Minch. There had also been much discussion on what kind
of things and what level of detail we should waypoint. I had been
uncomfortable with the lack of detail while the others thought i was
going overboard. After speaking to March it seemed i was on the right
track and that too much was better than too little. This led me to
waypoint not just the campsite; but the toilets, reception, cooking area
and showers to; with Chu acting as my notekeeper and photographer.
After paying up we set off on our way; not to Arba Minch but back to the
town of Jinka to find out as much information as we could and do some
waypointing at the sametime. I think we spent about two hours
waypointing fuel stations, hospitals, information, tourist guide
association, pharmacies and all the other things important to a tourist.
The tourists guide association was very helpful and we got some good
information from them.
Before leaving town we filled up with Blackmarket fuel, the petrol
stations having, well...no petrol. Simon C thinks it a raquet with the
official garage "running out" so that the blackmarket sellers can charge
exorbitant prices, sometime as much at 80% more! Finally, around 2 pm we
headed out, driving along alternating good and bad dirt roads, going
around lots of unfinished bridges (why they dont just completely finish
one section of new road i dont know) before finally hitting some tar
some way before arriving back in Konso. There we stocked up a little,
met some nice Russian toursits, dropped off and thanked Chu Chu and
took some group photos with him. We had really wanted Chu to stay on for
the whole trip as having someone who can speak the native languages is
very beneficial and his ability to take sneaky photos had proved very
useful. Although we offered to cover his food, accommodation and park
expenses (no cost there actually...seems guides get in for free) he
decline much to our dismay.
Off we went again around 4:40pm; Simon C driving, with me trying to
sleep as I was feeling sick; my throat really sore and dry. Along the
way we had the usual; children begging and something new; kiing a ball
game. The game seemed to be the same that we had had as children. A ball
is attached to a string which is attached to a vertical pole. The kids
then kick the ball to change direction. Further on the soil changed from
standard red to white before the road turned to tar again.
Driving through one village we noticed a boy cycling...with a 20l water
drum on his handlebars i think! The vegetation changed to tropical with
thatch dwellings set amongst fields of false banana's. Women walked
along the side of the road, bent over with the heavy burdens of wood and
thatch, the men walking in front or alongside; usually carrying nothing!
Boys herded their goats and for the first time we saw electricity and
telephone polls running alongside the road.
One thing that I have not mentioned which South Africans might find
rather scary is that all the men either carry guns (rifles or machine
guns) or machetes (which they use in the field.) It takes some getting
used to when a man comes up to you to asking for a lift with a machette
or gun in his hand but I have felt much safer in Ethiopia than in South
Africa :).
As the sun dipped below the horizon I drove into the town of Arba Minch,
taking the wrong side of a dual carriage road by mistake. The police,
who just happened to be in the same section of road, pulled me over and
we were quite worried it might mean trouble. Fortunately they just asked
to turn around and then get on to the right side (literally and
figuratively) with us trying to be as eager as possible to please :p.
As we drove along the main road of upper town we spotted the Landy and
pulled over. Afterwards we all drove to the Bekele Mola Hotel to see
what was on offer. The hotel, situated on a hill has stunning views of
both Lake Abaya and Lake Chama. A wide stoep where people can eat and
drink allows you to relax while taking it all in. We had also read about
of a new hotel so we thought we would check it out first and so after
many dark, rutted side alleys we came to a rather smart place called
Paradise Lodge. Unfortunately the prices for accommodation was just too
expensive and camping there would mean we would have to park our cars
some distance away. So despite the young manager doing a great job and
getting us a discount we had to decline. I still get frustrated by the
concept of local pricing versus foreigner. We have this to a small
degree in South Africa; except the locals have to pay the foreigners
pricing. The whole point of going to a third world country is that you
gain the financial benefit of low cost travelling and is one of the big
reasons people choose Africa. Furthermore African dont earn the same as
Europeans and americans. I say rather have an african pricing and a
seperate pricing for Europeans and Americans!
Heading back to town we stopped off and had supper at a restaurant. One
thing i have learnt in my travels is that often there are two menus with
different prices and different fare; one for tourists and one for
locals. With the help of one of the locals who wanted to be our guide; i
managed to get the much more comprehensive local price list. However it
was all in Aramaic and after much fussing trying to get it translated
and much unhappiness on the part of the manager (who i guess did not
want us to order from the local one) we decided to go ahead and order
some fish from the english menu as it seemed to be the same price. Fish
is one of the local specialities in Arba Minch and so we thought we
would give it a try. As we were waiting for the fish Taryn and Deon, who
were around the corner in a bar, informed Simon that the price in the
bar/restaurant they were in was half the price. Unfortunately for all of
us the order was already being cooked, and so we would have to all eat
at the more expensive establishment.
The fish arrived for the four of us while only Simon C and I were there
and it led to some puzzlement. There was only 3 salads, but 6 pieces of
fish. First we thought that they maybe had forgotten one of us but on
enquiry they insisted that the meal before us was for 4 people. Now you
tell me how 3 salads and 6 fish get split nice and evenly between 4
people...it just didnt make sense! Anyway we made do and apportioned it
as best we could and the fish ,with a soft white meat was rather nice;
the salad being a simply dish of cabbage and tamotoe with a vinegar type
sauce.
When we were done we headed back to the the Bekele Mola Hotel where we
enquired on the price and were shown the rooms. We quickly realised that
we should have just asked the first time as the price was good and the
rooms to. The place was pure luxury for us, with the beds, ensuite
bathroom and the promise of hotwater to! The hotel is more like a motel with the main building containing a restaurant and reception and the actual rooms spread widely on ground level through the grounds.
We also noticed that the russians who we met in Konso earlier in the day were there, in fact as it turned out, two of the girls were staying in the room next to ours! Talk about concidence!
After Simon C and I unpacked, i went to bed at the early hour of
9:45pm, dead tired. Simon C and the others went off to the hotel to
enjoy a beer on the stoep. Another day had flown by!
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