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:
After an early morning start we arrived at the entrance to Nechisar National Park. We spent the day driving roads that from good to absolutley horrendous, with me enduring some rather scary 4x4ing on the side of a mountain. The scenery was beautiful from beautiful forest to arid scrube to Savannah. There was also quite a bit of wild and birdlife and we even got to visit a town where we felt like celebrities the whole town coming out to see us. In the late afternoon rain turned the road to the equivalent of ice, the Landy doing a 270'c and sliding off the road a few times, once almost hitting us. The Beast was more fortunate but also slid out twice, although not off the road. Despite my advice we continued on the bad roads with the Landy getting bogged down in a mudhole. Fortuantely the Beast easily pulled it out and we wisely made camp in the bush. With the rain having stopped we enjoyed a pleasant evening and after a cup of hot chocolate headed to bed.
Long version:
We woke up early again in order to be gone at 7am. After a praying, I had breakfast consisting of my favourite cereal, Pronutro After a beautiful red sunrise we made our way to reception to handover the keys where Simon also managed to extract a good discount as we did not have a tv or kettle. The others had these little luxuries for the same price so we thought it unfair.
Along the way to the park we stopped off at a few garages and petrol stations to waypoint them. We arrived at 7:45am at the park gates and had a "chat" with the person on duty. I say "chat" as he pretty much agreed with anything we said; a sure sign his english was terrible :P.
The park, 750km2 and established in 1974, consists of a small, mountainous piece of land known as the bridge of God which seperates Lake Abaya and Lake Chama, and a much larger piece of land called the Nechisar Plains. It is considered one of the most beautiful park in Africa. Our plan of attack was to drive straight through and then map the side roads on the way back. After passing through the gates with our 24 hr permit we made our way through a beautiful green forest, with big shady green trees, much like Knysna. Stopping briefly at a checkpoint next to the Park HQ we made our way to a leafy campsite. called Enramed, consisting of a clearing under huge trees next to a gargling river. We thought this would be our campsite for the night...we were wrong...
Passing over a metal bridge we made our way out of the dimly lit forest and into the harsh sun, the road changing from the soft carpet of the forest to damaging rocks and rutts as we climbed over the bridge of God. Around 8:45am we briefly descended to waypoint another campsite set near the shores of Lake Chama...and also a number of crocs that we could see from above the campsite. We continued across the land bridge, the Beast crawling behind the Land rover which had to engage low range every time it encountered a steep section. These roads must be one of the roughest in Africa, 4x4's only and with high ground clearance and ultra strong suspensions!
The landrover "issue" caused Simon C and I to get creative; coming up with a variety of jokes; "The Beast can go up faster in neutral", "Perhaps we should do it in reverse for a little challenge", "Whats low range for?...A landrover", "Whats slower than a torotise up a hill?..a landrover". "How do you give the beast a moderate work out?...tow a Landy", "We now know why we are this trip....Landrover support vehicle.", "How do you become a coloured in one day?... Sit in a landrover on a dusty road", " What do you take with you when you go 4x4ing in a landrover. A landcruiser"
Crossing high up on the land bridge we were able to get a nice view of Lake Chama and could see a number of islands in the lake. Perhaps one day if i return i will be able kayak around there. Currently you can only take a boat cruise to see the crocs only.
9am came and went with temperature an already baking 30'c. The volcanic mountains were covered on the slopes in dry scrub with a sort of Savannah on top. We drove along the very rough road, waypointing new jeep tracks with Simon C trying his hand at using the Beast to herd cows. Then at 10am we encountered the Beast first serious challenge of the trip. At a junction indicated on the map we decided to take the longer left fork while the Landy would do the simpler and shorter right fork. Bothe forks were supposed to meet up together again. Taryn was concerned about the road conditions on the left fork and advised we walk it. I had a little walk and then decided to proceed. However just ahead of where i walked a landslide had turned the road into a very narrow, sideways slanted bridge. Rather apprehensively but with a spirit of exploration and gung-ho we decided to try drive it hoping the Beast would not slide off the side of the mountain in the process. With breaths held we tried our luck and made it over, Simon driving halfway up the side of the mountain to avoid the netherworld below. Shortly after making this very tricky crossing our path was blocked by giant bolders...we would have to turn back, a most unwelcome prospect! This time Simon C had had enough so I climbed in, turning around the vehicle on the narrow and dangerous road and then with Simon C out of the car (did he not trust my driving?), made my way in low range over the narrow bridge; praying and hoping i would not slide off the mountain. After a successfully crossing and with a huge adrenaline rush, i came to a stop, my heart pumping and my hands a little shaky. After that experience just about everything else would seem easier!
Driving along we descended into the plains of Nechisar where we spotted buck similar to a springbok. One female ran along in the road in front of us for about a minute, its offspring running in the grass along side, before both headed off into the savannah. Also in the flat golden plains were a large herd of cattle and under the shade of an Acacia two secretary birds typing..just kidding...I have no idea what they were doing :P. As i have mentioned before, and unlike in South Africa, the parks in Ethiopia are still occupied by local people who are pastorlists. Simon was quite unhappy with this as having studied Environmental management he knows the negative affects that domesticated farm animals have on protected areas. One could quite easily see the impact with wide cattle tracks cris-crossing the plains, causing huge dongas in many places. We stopped at a junction in the plains to wait for the others who seemed to take forever. While we waited a local boy came up to us asking for pens again. Eventually the others arrived having done some side excursion against the original agreement.
We set off together again, leaving the plains behind and entering an area of riverine vegetation. Large furrows alongside the road meant careful driving. Around 11:15am we crossed a rather steep dry river bed before driving through some more thick scrub. Just before a junction we stopped at another campsite; where i waypointed all the facilities, the other team deeming it not necessary. The campsite consisted of houses with unfinished rooms where one could put ones tent inside. There was also a dwelling for the park rangers. As usual the squat type, long drop toilets left much to be desired!
At the junction we headed north east through various villages, eventually reaching the town of Darba at 1pm, outside (or inside depending on what map you use) the parks border. Along the way we had crossed various muddy streams, drove through subsistence coffee plantations, drove around and over coffee beans left out to dry in the road, and questioned many times whether the road was in fact a road! Also interestingly we had to drive around a toppled tree. Rather than simply cut the tree to allow passage, someone had gone to great lengths to cut out a new road from the thick bush to go around the obstacle. Perhaps trees are very important in the local culture? Yet at the same time the villages slash and burn techniques were clearly in evidence. Rather bizarre!
In Darba we became instant celebrities with the whole town coming out to see us, staring into the car and crowding us. I think Simon C felt threatened and wanted to leave quite quickly. However we were not sure what to do. Should we head back into the park (if we were in fact outside) or should we head north in the hope that the road would wrap around? Myself and Deon wanted to continue. Taryn and Simon wanted to return. Local information was contradictory, not helping matters. It was stalemate until i decided we should head back as i felt the road could investigated if necessary on the way back out of Ethiopia and in any case at least we had found this town on the map and discovered another entry point into the park!
We headed back, investiagting another side road we left earlier, until it became to eroded and then made our way to a hot spring (after missing it the firstime we passed it) at around 3:45pm. Along the way we spotted terraces on the mountain side like that of the Incas and huge ground hornbills. The hot spring was just off the side of the road and trickled into a sort of concrete pool although, perhaps because it was cracked, it was not filled up much. Inside we found naked local boys cleaning themselves and having a lot of fun.We managed to snap a few photos once the boys were out and dressed as they were very shy. We had all hoped for a bit of time out in the hotspring but alas it was not to be! As we left we noticed that there was in fact an entire village of low roofed dwelling set on the mountain side of the road. They were so well blended with the vegetation we had not seen them. I wondered why they would choose such a place to live as they did not look in great shape. Perhaps the hot spring is extremely important to them or perhaps it was just a place of temporary shelter?
With the rain starting to fall gently we continued on our way south trying to look for a road that would provide a circular path back to the plains of Nechisar. Along the way we had closeup of Burchell Zebra's as they crossed the road and in one tree just next to the road we saw two regal Fish Eagles. The road just kept heading south eventually going off all our maps. The roads in this park were definitely very different to what they had been and what multiple maps had on them With rain still falling the soil turned in something called cotton mud and as we drove along we watched the Landrover behind us do a 270' on the road, the ultraclinging mud rendering the vehicle with no traction. It was like a ice skater trying to skate with normal shoes on!
A little further on we slid across the road, fortunately Simon C managing to keep the vehicle under control. Taryns worst fears had been realised and the going was tough, tricky and dangerous. Seeing a turn off, we decided to take it, half in hope it would lead back to the plains of Naschar, half to get out off the blasted mud. When i got out of the Beast to inspect it, my crocs instantly gained 2kg of weight with the mud sticking to them like epoxy.
We drove along the road, spotting quite a few zebra along the way and some locals walking in the rain in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere. They informed us the road headed to the coast of Lake Chama and we had a good giggle a little later when the gps showed we were driving in the Lake itself. Always trust what you see first! With the road going nowhere and the sun waning we turned around and headed back, having to drive along the dreaded cotton mud road again. Despite taking it carefully we hit a rather smooth patch and the vehicle slide right across the road to the side. That was ok but Simon C, looking in the rear view mirror saw the Landy do the same thing, sliding directly towards us. We had a few heartstopping moments as we watched in slow motion to see whether the landy would hit us...there was absolutely nothing we could do!
Fortunately the Landy stopped just short of us and we continued on our way. Despite going to the exact point for the mysterious road that was indicated on the gps as going to the Plains of Nechisar we could find nothing. Disheartened we carried on retracing our path until we reached the junction and the campsite mentioned previously. With the rain having turned the simplest road into a nightmare i suggested we make camp as the campsite is on high ground and with covered rooms it would have been an ideal location to wait out the rain until the following morning. Furthermore I did not want to continue as the roads were bound to get worse and I did not trust the landrovers ability to stay on the road; it also being rather easy to topple. Unfortunately i was overruled and we continued on with the land-rover driving off the road a couple of time before eventually getting completely stuck in a mud hole that the Beast had simply driven over. Despite Taryns's attempts the Landy just dug itself deeper into the mud and i was concerned again about it toppling over. Various option were considered such as mud rails that one puts under the wheels to provide traction, trying to pull the landy out with its winch, digging it out, and using the Beast to simply pull it out.
The latter was chosen and tying the winch cable from the Landy to the towbar of the beast, the Beast pulled the Landy out with a simple foot on the accelerator. Landy Rover recovery vehicle indeed! Simon and I could not help but let out a few more Landy jokes. Ahead was the dry riverbed with its steep cotton mud sides and i was not sure the Beast would do it, let along the Landy. This information combined with the rather taxing mudhole incident brought everyone to agreement and we decided to make camp in a clearing right next to the mud-hole... and it turned out to be a lovely location. After parking the Beast i noticed a burning plastic smell. We found that the battery in the beast had shifted towards the headlamp, knocking it out of it socket and onto the plastic below which then starting melting. Simon C rearranged the battery and re-inserted the light bulb and everything was fine again. It seems like something is always going wrong!
I built a fire area, with everyone gathering wood and putting there two cents in on how to build it with me staying out of it :). The rain fortunately stopped and we had a lovely evening, with a nice meal and some dates. It really felt like we were in the bush! After a nice cup of hot chocolate we all headed to bed, Simon C having headed to dreamland as usual a little earlier!
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