Ethiopia

In the beginning of february 2008 we packed our backpack once again and flew to Ethiopia. We had purchased very cheap flight tickets with KLM from Hamburg, Germany, to Addis Ababa. Only 4383,- dkk/person for a roundtrip including taxes and handling fees. The country is one of the poorest countries in the world , where poverty is a severe problem because of widespread drought. A long and devastating military conflict with the neighbouring country Erithrea has also set its marks on the country. Despite all that, the country is a very secure country. Armed robbieries are very uncommen. It is more petty theft that visitors should be aware of. Like in other African countries, Ethiopia has a big problem with diseases. Malaria is widespread in southern Ethiopia and in altitudes below 2000 meters. It is estimated that around 10 percent of the population each year catch the disease, which, without proper treatment, can be fatal. Travellers should also note that the sanitary and hygienic conditions are far from Western standards in this poor African country and actually is to blame for many illnesses in the country. Ethiopia is such a big country with so much to see that we only had time to visit a few highlights. The journey takes off in the capital, Addis Ababa, with almost 4 million citizens. Only 2 million people lived here in 1994 so the number of people moving to here is enormous. The city is located at the foot of Mount Etoto - in 2440 meters above sea level. On a fine summerday, the temperature is rarely higher than 20-25 celcius. Addis Ababa means "new flower" and suits it perfectly. Visiting the place in 10 years, the city will likely have changed drastically. It is an exciting place to visit. Look forward to reading about us visiting the marketplace called Merkato, shoppingmalls, nightlife, wellness etc. Our next stop was Gondor - an ancient city where you can arrange trekking in Simien Mountains. They are located in the northern part of Ethiopia. The nature is beautiful and the mountains are far more dramatic compared to the landscabe found in the south in Bale Mountains. Vi attended a 4 days trek including guide, crew and cook. At nighttime we slept in campsites already established. We will never forget this trek - the good and the bad. Read about our the drama we were exposed to... Addis Ababa was our homebase where we came back in order to fly to the tribes living in south Ethiopia. Omo Valley is the home to several different tribes. Among other Hamar people who are concidered to be one of the most beautiful people among African tribes. They are known for their body- and hair decorations. The highlight was of course the most famous tribe of them all....Mursis with the lip plate. It is amazing to see poeple with plates the size of a head placed in their lip. It is a fact that the journey was not a complete success. In the few weeks we visited the country, we experienced robbery and had a lot of contact with hospitals and clinics. Also we experienced the frustration of being in a bureaucratic African country that makes smaller tasks nearly impossible. Althought we experienced so many bad things in the country, we chose to complete the journey which we never regreted.