The Addis experience

Am back in the real world, which more feels like a limbo while I'm waiting to return to Africa...

My last few days on the continent of eternal sunshine were "different" to say the least.

I arrived in Ethiopia on a Monday night, it was chilly but fresh and I all of a sudden missed the heat, humidity and the smell of burned firewood.
My driver picked me up and took me to the hotel, which was cheap and old, but clean. I spent roughly 52 minutes in Addis before being asked out for dinner. An offer I firmly rejected.

Tuesday was city  tour and museum day.
Started with the old Djibuti - Ethiopian train station and moved on to the National Museum.
I got to see Haile Selassie's throne and also popped down to the basement to see "Lucy"...
From there we continued to Selassie's old palace, which is now the Ethnological museum. Lots of interesting exhibitions, I was especially fond of the traditional and tribal expo's. But must admit, getting a sneak peak into Selassie's bedroom and bathroom made my day!

After lunch, traditional food with a huge injera bread and a veeeery spicy chicken, I chilled in my room and went to the supermarket to get some coffee, tea and avocado butter. FYI, avocado butter is for external use, lol!

Wednesday we set off to the Ethiopian Rift Valley in order to visit the Awash National Park. The scenery was amazing, the mountains and the vegetation was absolutely fantastic!


Crocodile



After a 5h drive we finally arrived, checked into my room and decided to review my swahili on the terrace outside the hotel.



Early Thursday morning we set off to the park. I didnt see many animals apart from a couple of oryxes and a porcupine, but hey, this aint Tanzania!

The highlight was the waterfalls, just stunning! Nearly stepped on a crocodile though, but I guess those things happens.... Besides, it wasnt very big, so probably would have managed to escape minus my foot, lol!

The return to Addis was nothing like I had expected.

When we came back to the hotel to have breakfast, my driver made a pass on me, and did not seem to take no for an answer. This, in addition to him assuming we would share a room, and making a pass on me the evening before, made me very uncomfortable. To the extent that I lost my temper with him, and told him to return to Addis on his own, and try to explain to his boss why I wasnt in the car.

Said and done!

I gathered my belongings ( a 65L backpack and a huge box with my zanzi chest) and sat down under a tree, hoping a bus would pass at some point. It didnt.

BUT! An older man with a couple of camels did, and he offered me a lift to the next village. There he got me a ride on a donkey with a carriage, and finally I was picked up by some Ugandan UN officials offering me a ride (in a car) back...

My last day in Addis I spent walking around the city absorbing the atmosphere, going to the movies and do some shopping.

In the evening my tour operator took me out for dinner in a fab. Abyssinian restaurant with live music and dance preformances.

That was a great ending to my trip, and after spending a couple of hours in an airport which doesnt know the meaning of smoke ban, and doesnt have a newspaper shop, it was kind of okay to board the plane taking me back to Europe....

Sum up

My last week on Zanzi was filled with maandazi and grammar.
Had class up till thursday, and mama auntie did not go easy on me. On the other hand, I did get a fancy laminated diploma from her.

Chest

I also managed to fall in love, with a Zanzibari chest. The wooden kind, not the human kind...

One of my bro's took me to a shop, where a guy makes the chests out of recycled wood (staircases, doors et.c). Some of the pieces are antiques and some are not, but they all have a history and a story to tell.

One of the chests in progress was calling out my name loud and clear, so I decided go for it. The most bulky souvenir I've ever bought!

The weekend was spent in Kendwa, on Zanzis north coast. Beautiful beach!

Spent the days doing nothing, but swimming, chilling and relaxing in the sun. And, jetskiing!

Saturday evening was the fullmoon party, which was interesting to take part in. (note to oneself, never become one of those drunk loud tourists who dance on tables, just watch them)
I spent a good part of the evening flat on my back on a blanket, feet in the ocean, gazing at the stars and sipping champagne...

Monday was a sad day, as I left my beloved Zanzibar behind. But, as we all know, it was not a goodbye, it was a see you soon type of farewell from my favorite spot in the world...

Am now in Addis Ababa, recovering from a camel ride, but will tell you more about that later...

Jambiani - toothless man, awkward moments and maasai disco

I decided to spend the weekend on the east coast, in a beach bungalow, chillaxing.
Early Friday morning, we got on a daladala from Stonetown, aiming to be in Jambiani by noon.
Daladala took off as planned, stopped after 20 min, to load various merchandise on to the roof. (note to myself, be grateful you didnt opt to bring the big backpack)
They loaded roughly 20 bags of rice, some construction materials, fruits, veggies and other little bits and pieces.
Fortunately the lady with the sleeping chicken managed to get a seat!
Once we arrived to the bungalows, and had installed ourselves, we chilled by the pool. I fell asleep and burned my forehead :(
Later in afternoon we decided to find the village and stock up on some snacks, and find a place to eat dinner.
We got out on the road, walked, walked, walked and walked, only to realise we had missed the little road leading in to the village, so we had to turn around and come back - very amusing according to a truckload of workers..
Finally in the sleepy village of Jambiani, we found a duka where a toothless man bit off a piece of his cookie and offered us one piece each! What can you do, apart from accepting and eating it? LOL!
Going back we opted for the beach route, which was closer, and nicer.
Stopped by a restaurant and ordered lobster for dinner next day. Also popped into a local bar with 4 drunk people and a totally wasted, slightly possesive and totally bonkers pregnant lady, who we escaped from pronto!
Saturday we chilled and made friend with some Maasais on the beach. They offered to escort us to a disco later in the evening, so we could do some cheza cheza. Great initiative!
But, first we returned to the lobster place, and although we had C L E A R L Y cancelled the order in the morning, guess what! Yes, there was lobster awaiting. Trying to explain we didnt want it, it just got more and more awkward, and a sort of stand off was taking place, not quite knowing what to do.
Finally we ended up paying for it anyway, but only retail price though.
Did I mention the establishment did not have electricity? We dined in the light of a torch!
Later, we caught up with the masai, and took a 45 min walk along the beach, only lit by the moonlight, to Paje. Trecked through the village, crossed the road and up a hill, only to find the disco without power! No cheza cheza :(
After feeding the entire mosquito population of Paje with my blood, we finally left, backtracked until we got to the JAMBO bar, which had electricity and a toilet as a cash registry!
Furniture was logs and the bar itself a hut on the beach. There we finally got to cheza cheza until our masai escorts walked us back to our hotel.
Sunday was a very relaxed day in a hammock by the seafront. bought a scarf from a grandpa on the beach, and went back to stonetown after lunch....

Chasing water and finding shells

I have now had the opportunity to shower in the noble company of a crab!

Yesterday we set off to coconut beach, only to find the pool under maintanence and the tide far far far out!
We were told there was another hotel with a pool 5 minutes walk up the beach, so we set off  on the shore.

What can I say? We walked, walked and walked and no hotel in sight, and no road, so we just continued.
Came across some really beautiful sea shells, which I decided to keep as a memory of this magic island.

After 2h of walking in the sun on the shore, we found our way back to the road, hopped on a daladala and set off to watch the sunset at the local beach here.
Finally home, I decided to kill two birds with one stone, and rince my shells while showering.
Imagine how surprised I was when one started moving! Yikes! Where are your flip flops when you need them??

Today mama auntie told us we are no longer new beginners, but intermediate students. YEY!
In order to celebrate, I had a swim in the sunset, watching the dows sail out for the night, how beautiful!
To round up the evening, I got a fixh slammed in my face, by a man who lost his balance in an overcrowded daladala. am so honoured! LOL

School, beach, trucks and daladala

Daladala

Mama Auntie was in a great mood today, and actually laughing at some of the slang I picked up over the weekend!

After class, we decided to hop on a dala dala, or actually squeeze ourselves on to an overfull dala dala.

I ended up half sitting the lap of an old granpa, with my bag in another lap, and my friend in my lap..

The ride took about 1h and then we walked through the villages and climbed down a steep to get to the beach.

But, what a beach!

Secluded, with white sand turquoise water and a light breeze coming in....

We decided to climb back up to see the sunset, and to escape the incoming tide. But also to get back to the mainroad before dark.
After we had walked through some of the villages, we were offered a ride on the back of a truck. We climbed up, or actually they hauled me up with grace and elegance never seen before hehe.
It was a bumpy ride through random villages and with people dancing and singing for the election campain on the way.
I have never been so happy to have my big well padded derriere to sit on LOL!

They dropped us off in a village, where we caught a dala dala back to town. Made quite a detour, but hey that doesnt really matter does it? Loads of fun, with happy people, and guaranteed A/C!

Now, I should really revise my grammar and nambas in order to get ready for class tomorrow.
Am currently contemplating to stay here for an extra week, and skip the mombasa leg of my trip, but we'll see...