National Hotel Addis Ababa

... Turmi, where you will see different cultural antiquates around the market. Then drive to camp site. Overnight at Keske Camp site.

Day 10: TUS, 24 NOV: Drive from Turmi to Arbaminmch, en route visit the Erbore village and konso village The Konso are popular for their unique trussing style. Lunch will be served at weyto. Late in the afternoon arrive at Arbaminch. Overnight at paradise lodge or ...

... loafs of bread!

This trend continued for us. At the hotel we camped at (in the garden) a young group of students celebrating the end of Ramadan invited us to share in their party…and their freshly slaughtered goat prepared on the fire. We accepted the kind offer, bringing our last chocolate to the feast. A lovely and interesting evening of sharing ideas and views followed. On another occasion we were invited to coffee in one of the simple mud huts in Lalibela. Thinking this ...

... Immaculée Kamanzi’s office. There we met dentists and technicians we knew from previous years and met a few new people as well. Mr. Mundeli who also serves on the board arrived shortly after we did. The conference room we were to use was not far away – over in the maternity block, but it was still in use by another group, so we had to wait a few minutes.

By the time we got the seven board members together ...

Le mariage marquait un peu le début de la fin. Entre aujourd'hui et fin Juin, tous ceux que je connais vont progressivement quitter le pays.

Une autre étape commencera pour la mission ainsi que pour chacun de nous.

En attendant, on essaie d'en profiter un maximum et de célébrer le départ de chacun.

On se gave donc de bouffe éthiopienne, de shiro et d'injera, de tibs bien grillés et de viande crue, d'ambo et de coca.

On écume les restos d'Addis ...

After a wonderful time in southern Ethiopia, we made our way back to Addis - a full day's drive from Arba Minch. On the way, we stopped in a Silt'e tukol, where the woman of the "house" made us feel very welcome and prepared us coffee, as is customary. The tribe is a Muslim tribe and was probably the friendliest we'd encountered - no asking for money, pens, or even Highland bottles . . When we finally arrived in Addis in the evening, we drove through the Merkato - a ...

... le suivi budgétaire du projet à définir le menu de la guesthouse, gérer les contrats de location, faire agence de voyages et réserver les vols des expats, s'occuper des petits bobos et maladies, savoir qui est où quand et donc aussi visiter des maisons. Bon le concept de la maison éthiopienne de qualité est vraiment bizarre, il faut le dire. Visiblement on ne doit pas avoir les mêmes critères. Pour eux, une super maison est construite en dur (donc béton) et la ...

... les cérémonies de l'Epiphanie donnant lieu à de pittoresques processions, au déchainement des foules et des passions. Mais ce n'était visiblement pas du goût de la préposée au consulat éthiopien à Paris qui, malgré les multiples recommandations de la secrétaire, n'a pas su/pu/voulu cocher la case « Saturday delivery » du bon DHL. Comme quoi, parfois, ça tient vraiment à peu de choses. Pourtant, tout était prêt, les valises bouclées, le billet acheté, les adieux ...

First day and I soon realised that what I had been told about everything taking a long time in Ethiopia was true as the "5 mins wait" for the hotel shuttle bus turned into 35 mins. The journey from the airport to the hotel took me through streets teeming with people and where beggars and kids came up to tap on the bus windows ...

... leaving 4 of us to sample Kitfo. Raw, tepid, minced beef and chilli. Sounds revolting and highly dangerous. Eating raw meat in Ethiopia surely can't be sensible, however no ill effects experienced. We wound up in the 'minibar' . A tiny pub which the 4 of us just about filled. Early start tomorrow, a 6.20am flight means a 3.30am rise and a taxi ride to the airport, followed by a 10 hour flight, a 3 hour time adjustment and a 4 hour car trip. Sounds wonderful.

I slept in awkward spurts lying on benches in the airport and stumbled semi-deliriously through check-in, security, and onto the plane. I must have strung together some amount of rest, though, because I was alert enough this time to actually see our descent into Khartoum, even awake enough to humor the flight attendant by taking the 5 A.M. breakfast offering. Khartoum appeared much as it had been described to me: "hot and dusty." As we took off again, I tried not to think ...