Quara Hotel Gonder

... is to spend a few days hiking in the Simien Mountains. We set off at 6 tomorrow morning (12 o'clock local time) along with a collection of Ethiopians (a scout, an armed guard, a guide, a cook, a muleteer) and a pack of mules. <br><br>In Bahir Dar we met some Americans, including a "slackliner" called Libby from San Francisco. Slacklining seems to be much the same as tightrope walking, only the rope isn't tight. She holds records. I wish ...

... to see a faranji like me! I can live with this. <br><br>Here in Gondar I have to break the circle and wait one extra day to prevent, that I again go to cross the border at Sundays, just like the other 3 crossings before. Businesses are limitded at this day, so I spend Sunday to visit the castle of Gondar. Monday is Sudan-Day! <br>

... of building is going on in Gonder at the moment), we settled in and watched the sunset - our hotel was perched on a huge hill, with incredible views of Gonder, the royal compound, and countless birds riding the thermals. The next day, we drove with our guide, Johannes (we'd met him the night before) to the Simien Mountains for a short hike. Johannes is studying Ethiopian history and tourism, like many of the young guides we met along the way ...

... most of them were full, but we found what seemed a reasonable one, close to the centre of town, for USD 75 each - score! I'm on the floor on a mattress but the real bummer is that the apartment has unreliable electricity, fleas and water only about twice a week. So I'm covered in flea bites and I smell. I've been working the weekends to rack up days so I can get away for a trek in the Simien Mountains. The weekends are great ...

... we saw in Egypt, plus a Christian section of icons and murals, which we found hard to put into context. On our way out of Khartoum we stopped at a large and unexpectedly well stocked supermarket, where we indulged our western tastes for the last time in a while. Driving out we were amazed at how modern this supposedly safest capital ...

... what has been described as the most dramatic road in Africa, crossing at least 5 half kilometer deep valleys and finally climbing up some 1500 meters into the Simien Mountains from Adi Arkay to Debark. Again we passed several destroyed tanks, one was upside down under a bridge, another one half buried in the opposite bank. Easy to see that all of this hardware was lost by the Dergue. The position showed that they were to block the Eritreans and Tigrayans campaigning towards Addis ...

... is HIV/AIDS. Ethiopia has one of the lowest rates of HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa, with 4.4% - and according to some it is lower now at 3.5% - but because of the nature of the disease around 50-60% of medical patients have it on the wards. In the UK when someone comes in with something a little odd, or perhaps a little rare, you may think "oh that's a bit odd and a little rare" but here immediate consideration is given to retroviral ...

I am thoroughly enjoying our short little flights in tiny airports here. It's refreshing to see how things can be done differently than the super-high security and formality of NA. Today our passports were checked at the road before even getting to the airport, but for some reason they had no need to see our tickets...Then again when we approached the building. They seem to look at our passport for the allotted amount of time, but I ...

... royal complex is right in the center of town and is comprised of several castles/libraries/lions dens of King Fasilada. They may just be hollow skeletons now, but it's fun to imagine the walls covered in ivory and gold, and the banquets that took place there! The Debre Berhan Selassie church is most famous for it's ceiling of 104 winged cherubs looking down on you. This church is also one of the only in rectangular ...