Trip 13 - Information on Impressions and Highlights

Ethiopia

27 November 1999 - 17 January 2000

Highlights & Impressions

Birds heard or seen on waking up - always a good way to start a day:

Ross's Turaco - at Riverside campsite, Iringa, Tanzania
Djibouti Francolin - on escarpment next to camp at Dittilou, Djibouti
Stone Partridge - at least 5 individuals woke me up on 1 January 2000
Yellow-fronted Parrot - very noisy over the campsite at Wondo Genet
Mountain Nightjar - in the bush near Robe
Simien Fox - noisily scuffling around my Landrover in the middle of the night on Sanetti Plateau

Views of animals and birds that I will remember for a long time:

General - the tameness of almost all birds due to the fact that Ethiopians rarely eat any birds other than chickens, so hunting is rare
Lammergeyer - While I was watching over the escarpment of the Jemmu Valley, a Lammergeyer approached me from behind and passed over only feet above my head. It then soared round nearby - I presume hoping that it's "attack" on me had pushed me over the edge!
Djibouti harbour - the shear number of birds that were lifers to me.
Walia Ibex - one of the rarest species in Ethiopia. We saw one sleeping on its side on the ground, but after a few minutes it got up and then wandered off. Although it was nearly a kilometre away, it seemed much nearer - probably because it was only 100 metres away horizontally - and about 1000m below the ridge where we were watching from.
Simien Fox - four animals seen just after dawn on the Sanetti Plateau were of such a beautiful colour in the frosted landscape.
Ruspoli's Turaco - after a long search, it was such somehow the most memorable lifer that I saw on the whole trip.
Elephant - not what one normally expects to meet when leaving the Zimbabwe customs office at Beit Bridge!

Scenic views that are hard to forget:

Jemmu Valley - walking along the top of the escarpment gave amazing views, comparable to the Fish River Canyon (Namibia) and Grand Canyon (US).
Fantalle Crater - although I arrived after dawn, the lava flows, the crater itself and the greenness of the vegetation were an unusual sight.
Gulf of Tadjoura - the vegetation-free black lava flows reaching right down to the azure blue sea was unlike anything I have seen before.
Blue Nile Falls - after a short walk, they were impressive, but somehow not equal to the more accessible Victoria Falls, or the powerful Murchison Falls on the White Nile.
Simien Mountains - it is impossible to describe the eroded escarpments - the road passed along a narrow col only a 100 metres wide.
Bale Mountains - the opportunity to drive up to a elevation of 4 350 metres was something I wasn't going to miss. The vegetation changes were quite extraordinary.

People who will be remembered:

General - the Ethiopian people are incredibly friendly and pleasant as individuals, but soon becoming very wearing when in groups.
Steve Spawls - letting me stay for three nights, even though we had never met before, and providing me with a huge amount of information on the country, its people, fauna & flora.
Guard at Jemmu - this person, who was watching over my Landrover when I camped in the Jemmu Valley typified the rural peoples' attitude. He was armed with a rifle, with plenty of ammunition slung over his shoulder, but when I emerged from my tent, all he did was to walk down, shake me by the hand, and then vanished off into the bush - we were unable to exchange a word due to our language differences.
Truck drivers from Djibouti - who assisted me when I ran out of fuel.
Eshetu Bedane - proved to be an absolute mine of information on the local history, and made my visit to Lalibela such a wonderful experience.
Farmers at Negele - who wouldn't allow me to camp in the bush on the edge of their farm, but insisted I stay at their farmstead so they could guard me and the vehicle, while refusing any form of payment or gift.
Dave Moyer - who was prepared to lend me a considerable sum of cash to get me out of Tanzania (perhaps that was his motivation?) and on to Zambia where I could use my credit card.

Historical sights:

Lalibela monolithic & cave churches - Unique, you have to visit them yourself to understand what unbelievable structures they are.
Small roadside "churches" - these miniature shelters which could only fit one person inside to pray, each with their silver cross and icon showed a greater level of religiousness than the largest European cathedrals.
Gonder - The architectural style was not what one expects to find in Africa.

Other memorable events:

Filowha hot-springs - the setting amongst palms was beautiful, but I have never seen such clear blue water even in a swimming pool.
Swimming in Gulf of Tadjoura - relaxing in the humid climate.
Eaten by flies in Gambela - it was extremely hot and humid, and the flies only left at dusk, to be replaced by mosquitoes. Thankfully it was mid-winter.
Wondo Genet hot-springs - lazing in this hot water - which at the source was uncomfortably hot - I was still able to see Sharpe's Starling - a lifer.
Frozen on Bale - I have never been so cold in my life. While it was still warm enough to wear shorts at 17h00, by 19h00 it was below freezing, and the temperature continued dropping. When I woke up the tent was frozen solid, and I had to leave it for a few hours in the sun before it could be packed - even by 09h00, when driving down, I found one puddle on the road with ½" of ice still on it.

IMPRESSIONS OF THE COUNTRIES

These are limited to travelling conditions for most, with a more detailed description of Ethiopia and Djibouti.

South Africa

In many respects, South Africa is very easy to travel through, with plenty of petrol stations and 24-hour fast food restaurants on the main roads. The only problem is that it is not possible to buy petrol or diesel with a credit card. South African banks issue special "petrol" credit cards, which can be used, but this facility is restricted to South African bank account holders. Potholes are rare, unless a road is undergoing major resurfacing, and diversions exist.

Zimbabwe

All major roads are tarred and virtually pothole-free. Petrol is (was) freely available, and most large garages accept credit cards. However, days after I left, Zimbabwe hit a fuel crisis, with virtually no petrol or diesel being available, and some commentators expect this to remain for the remainder of 2000.

There are very rarely road-blocks, although radar speed-trapping is used. If there is a road-block, they will require papers, and carry out some basic checks on lights, brakes, etc.

Zambia

The main road from Zimbabwe to Tanzania is fully tarred, although with potholes - some serious - in places. Petrol & diesel are freely available in the south, and a credit card can be used at some garages in Lusaka. However, from Serenje northwards, no fuel is available on the main road itself. It is available in Mpika and Isoka, but these towns are reached via unsign-posted side-roads.

Road-blocks are common at all major junctions, and papers may be requested. However, at most road-blocks you will simply be asked where you have come from, and where you are going.

Tanzania

The main road from Zambia to Kenya is tarred, and generally in good condition. Petrol is available, but there are few garages along the route. None accept credit cards yet (although there are a few in Dar-es-Salaam, and they are likely to spread quickly).

There are road-blocks at major intersections, but most vehicles are waved through without requiring you to stop. You must however slow down, and be prepared to stop if required. Radar speed traps exist.

Kenya

Kenyan roads are, in general, in an appalling state of repair. Tanzania to the south and Ethiopia to the north are both poorer countries, but their roads are better maintained than Kenya's. Petrol and diesel are freely available, and credit cards can be used in Nairobi.

A "convoy" system runs from Isiolo northwards, but while I was there it was on a very informal basis. Occasionally they step up security, and may even close the road altogether.

The major surprise to me was the dramatic reduction in fees within the national parks. They used to be the same as Tanzania, but are now far lower.

Ethiopia

To someone from southern Africa, Ethiopia is not "African". It has a large population of around 60m - at least 50% more than South Africa. The vast majority of its population is rural, and towns (other than Addis Ababa) appear to survive on markets and a few shops. I doubt that any town outside Addis Ababa has a population of over 50 000. This is probably due to the lack of industrialization. An curious example of this is the fact that virtually every branch of the Commercial bank uses computers, yet nowhere are credit cards usable - and international bank transfers take weeks.

While there is little sign of any real wealth - even in Addis Ababa - there are equally few signs of abject poverty (although I didn't visit the Ogaden). It just appears that everyone lives on the land, and that self-sufficiency is the key to survival. Only in the area to the north of the Bale mountains did I see any mechanical harvesting equipment in the form of tractors and combine harvesters. Elsewhere, large fields of teff were harvested by hand, and threshed on the ground by cattle or horses.

There were few signs of any transport system for goods, and the only products I was aware of that were traded internationally were the coffee exports and fuel imports. All other vehicles on the roads were busses. Private cars hardly exist outside Addis Ababa, and there were some 4x4 vehicles seen in rural areas, generally the local taxis.

Throughout the rural areas, the majority of men carry rifles. However, throughout my whole trip, no-one ever pointed one at me, nor was I threatened by anyone. Theft was not an issue that ever concerned me, even when I had to leave my Landrover with two side windows missing. The general attitude of the population, if one was walking in the bush - or in any environment outside tourist areas or a vehicle - was of assistance. Even in towns, if children or beggars started to surround one asking for money, etc, invariably people would try and push them away. However, when driving through towns, in the northern parts, large numbers of people would often shout "You". Curiously this was a crowd reaction - individuals rarely did this, nor was it common south of Addis Ababa (and never in Addis itself).

There was little sign of the Italian colonial period other than the fact that western food offered in hotels was usually based on pasta. In Addis Ababa there were a number of Italian and Greek expatriates, but they didn’t seem to dominate any field other than restaurants.

Overall, I felt that Ethiopia was a country that was truly at ease with itself - it worked at its own pace, was proud of its achievements, and was trying to overcome its problems. Aid agencies weren't in evidence, yet a whole varieties of projects were underway, usually involving large number so the local population. Sometimes they are overconfident, and always know the answer - rarely listening to advice or suggestions. However, the religious side of the country is very strong - and the number of pilgrims to be found around Lalibela was quite remarkable.

Overall, Ethiopia is a country that needs to be explored, and the longer one can dedicate to the process the better. It is so different from Kenya and the other countries to the south that it takes time to begin to understand the differences.

Djibouti

Djibouti was totally different from Ethiopia in virtually every respect. The country remains a French colony, even if they pretend otherwise. The differences between the expatriates and the locals couldn't have been more odious. The locals live in very basic huts, while the French live in huge mansions - especially along the east coast. There are hundreds of taxis looking for hire, while there seemed to be very few mini-buses able to carry the locals. I didn't see any local driving a vehicle (other than a taxi), yet there were hundreds of new 4x4 vehicles. Shops in the centre of Djibouti didn't stock local goods, only French haut couture and other imported goods. In the local hotels and restaurants, even the butter is imported from France.

It appeared there were two Djibouti's. The local one living in abject poverty, with no agriculture, no industry and no hope. The other one is dominated by French Foreign Legion camps (I passed 5 in half an hour driving round Djibouti city) and commerce orientated entirely towards the expatriate community. It was also noticeable that the road to the local beeches was tarred and in excellent condition, yet they were now resurfacing sections of the road - while the major trading route to Ethiopia was in serious disrepair, with no effort to repair it.

Prices for even the basics were at least 3 times higher than in Ethiopia. Beggars in the city centre weren't selling food or cigarettes as is the norm in the rest of southern and eastern Africa, they were selling postcards! On arriving in at the Menelik Hotel, over 10 different people tried to sell me postcards. Why was nothing else being offered? I just got the feeling that the African Renaissance was passing by Djibouti, and that the French were happy to have locked the country into a '60s culture.

This is not a country I felt happy in, and have no intention of returning to - unless the country achieves its independence in the near future.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Take a diesel-engined vehicle. Diesel is more easily obtainable, and generally cheaper. Fuel economy is generally better as well, so the vehicle's range is increased.
Ensure that the vehicle has independent fuel tanks, so that should one become damaged, it is possible to use the other.
Ensure that the vehicle has a fuel capacity for at least 1000 km.
Take a full toolkit, with all the necessary tools required for the vehicle.
Take plenty of spares and repair supplies (including wire, bolts, gasket tape, welding rods, etc).
Take a minimum of three jacks if using leaf springs.
Take a GPS.
Allow for a multitude of spellings of place-names. Variations such as Yabelo or Yavello, or Nekempte or Neqept are all common.
Ask locals to confirm route, in sign language if necessary - there are no signposts.
When asking directions from locals, try many different pronunciations - it is not only their spelling that is non-standard, one person may pronounce a name one way, such that if you repeat it faithfully in the next village, you will get a blank look. For example "Gore" was pronounced "Gor" or "Gorey" - people who used one, couldn’t recognize the other.
Take a good supply of drinking water, and a filter or other water-purification system. No "clean" water was available, except in Addis Ababa.
Take an adequate supply of tinned food, since none is available outside of a few shops in Addis Ababa, and fresh food does not keep long.
Drive slowly, and don't expect to cover more than 300 km per day at best in Ethiopia.
On tar watch the side of road to spot potholes - people drive onto the shoulder to drive round the potholes (also works in Zambia and Kenya). This is often more reliable for trying to spot potholes at a distance.
In Ethiopia, don’t drive in other vehicle's wheel tracks - while this is sound advice to the southh, in Ethiopia, the odds are that the vehicle will be a large truck, with a higher clearance than even a 4x4. This means that you will regularly hit rocks.
Don't expect facilities at camp sites - or even campsites. It is usually possible to camp at government hotels, but camping facilities are only provided at Lake Langano.
Take plenty of cash or travellers cheques - don't rely on credit cards or transfers from overseas.
Change money "legally" in Ethiopia. Only consider using the black-market if entering Ethiopia on weekend - otherwise the banks are cheaper.