A Fun Daytrip... (Part One)

On Saturday 26th August the whole group set off on a daytrip to one of Ethiopia's famous tourist areas...Sodiere Hot Springs. Actually, Joanne and Rick didn't get to go as the deadly tummy bug had hit Joanne...we promised to take lots of pictures... :(

The Hot Springs are located about 4 hours drive south from Addis Ababa, I was really excited to go as it meant seeing a part of Ethiopia that I had not seen yet. Spirits were high as we all trooped onto the bus, little snacks were neatly tucked into backpacks and water bottles were lined up.

Addis Ababa is at a very high elevation (can't remember what it is right now, but will get back to you with that info!) and so being in the middle of rainy season, the weather was actually quite cool and blustery. However, as we drove out of Addis and headed South, the temp picked up and the scenery started to change. We passed acres of industrial looking compounds which turned into mile upon mile of agricultural land. Fields were bursting with crops ripe for harvest and stunning flowers bloomed in profusion. I asked Deb (our trip leaderand agency director) if it was unusually green and she agreed that it was the most green/lush she had seen in ten years. She went on to remind us that there was terrible flooding further South which was displacing people and destroying land.

I thought again about this being a land of contrast...more rain than usual had turned the area we drove through into a paradise, but the excess rain further South was causing death and destruction.

We stopped at a beautiful lake and took a break (picture above...note how green!) As we walked around part of the lake we were followed by a group of young guys in a boat slowly edging along the waters edge. They were asking if we wanted a ride in the boat, only 5 Birr (CHEAP) and they would take us right around the lake. Selemnah, our driver and friend just started to laugh and laugh and then told us maybe not to go in the boat. We all agreed that it had probably last had a safety check circa 1900 and I had visions of us getting to the middle of the lake, without life jackets and the boat starting to sink. I asked Selemnah if there were cocodiles, "Of course" was his reply.

We continued onto Sodiere, with the heat rising and the scenery again changing. It became more rocky and dusty as we wove into the valleys and chugged up through the hills. We started to come across lots of traditional huts, and clusters of tiny mud houses making up little villages, home to the farmers working the fields. As we entered towns, the bus would slow down and crowds of children would suddenly appear as if out of thin air, pushing their hands through open windows offering everything from tissue paper to baby alligators for us to buy. It actually came as quite a shock to be confronted with a baby turtle being thrust into my face, it's wrinkled legs frantically waving back and forth. Little beady eyes stared balefully at me as if to say, "Buy me or let me go..please" Of course, the children on the bus were highly entertained. One boy in the crowd was wearing a Manchester United T. shirt. It was so incongrous to me, I was in the middle of Ethiopia and there was Man Utd! (I am English for those that don't know and grew up very near Manchester...my brother is a dedicated Man U fan!) I pointed to him with a thumbs up sign and said "Man U!!" He totally understood, pointing at his T. shirt and laughing. (On the way home, we again passed the same crowd of kids. Suddenly there was a knock on my window as we slowed and there was the Man U fan waving at me and shouting Man U, Man U! Funny.)

We finally arrived at Sodiere and had to pass through a check point to get in. I need to explain that the Hot Springs are for VERY wealthy Ethiopians and tourists, nobody else would ever have the means to get all the way there and then pay the entrance fee, just to go... and ...do nothing but have fun? Life in Ethiopia is too hard for that and so we were quite concious of the fact that we were very priviledged to even be there.

(Part Two will be posted shortly)

I will quickly show you some pictures of the countryside etc...I'll have to open another post though :)