Ethiopia

I visited Ethiopia just after Xmas of 2015. The plan was to spend a few days there, possibly Malawi as well and make my way back home in 2016. Why Ethiopia? Apart from Ethiopia being a country containing the oldest evidence for anatomically modern humans, Ethiopia is also the only country that never became colonised. My curiosity was around those two factors. I wanted to see the difference between South Africa, a colony that recently regained its independence (proverbially called democracy) and the country that resisted Colonialism. The two names that immediately come to mind when one mentions Ethiopia for me are Emperor Menelik and Emperor Haile Sallasie. It was under the rule of Emperor Menelik in 1896 that Ethiopia defeated the Italian armed forces or potential colonisers at what is known today as the Battle of Adowa. A provisional treaty of peace was later concluded at Addis Ababa acknowledging the independence of Ethiopia. Consult a library for more facts :)

Abeto Menelik & Haile Sellasie

Emperor Menelik, baptized as Sahle Maryam (1844-1913) was Negus of Shewa (1866 - 89) , then of Ethiopia from 1889 to his death is the man behind the foundation and building of the city of Addis Ababa – which became capital of Shewa (Shoa) province in 1881.

Haile Sellasie’s influence on Rastafari

Haile Selassie born Tafari Makonnen Woldemikael, became Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974 after the death of Menelik II's daughter Empress Zauditu. The name Rastafari is taken from Ras Tafari, the title Ras and first name (Tafari Makonnen) of Haile Selassie I before his coronation.
Rastafari became an Abrahamic belief developing in Jamaica. Its adherents worship Haile Selassie I, emperor of Ethiopia, in much the same way as Jesus in his Second Advent, or as God the Father. Among the Rastafari movement, whose followers are estimated at between two and four million, Haile Selassie is revered as the returned messiah of the Bible, God incarnate. They perceive him as a messianic figure who will lead a future golden age of eternal peace, righteousness, and prosperity.

Addis Ababa

I was shocked by how big the city is. Google and CNN are not your friends if you want to know Africa, rather go there and experience the city yourself. Addis Ababa occupies a vast area and is very beautiful too. You do know that it also harbours the most beautiful women, right? Yes it does.

Another refreshing factor is the absence of American cholesterol infested takeaways like KFC; McDonalds and obesity hehehe.

Mussolini Steps

New UN Headquarters

Derg Monument

I had made a list of places that I desperately wanted to see like Addis Adaba University. The Institute of Ethiopian studies, established in 1963 and also better known as Haile Sellassie University. The University is so rich in History I spent a good few hours exploring and reconciling what I had read in books and internet with what was in front of me. It was in 1961 that the various colleges of the University were put together to form Haile Sellase I University. The emperor donated his Paradise to serve as headquarters of the new born University.

Haile Sellasie's bed. They have preserved everything

It was there that I learned the different regions such as Oromia; Tigray; Amhara; Afar; Gambella etc. The museum also contains a section on Music Instruments ranging from Aerophones; Baganna; Cordophones; Idiophones. I’m not the most musically inclined you can imagine my fascination upon learning the difference between these instruments.

Ethiopia has a very rich history, do check it out some time

How is it that we built this type of structure across Africa? How did we transfer knowledge across the continent before Colonialists?

Very well, Langano resort was next on the agenda, a few hours’ drive from Addis Ababa. We had the pleasure of meeting interesting people in different villages en route. One cannot claim to know a place without hanging with locals. We travelled South via Bishoftu toll gate. I noticed Islam became dominant as we moved south and Mode of transport mainly tuk-tuk and bicycles

We made it to Langano just before sunset. I was rather disturbed to come across little girls gyrating for tourists. That’s their hustle, children of 10 years old. You wonder with sadness what will become of them a few years from now, but I am not here to judge or set rules about life.

We got no accommodation in Langano, we had not booked **shrugs** and proceeded to Awassa, a good 50km out and retired at Haile Resort, Lake Awassa. This is the part of Ethiopia that news channels do not want you to know about. It is beautiful. Waking up to this, why would I be mad?

The Ethiopia that CNN does not want you to know about

Haile Resort

Heading back North for the New Year’s Eve party, we passed a few towns Sheshemane; Ziway; Modjo to mention a few. We stopped at the town of Meki for bathroom and coolers.

We were hardly 25 minutes out of the town of Meki towards Bote when our car capsized. The entire thing happened so fast, before we knew it the car had rolled and landed on its head. The hell?!!! “ get out, get out!” I shouted. The car reeked petrol and I was afraid it would explode. Only I was trapped too. I kicked the windscreen but could not find a good angle to exit. I shouted my friend’s name, I do not know when or how she got out. She managed to pull me out. We managed to retrieve the driver as well, dude's face was bleeding. I shouted" our passports"" They were in our luggage in the boot.

Mxm

Look, Taxi driver does not know who the hell I am and neither do the other 96 million Ethiopians. Dying there would have caused a major hustle for our bodies to be found and I was not prepared to be a Jane Doe or go home as cargo mmmkay? We got our luggage out and I pulled it back to the road and just stood there asking myself whether I was going to collapse. Had I broken a bone? Was I bleeding? I respect adrenalin, Gosh I was so strong I even felt like an action hero there for a few moments **flexes**
Did I mention the car landed an inch from some random veld fire? Yeah it did. Out of all places, it chose the fire, laaark!!! I wasn’t gonna die in Ethiopia, no Sir. I had been through enough close shaves in 2015 to die on the last day. I came back with one lung from Mount Kilimanjaro in February; got caught in an earthquake in India in April and almost reunited with my maker, no ways!
Normal people lose passports or get robbed on holidays. I just had to take it up a notch and get involved in an accident. My life is a comic book as I often say. It is never an adventure until I sustain scratches and bruises.

We got alternative transport from 4 gentlemen; headed back to Addis and continued to the New Years Eve party as planned.

Highlights

1. Travelling with a friend of more than 20years. We’ve lost and regained contact through the years but we both know where we stand in one another's lives. We encountered numerous difficulties in Ethiopia but we kept our heads straight. Even after the accident, there was no drama. God knows I dislike drama. We dealt with the problem; moved on and did not allow it to ruin our night or our trip. She's been promoted to a friend in life and death LOL! Choose your travel partner very carefully.

2. Meeting great people. We met a random girl just after the accident. She took us in and helped us to get cleaned up before continuing on our journey. Mr Eskindirr, an Ethiopian who had lived in South Africa for a few years. He happened to be a hotel manager at our favourite hangout spot in Bole. Meeting him for the first time brought out guilt and embarrassment on our part because of the xenophobic attacks that continue to plague our country. I also met a friend of a friend who happened to be holidaying in Addis Ababa at the same time. How small is this world? People meet in foreign countries now instead of home.

3. Nursing our pain for the next few nights. My joints hurt, I had scars everywhere especially my bum. (My friend insisted I add this detail to ridicule me. What a loser.) I suffered whiplash too and could not move my neck for a good week afterwards. I lived to tell the tale right? The one morning her phone rang and we could not get up to grab it. We were in so much pain, we uttered profanity until it stopped ringing.

4. Food: I ate firfir, foreign country foreign food. I even tried their nile perch fish. I had Eno in my pocket in case of indigestion. I was not prepared to eat rice in Ethiopia

5. Beautiful people: First of all service is slooow yet one can’t help but keep calm. Son, an Ethiopian waitress could tell you someone has been sent to the next town to fetch your order and you would stare and nod, mesmerised. LOL! Their smiles & beauty disarm you immediately.

Finally: My friend Nunu smuggling drinks out of the hotel room and not telling me about it. There I was arguing upon check out that we had not touched the minibar while she knew very well that she had taken the stuff. I asked her ngesiZulu whether she had stolen anything and she affirmed. I simply laughed and asked why she disempowered me like that, I was speaking my best English there reasoning with hotel stuff about drinks that had magically disappeared. What an idiot. We love her anyway.

To the people of Ethiopia: Thank you, Ameseginalehu

Malawi, we have unfinished business baby!!!

Soundtrack

One of our drivers played this in their taxi. I found myself humming it a few times.

Aloe Blacc - The Man

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HGy9i8vvCxk