From Gondar to Bahar Dar

I’m trying something different today after three days in a row of inability to post to the blog site after typing a long missive. Today I am typing into Microsoft Word and then will try to cut and paste into the blog.

Today I traveled from Gondar to Bahar Dar, a town on the largest lake in Ethiopia. Distance of 200 km and we made it in 2 ½ hrs. A little scary as we had to cross 3 mountain passes with winding roads to and from and the driver preferred to drive on the left 2/3’s of the road. After some pantomine for the first 1 hr to please keep to the left on any curves, he finally got the message . . . for 10 minutes. Only three overturned trucks on the road.

But first, a lesson in Ethiopian economics. Only way to get here is by minibus which is cheap but involves sitting with no windows open, 12-14 other people none of whom have bathed in the last 30 days. For 700-1000 birr you can get a “private” minibus, but did not want to spend that much. Found someone who asked my “best price” (usually the beginning of bargaining) and I said 350. He said o.k. if he can bring some locals at the local price. I said no more than 3-4 locals and we had a deal. He arrived promptly at the appointed time, introduced me to his driver and we were off (with 7 locals, but I had my own row behind driver in the minibus.

The drive was lovely. Magnificent and different scenery. Passed thru 3 or 4 villages where I know the annual income of the country ($250 per person) is spawned. People walking on the hot asphalt road along most of the way (with bare feet). Carrying huge packages, bales of hay, and whatever on their heads. Herding goats, sheep and cattle. All in the heat of the midday equatorial sun.

Finally arrived in Bahar Dar where the driver (who speaks 10 words of English) pulls into the bus station (a huge dirt and stone parking lot with at least 20 buses and 150 minibuses and hundreds of people milling around. We take a tuk tuk a short distance to the hotel (turns out minibuses are not allowed on the boulevard where hotel is located). Room is very nice, with a terrace overlooking Lake Tana, the largest lake inEthiopia and the attraction of the town. There are 20 or more monasteries on islands in the lake, the origins of the Nile river and several other attractions.

I am negotiating with the driver (who will pick me up tomorrow after driving back to Gondar today and returning tomorrow) to hopefully stop at what sounds like a very interesting weaving cooperative in the hills along the way.

Cheers! I made it.