ethiopia
welcome to the land of the wild blue yonder! as the only christian country in africa, ethiopia's image in the world's eyes is completely different from the reality: the omo vally can transport you back many centuries in time, to where tribes roam; the simien mountains can take you to where baboons roam free; axum can show you where the arc of the covenenant is kept; and lalibela's exquisite churches are said to have been carved by angels themselves.
wild blue yonder indeed.
don’t miss:
omo valley, home to some of africa’s fiercest tribes;
the simien mountains, where you can reach out and touch that egg shell blue sky;
ethiopian airlines, with the best in-flight service in africa;
lalibela, where the churches transport you back to the time of narnia;
the mercato, the country’s largest market in addis ababa;
harar, where arabian nights live on
food:
tej, ethiopian honey wine;
any kind of coffee, ethiopia is the place where coffee first originated;
injera, the bread that is the plate on which all Ethiopian food is served;
kitfo, raw meat mixed with blood
give it a miss:
any taxi/guide/tout in lalibela, evil incarnate;
the overland journey between axum and lalibela;
gondor, way over rated;
the southern rift lakes, kenya’s are better
don’t even think about:
following anybody in addis for ‘dancing girls’;
getting into a taxi without bargaining;
go walking without a stick for wild dogs;
thinking your credit card will work;
arriving late for your bus;
fighting with locals about opening windows, they are armed with menacing dulas