A. Do I like it B. Do I love it C. Do I hate it. D. Its not so bad
ANSWER: D
I did a lot of research before I started my backpacking adventure to Ethiopia. The lady at the Embassy asked my father, why does your daughter wants to go there? Probably I am the first or the only Malaysian to go there. My boss says that I should put it in the Malaysian Book of Record!
There is nothing much talked about Ethiopia on the internet. Not many people travel or blog about it. The few that write about it seems to be hating it! I was confused. How a can anybody hate or dislike any country that one decide to travel in the first place? My only guide was independent traveler and Lonely Planet. So I had to be there in person to answer the question above!
Sigh! Compare to all 8 African countries that I have traveled to date, within the first 4 days, I hated Ethiopia, more precise Addis Ababa. I was in the verge of leaving the country for good. At that point I understood the frustration of my fellow blogger.
Why was that? Its just too much going on : the heat, the hassle, the flirting, the the lies, poor transportation, no water, limited food for vegetarian! It was just not easy as many thought I was Habesha. I think I
attracted more attention compare to farengi! Everyone that sees me, wants to
talk.
But at the end of the 3rd week, if someone asks the same question, if I like Ethiopia or not, I would say, "Its challenging and not so easy but its not so bad at at all!" For the very same reason that I hated it, I then begin to loved it. It's only matter of time and meeting the right people and knowing to move around! And for me, that only happened at the second part of my journey! And by the time i discover that, I left the country!
A friend of mine said, if I only know you 22 days earlier I would have arranged everything for you. It would have been smooth journey and you would have saved a lot.
But I think not and I said no. The 22 days had ups and down, but I like the journey they way it is. I love meeting people the locals, to talk, laugh or smile or
My route:
18-21/1/2014 : Addis Ababa
22/2/2014 : Gondar
23-27/1/2014 : Ras Dashan (Simien Mountain)
28/2//2014 : Gondar
29-30/1-2014 : Axum
31/1-2/2/2014 : Mekele
3-6/2/2014 : Danakil Depresion/Mekele
7-8/2/2014 : Lalibela
9-10/2/2014 : Journey to Addis Abba
The food I ate:
Shiro and Injera and fruit juice
Bayenetu : injrea with lots of vege
Ful: My favorite breakfast
The friends I met:
Some of the places that I visited:
Addis Ababa
Timkat Festival
Gondar
Ras Dashen
Axum
Mekele
- They usual don’t shower as i) no water and ii) the weather get pretty cold second half of the day I think one don't need shower! If there is water, its freaking cold!!!
- All fruit shop is also fruit juice shop as well as salad bar.
- They have coffee like Chinese has tea and they drink during hot weather
- When you ask how far point A to B is, they will say its XX km. No hours as you never know, the bus might spoil, or the camel might cross or I might stop to sleep!
- In their point of view there is only Christian and Muslim, they know no other religion
- People even shine and wash sneakers!
- They have so many cows but hardly have coffee/tea with milk
- Every argument or misunderstanding is discussed in the street with group of people giving various opinion
- Chat is not addictive, not drugs and doesn’t ’t hallucinate! It only to make you awake to study!
- They don’t think themselves as African!
Farengi: Foreigner
Habesha: Local person
Dosa: South Indian pancake eaten for breakfast
Injera: Ethiopian pancake made from fermented tef
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