a World Apart, part II (Ethiopia)

We enter Ethiopia without effort. Its 2002 and the time is 6 in the morning. That's right, Ethiopia is sticking with the Julian calender. They're eight years behind the rest of us and their day starts at twelve o'clock in the morning, which is six o'clock our time. Immediately we're surprised by the lush green mountains (and the first rains in what feels like months of endless desert sun) on our way to Gondar, the Ethiopian Highlands.
Beautiful churches and an European castle complex are some of the highlights, including the church of Haile Selassi, the so-called father of Rastafarism. Here we meet Belgians Bjorn and Nele en route to South Africa in their modified Land Rover as well Andre, a Kiwi travelling solo via public transport. Since Joel has an empty seat in his car (and appreciates the company) and since we're all going the same way, we decide to stick together for what turned out to be the next 3 weeks. This is where discussions start about travelling to the Danakil Depression (Danakil Desert) as travelling in three vehicles are better than two, and six people are better than three. To be continued...

A three day hike in the Simien Mountains takes us well above 4000m above sea level and introduces us to hundreds and hundreds of the indigenous Gelada baboons (bleeding-hart baboons), seemingly enjoying the spectacular views as much as we do. Exhausted and refreshed we start our journey to Aksum, again on some of the worse roads. The landscape changes dramatically with the altitude. Queen of Sheba country in northern Ethiopia. Despite the numerous ancients sites and artifacts, the highlight is meeting Rodney, an American guy on a mission. He explains to me that salvation is found in outer space, in other words leaving this place (earth), which is hell, and the craft to do so in is yet to be constructed because the plans for building this spaceship is locked within the Ark of the Covenant, which is held (so they say) in the St Mary of Zion Chruch in Aksum. Of course these plans come in the form of a computer that GOD had placed in the Ark. Rodney's mission is to explain to and convince the local church and politicians to open the Ark and extract the computer so that mankind can start constructing our salvation. Rodney predicts the spaceship will be constructed out of reinforced concrete and propelled by 'laser propulsion' (which theoretically is possible). Again, good luck. Rodney has been in Aksum for three months now and will stay for as long as it takes.

We leave Aksum en route to Mekele, a three day drive, where we will research the possibility of going to the Danakil Depression. Barren and mountainous terrain crawls past before reaching Hawsien where we find copious amounts of US AID material being sold to local people (in the center of the town and out in the open) by anonymous entrepreneurs. The next day we depart trying to find some of the famous mountain churches carved out of the cliff faces and apparently a generous climb away. We manage to find the Abuna Yemata Guh church and start negotiations with the local people for a guide and the inevitable entourage. (Intense negotiations are part and parcel of being a tourist in Ethiopia. Farangi, give give) A strenuous climb is rewarded by scuffling on a meter wide ledge in view of a small entrance, the site of an amazing little church carved out of the highest tower, complete with frescoes (so they are called although they're painted on a kind of canvas, applied to the interior walls) depicting amongst other personages a black Mary and Jesus (refreshing, although still peter pan) and also a portrait of the builder of the church. Various caves around the area are filled with human remains (of priests as the mountain is considered holy) some of which still has signs of flesh dry-wrapped around the bone. After negotiating the way down (and the inevitably increased agreed-upon price) we leave for Mekele. We stay at the Milano hotel (camping non-existent) for a very reasonable price although logic and common sense is found to be a bit of a stretch. The items listed on the restaurant menu are variable according to the hotel but the price is not. Ordering for instance a full breakfast with a set listing of contents may or may not be served depending on the day although the same price applies. Ethiopia in a nutshell: the relentless quest to extract money from the Farangi. After speaking to a Tigray (region) tourism office official we understand that visiting the Danakil Depression is possible. We will require two armed guards and a guide, to be arranged and collected in Berehale, a days drive away. Sounds good as the cost can be split amongst six people and we have our own 4WDs. We leave the next day for Berehale, bursting with anticipation and excitement. The Danakil Depression is in the Danakil desert which is in the Afar region in north-eastern Ethiopia on the border with Eritrea (the Ethio-Eritrea war ended in 2005). The Afar people are described to be 'ferocious' and 'dangerous', hence the armed guards (although thus far any off-road excursion in Ethiopia requires at least one armed guard - mandatory). The reason for visiting the Danakil is three-fold: The famous salt pan at Hamd Ela. It's the hottest place on earth at over 50°C in summer (summer is now), the average annual temperature being around 36°C. It's also the lowest place in Africa at -200m and home to the only permanent live lava lake in the world, called Ert' Ale, a truly inhospitable place. We survived northern Sudan in summer, bring it on.

After a two hour drive we get off the main road to follow a rough dirt road north east. We decend about 2000km into the Rift valley and the temperature takes a significant jump. A stone hits one land Rover on the rear door, the assailant not in sight. It takes us some time to find the right corrupt officials in Berehale to arrange our journey to Danakil. We are forced to pay an 'entrance fee' although its not a park. We negotiate (with the Police Commissioner) our way out of taking four armed guards with us (instead of two) at Birr150 per day per guard. We try to further negotiating our way out of having to pay for not one but two guides, one local and one who can speak English but to no avail. Our argument being that we just don't have enough space in our vehicles to take along an extra 4-6 people. No problem. The local guide will stay at home but you will still pay him. Ludicrous but there's no compromise. At least we got rid of the two extra guards. Oh-yes, you will also provide food and water for everybody. We're in some small village in the middle of nowhere. Little to no supplies available. Thank god we always carry enough food for about two weeks and 85l of purified water with us, plus whatever the other two vehicles have for supplies. Hadn't it been the case we would have had a big problem no doubt. It's 5 o'clock pm (our time) and the clock is already ticking (yes, payment) for our guides and guards, wherever they are. We setup camp on the local school grounds and we already don't look forward to the price negotiation for this privilege. Calls to prayer echo over the mountains and village. We notice one of our guards taking position to look over us for the night (which we don't need) and another man hangs around, who the next morning will claim that also he guarded us and demand payment. Whatever mate.

At 6 o'clock we leave the next morning in an attempt to escape at least part of the blistering morning sun. Driving through alien moonscapes of spectacular rock mountains, hills and valleys, we decend further into the Depression, the thermometer blatantly synchronised with the altimeter. Reaching Hamd Ela we leave the dirt road for various tracks heading straight into the Danakil Desert. The landscape changes from rock to sand plains to dunes and occasionally with some pale-green bushes in the foreground. We drive for about five hours on no particular track and in some cases on virgin soil, solely relying on the guidance from one of the guards seated in the front with us, making for a rather uncomfortable ride given that we only have two seats. Deep sand and the vehicles have to work hard in now over 50°C heat (the thermometer only registers up to 50°C, only flashing dots on the screen now..). We drive past some small huts constructed out of what looks like driftwood, scattered, and occasional herds of cattle, goats and sheep. Later we find a large gathering of camels (dromedaries) in what seems like the site for various water wells. We stop for directions, not able to find any recognisable signs of a track. Another two hours of dust and sun we arrive at a hut in the very popular middle-of-nowhere. We have entered into an Afar sub-region and here we will have to again negotiate our way forward, no doubt. The heat is starting to take its toll and we take some time to rest before the games begin. A man enters our refuge wearing a sarong (typically Afar) sporting a large curved knife in leather pouch and revolver (rather refreshingly as the AK 47 is usually the weapon of choice) attached to his belt. He smiles and greets us in friendly but we know better. He explains to us in a display of popularity that is designed to extract money from the Farangi that he is now responsible for our safety. According to him we will now collect another two armed guards and local guide for our safety. Our previous tact of arguing that we don't have space in our vehicles for additional guests will surely result in paying guards for staying at home. We take a different approach whilst sweating profusely in making a case for the great Afar people and that our two guards already aboard will suffice. The man asks if we will sign a paper that confirms that we are responsible for ourselves and that we will deal with the Ethio government should something happen. We say that we are confident that we will be fine and that we have the same toward the Afar people. We don't sign anything and it turns out to be a final attempt to scare us into dropping coin. We agree to bring along the local guide (a life saver, as we will soon realise), squeeze into our already stuffed vehicles and take on the last stage of our drive to Ert' Ale. Endless pans of dirt, dust storms and eventually lava rock (stopping occasionally to cool the Land Rovers' engine temperature) takes us about two hours closer to the base camp from where we will do the 2.5 hour hike (or so they say) to the lava lake. The last hour or so takes us over a large and treacherous lava rock surface which no doubt gathered and layered over millenia, guided by the Afar boy (local guide). Base camp constitutes a few local huts on lava rock constructed for use by tourists, we are told. Ert' Ale can indirectly be seen in the distance. It's about 5 o'clock pm and its still too hot to take on the hike right away. Besides, we need to eat and rest. The decision is taken to start our hike at 9 o'clock at night primarily because its cooler but also because the best time to see the lava lake is in the dark, either early evening or early morning but since we only have two days in Danakil we have no option but to take on Ert' Ale this same day. We cook some rice, pasta and sauce and try to get some sleep before 9 o'clock. Our guide (the English speaker) estimates the hike to be about 2.5 hours up to the lake and about the same down. We eat and rest, the heat uncompromising. Come time to leave the ambient temperature is still in the 40's, at least direct sunlight have been erased. Joel is not feeling well. He has a history of stomach bugs throughout this trip and the heat has just pushed him over the edge. He decides to stay at the camp in the company of one of our armed guards. We make sure he is comfortable with food and water and start our trek into the dark. Our guard and guides don't have flashlights and we scramble to supply them with some backups we have, not all in good working order. Off we go. Its hot and navigating the lava rock in the dark is no joke. Stephanie complains she is not feeling well. We continue. About 90mins into the hike Stephanie still feels unwell but refuses to give up. A few minutes later she suddenly and spontaneously starts vomiting. We assess the situation and we decide that Stephanie should not continue, she agrees. We suggest we (myself and Steph) wait here until the group returns but the guide (English speaker) prefers us to backtrack to camp. He further suggests that the local guide (bad decision) take us back to camp. Sounds good. Myself, Stephanie and the Afar boy start our journey back to the camp. Stephanie is devastated that we can't reach the lava lake but our focus now is to get back to camp. We stop numerous times for Stephanie to rest. Halfway through our walk back Stephanie starts vomiting again, this time rather violently, until there is nothing more. I don't know what to do. I encourage her to keep drinking water but she can only do so in small amounts. Stephanie still crouched forward, the Afar boy stands behind her and starts massaging her stomach. It alleviates the cramps. The boy takes his scarf and uses his last drinking water to wet and tie the scarf around Stephanie's waist. Heat exhaustion. We continue to base camp, stopping periodically to rest. Don't know the time we got back to camp but i guess around about 1 o'clock. Joel is awake, still feeling terrible but OK. We get Stephanie to rest and we sweat the night through with no incident until daybreak.

We 'awake' after an indeterminable amount of sleep. The others are not back. According to the guide's estimate they should be. We are worried about the amount of water taken on the hike as we equipped ourselves based on the guides estimate of a 5 hours return hike. We started our hike just after 9 o'clock, we turned around at about 11 o'clock which means the others should have reached the lake at around 1 o'clock am and return by around 4 o'clock am. We sit on the roof of the vehicle and stare into the pitch black. Two hours later the Afar boy points into the distance. We see nothing. After a while we see a few color pixels move in front of the dark lava rock backdrop. Some time later Bjorn, Nele, Andre, the English-speaking guide and one guard marches into the camp. Everybody looks absolutely exhausted (and furious). We have already prepared water and food and chairs. No one had any water left. It turns out the decision to let the local guide lead us back to camp was almost a fatal one. Ten minutes after we turned back to camp the English-speaking guide lost the 'track' in the dark and after 2 hours of wandering around they had to stop and wait for daylight as they were completely lost. They ended-up sleeping on the mountain with no supplies until first light. Andre lost his cool and apparently had a verbal firefight with the guide and guard. First light the guide manage to find his way into the lava lake crater (a very specific route, the only way down) where they spent about 5 minutes for photos and started their trek back to camp with no water. It turns out the hike up the mountain is actually about 3 hours during the day, probably about 4-5 hours (or more) at night and about the same back down to camp. They started their walk back with conviction in a bid to get back before the sun starts beating down in earnest. (This is not a place to make mistakes and get lost. Twenty days ago, I'm told by a man in Addis Ababa, the body of a missing French tourist was found after she had gotten separated from a tour group and consequently got lost. Don't know if this is true, but if she did wander off, unless you're found by the Afar, it'll be game-over. If anybody wants to attempt this journey we suggest you don't take this lightly and do plenty of research before you do so. Tour operators apparently do run this trip and undoubtedly will save you a lot of pain however it's not cheap. If you don't have your own 4WD you will have to pay for at least two rentals with drivers, on top of all the other guests. An American tourist enquired about rates for this trip and was quoted to the tune of $4500.)

With a limited amount of sleep behind us (and in some cases none) we start the process of extracting ourselves from this hell of a place. We bid the Afar boy farewell as we leave the lava rock terrain and out into the desert. We will take a different (and shorter, apparently) route back to the main road. The guides can't find the track and we have to ask around. Eventually we seem to be on the right track. We have recorded the GPS track of our route thus far (and continue to do so) which mean I can help with navigating back to the main route. The water in our water tank is hot enough to make a cup tea. The fridge in Bjorn and Nele's Land Rover refuses to cool to temperatures below 25°C, but it helps. I think about 4-5 hours later we arrive at Hamd Ela. It's hotter than hell. We seek shelter at a place (timber shack, tea house) which apparently has cold drinks. We dunk about 6 sodas each and a cup of coffee. We push on. About an hour's drive out we find a trickle stream crossing the road. Salvation! We spend about an hour just lying and soaking in the luke-warm water. Bliss. Reaching Berehale we prepare camp at the school grounds. Nobody's happy but at least we're halfway to civilisation. Negotiations about camping 'donations' follow will minimal damage. We start our ascent to about 2800m, nearly losing our windscreen to a stone hurled by a non-innocent bystander. Joel and Andre continues ahead to Mekele as we waited for Bjorn and Nele to catch up. 27 km from Mekele disaster strikes. We see the Land Rover stop and the passengers get out. We wait. The passengers don't get back in the car and we turn around to enquire. Snapped stub-axle, right front wheel. If this happened whilst in the Danakil, well, I don't even want to speculate. We continue to Mekele to get some special Land Rover tools (for removing the break callipar) from Joel, who we find already in the shower at the hotel. But to no avail, we need to get a tow truck which is only available the next day (and at an astronomical price). I drive back out to the stranded Landy and stay the night with Bjorn on the side of the road whilst the others get some much needed rest (in a bed!). Early the next morning the tow truck arrives and all goes well (except the price). We stay for about a week in the hotel to recover. Most of us had lost our appetites and we could only stomach small amounts of french fries for first day or two. After a small trip to Lalibella en route to Addis Ababa we are now preparing to leave for southern Ethiopia. Bjorn and Nele are still in Mekele (14 days now) waiting for the spare parts for the Land Rover. They should receive it soon now. We on the other hand had lost an inner bearing on the rear differential which we had fixed with great effort. Thanks to Andrea, an ex-pat Italian mechanic in Addis Ababa.

The Ethiopian experience has been crazy and unique. Pity that we had at no point felt welcome here and that just about every Ethiopian tried their very best to extract money from us, not even considering the stone-throwing incidents. Farewell Ethiopia, good bye Injera (although we will still spend at least another 4 days travelling southern Ethiopia).

Tomorrow we (ourselves and Joel, maybe joining two British guys in a Land Rover en route to Turkana) leave for the south toward Omo Valley and entering Kenya along the infamous Lake Turkana (as is the road), the deepest of the Rift Valley lakes at 1500m. More volcanic rock, sand and dust. We think we will reach Nairobi in about 12 days where will write another update.