Ethiopia > Delivering a gift in Arba Minch

Ethiopia - The village of Yirga Alem in the morning mist

Awasa is a large city about an hour and a half’s drive from the Aragash Lodge. I am going to the fish market of Awasa. As I walk onto the grounds by Lake Awasa, I immediately notice the presence of numerous marabous. These large birds try to snatch a fish from the fishermen. At the water’s edge, small fishing boats arrive on shore. The catch is sorted and immediately measured. Other fishermen are already preparing their nets again on the stern of the boat for another round. From the water, several pelicans watch. They too hope to get hold of something from the leftover catch. On the other side of the grounds are small restaurants. In large woks, the fish is immediately prepared over a wood fire. You cannot get the fish any fresher. I stroll along the shore of Lake Awasa. The many terraces are still empty. A man on a small papyrus raft tries to catch fish from the lake with a bamboo rod. I see various birds along the shore. A hamerkop flies low past. A kingfisher dives into the water and comes back up with a small fish in its beak. In the distance, ibises fly by. A beautiful setting by a beautiful lake. I enjoy a Coke on a terrace before continuing on to Arba Minch.

Ethiopia - The fish market of Awasa

The road to Arba Minch is excellent. It is busy along the route. Sometimes Jonas has to brake hard to avoid herds of cattle. I pass Sodo and drive along Lake Abaya toward Arba Minch. During lunch, it turns out that there are again changes in the program. Today we were supposed to visit the Dorze tribe, but apparently there is not enough time for that. So the visit was rescheduled for the day after tomorrow. Now, suddenly, it is planned for tomorrow. For tomorrow, a boat trip with a walk through the nature park was on the program. This walk apparently cannot be done at all. Because the tribe visit is now scheduled for the afternoon, the alternative of going into the nature park by jeep is no longer possible either. This is the third consecutive day that the travel program cannot be fully carried out as described. The offered travel program has quite a few bottlenecks, and especially the more active activities are being skipped. I am absolutely not happy with the situation. Quite annoyed, I get back on the bus. Around five o’clock I drive into the town of Arba Minch. Arba Minch consists of two parts: Sikela and Shecha. Both centers are about four kilometers apart. My lodge is located right in the middle. The luxurious Paradise Lodge lies on the edge of Nechisar National Park with a view over the lake.

Ethiopia - A pink pelican white pelican in Lake Awasa

I put my luggage in the lovely round hut. I don’t have much time. I ride back to Arba Minch with Jonas. From the Netherlands, I brought along a bag of candy to deliver to some Dutch people in Arba Minch. They are staying at the Technical College Compound near the hospital. Jonas helps me and asks passers-by for directions to the compound. After asking several times, I stand in front of the compound. At the entrance, I have to leave my passport. I refuse. After an intervention by Jonas, I am still allowed in. A boy walks with me to the house I am looking for. He enters the Management Building and leads me up to the second floor. It should be somewhere here, he says, and points to the third door. I knock. The Filipino woman knows nothing about any Dutch people. Her neighbor also comes over. “We don’t know any white people at all,” he says hesitantly. I am not in the right place. I have no idea why I was brought to this room. Probably because foreigners live here. I decide to call the phone number I was given. I quickly realize that I am at the Polytechnic College and not the Technical College. Jonas has already left with the bus. I also don’t see any taxis or tuk-tuks in this street in the outskirts of Arba Minch. I decide to walk.

Ethiopia - A pied kingfisher

The local residents look at me a bit strangely. After twenty minutes of walking, I arrive at the right compound. My arrival has already been announced at the gate due to my earlier phone call. A boy takes me to the house of Betty and Andreas. I deliver the little present. They have been living in Ethiopia for four years and are studying an indigenous local language. We talk about life in Ethiopia with a family of two young children and about my journey so far. “Would you like to join us for dinner? There’s plenty.” Gladly! At nine o’clock Andreas drives me back to the Paradise Lodge in his car.