Wednesday 25th

Rise and collect washing from line - thankfully all there. Breakfast in hotel, rundown late 60's place, elevator music from the period as usual. Coffee machine, also from period, almost explodes with it's hissing but
manages to produce a great cup.

Load car, only slightly newer Land Cruiser than from Addis. Drive through
town, past compound which is the main tourist attraction. Pitty not to have seen more of this, looks quite interesting. I find it hard to remember much of this drive.

Dusty towns, not so traditional. Square houses, tin roofs, electricity
wires running between all. In the car a conversation starts about basic economics, public infrastructure, postage, mailing bills, collecting account fees, debt. Would make an interesting excursion for a first year economics class.

Tim hops out of the car a few times for photo opportunities. Stop in Debark, staging town for Simians, sign ranger log-book, pay fee, (of course) get map, from boy off street - somehow he heard we were after a map so he went and got one!? We lunch at dodgy place, pasta with tuna, then leave town. Find out that little hack with tin roof on a small allotment, costs $10,000. No idea how they would afford this??

Wind our way up to park entrance then arrive first camp site at 3pm, (3100m) a small collection of round tukol style, open huts surrounding camp site.
Tents are erected and Tim & Ollie go for walk, exploring area. Amazing birds, Lammergeyer vultures with their two meter wingspans soaring on the thermals, eagles, hawks, these scary black birds with stumpy beaks who scavenge and make lots of noise, many others.

Get back to camp for tea then we all go out for longer walk to escarpment where Tim takes many photos. a few goodies of Tim working also. The escarpment drops literally a kilometer to the valley floor below, heady stuff!

Rush back for yummy, three course dinner. Then pretty much straight to bed, 8:30.

Tuesday 24th

Early start, Driver picks us up at 5:45 and we re-trace out route back to Gashema, Lovely to see the sun rise, mountains in morning light silhouette. The most bumpiest road of all today, 10 hours of bone rattling fun at 3000 meters. Lots of crashes seen today!

Arrive Gonder at 4pm, call home. Go for walk into town. Gonder is very cosmopolitan, cafés everywhere, people here used to seeing farange (glowing white people).

Often, walking down the street in Ethiopia is like a scene out of Deadwood, drunks, hookers, horse & donkey wranglers, people trying to sell you stuff, bodies lying in gutter, buildings falling down, the noise, music ...everything.

Tim & Ollie stop for coffee, then catch kurr-kurr home. Meet Jimal who is picking us up for the REAL treck of this trip; into the Simian mountains, to 4430 meters. We have to take a live sheep for dinner!?

Early start. We're out of touch now till next weekend.

Updated blog today. On keyboard with the letters painted on in white out! Stand Tim and Japi up for dinner. Google home page takes 15 seconds to load.

xx miss you all. O.

Monday 23rd

Feeling a lot better today. Cramps have mostly gone, energy slowly
returning. Try a little breakfast, french toast, so so but the papaya
juice is wonderful. Tea, water, starting to feel hydrated again. Guide
arives to pick us up at eight. Transport problem.. the Italians.. then
head into group of sub-terranean churches we missed yesterday. This group
is my favourite somehow. Older and more gnarly, pre Christian, a maze of
tunnels and passageways, real kids stuff.
Tired, thirsty and hungry, we walk half way then minibus back to hotel for
TV (Something About Mary!) and lunch. Soup with a few noodles and vegies,
boiled potatoes, with added oil, vinigar, salt and pepper. And a kick-ass
ginger tea. We have befriended the Rastafarian chef who gives us special
attention.
Guide picks Tim and I up and we go to cave churches, some seven kilometers
out of town. Starlings flying about, water dripping from roof of cave
which here is blessed and called holy water. Said to cure in particular
'mental illness'. Could come in useful, may take some back to Melbourne.
The priest shows us some nice artifacts, though i'm feeling like a bit of
a historical cynic. Hard to distinguish between the tourist story behind
things and the real story. Gets befuddled like chinese whispers.
Souvenir sellers have heard we're here and have lined up near our car.
Feel so sorry that they've set up just for us! No sale - thought we have
come to regret this stubbornness, missed opportunities in the past.
Home to join Japi on the couch. What is it with this TV?? Hypnotic!
Tim and Ollie sit down to dinner, my first real meal. Rasta man cooks up a
treat, Tim: chicken surprise with mash, beetroot and banana, must be a
Jamaican thing? Ollie: soup, roast beef with mushroom sauce and rice. Add
to this, fresh tomato soup and fruit salad for desert. Since about three
days ago, we've been having food fantasies, Tim for muesli, yoghurt, fresh
fruit and a hamburger. Ollie for Black rice porridge at Kanteen, oh and
Mario's quality eggs Benedict.
Bed early Ollie starting to shift mind back to home - stay awake for hours
thinking.

Monday 23rd

Feeling a lot better today. Cramps have mostly gone, energy slowly
returning. Try a little breakfast, french toast, so so but the papaya
juice is wonderful. Tea, water, starting to feel hydrated again. Guide
arives to pick us up at eight. Transport problem.. the Italians.. then
head into group of sub-terranean churches we missed yesterday. This group
is my favourite somehow. Older and more gnarly, pre Christian, a maze of
tunnels and passageways, real kids stuff.
Tired, thirsty and hungry, we walk half way then minibus back to hotel for
TV (Something About Mary!) and lunch. Soup with a few noodles and vegies,
boiled potatoes, with added oil, vinigar, salt and pepper. And a kick-ass
ginger tea. We have befriended the Rastafarian chef who gives us special
attention.
Guide picks Tim and I up and we go to cave churches, some seven kilometers
out of town. Starlings flying about, water dripping from roof of cave
which here is blessed and called holy water. Said to cure in particular
'mental illness'. Could come in useful, may take some back to Melbourne.
The priest shows us some nice artifacts, though i'm feeling like a bit of
a historical cynic. Hard to distinguish between the tourist story behind
things and the real story. Gets befuddled like chinese whispers.
Souvenir sellers have heard we're here and have lined up near our car.
Feel so sorry that they've set up just for us! No sale - thought we have
come to regret this stubbornness, missed opportunities in the past.
Home to join Japi on the couch. What is it with this TV?? Hypnotic!
Tim and Ollie sit down to dinner, my first real meal. Rasta man cooks up a
treat, Tim: chicken surprise with mash, beetroot and banana, must be a
Jamaican thing? Ollie: soup, roast beef with mushroom sauce and rice. Add
to this, fresh tomato soup and fruit salad for desert. Since about three
days ago, we've been having food fantasies, Tim for muesli, yoghurt, fresh
fruit and a hamburger. Ollie for Black rice porridge at Kanteen, oh and
Mario's quality eggs Benedict.
Bed early Ollie starting to shift mind back to home - stay awake for hours
thinking.

Sunday 22nd

Wake from good sleep, a relief.
Loose plans depend on my stomach, also loose.
Brief breakfast, a few spoons of porridge and bottle of Fanta. Crap TV on
in far side of café grips my attention, change channels to The Fly. It's
great, I miss TV.
Tukol Village reneg on booking so they organise alternative, again. Best
place in town, newly opened. on the edge of a ridge stunning view. Dump
gear then get lift into town to the start of the historic church circuit.
Amazing, carved into the ground from solid stone, up to 25m high/deep.
Ollie takes it very slow. Handy for Tim to take many photos, Japi patient.
Return to hotel around noon. Ollie to bed, Tim and Japi for lunch. Tim
returns, beaming about the food; Potato soup, goat atop rice and flat
bread.
Ollie rests some more.. into the evening. Do hand washing, watch a little
TV - pre Oscars stuff, good! Tim goes out walking with camera along
plateau. Meets young fellow who guides him home in the dark - very handy.
Sit down to first meal in two days. Potato soup, the most amazing meal I
have ever had, or so it seems. Goes down well, makes me happy.
More crap TV. Fall asleep, bliss.

Saturday 21st

No sleep at all. Stomach cramps and all other associated catastrophes.
Plans for today have to change. Can't walk to next camp.
Tim and Japi are astoundingly patient. They wait for a change in my
condition before making plans. At 10:30 it's clear that we have to abandon
our treck two thirds through. Our guide, Zembaba walks an hour and a half
to a phone and returns with a car. Quick packing and walk half an hour up
hill to reach it.
Bumpy and speedy journey to Lalibela. Almost come to grief on drive -
swerve out of ditch fish-tailing. Have seen many a wreck since being on
the road.
Arrive to find no accommodation. The place we have booked for next two
nights, Tukol Village, arranges alternative, Jerusalem Guest House. Clean
+ hot water. Cant really remember much of today. No photos at all.
Here's one of Tim from Yesterday...

Friday 20th

Rise rested and refreshed. Warm shower outdoors! Freeze drying. Coffee,
bread, honey, eggs. Dunny (best view in the world) = good.
Today horse ride 15k walk.
Arrive second camp. Is it possible the view is better than yesterday? Take
many photos sitting on the edge of the ridge, farms below, occasional
voices.
At night, looking out across the valley, little dots of fires burning,
drums beating, singing and music from various points across the valley; no
electricity, no roads - stunning.
Vege soup again, pasta with tomato sauce, yum!
Need one last cup of tea. quickly brewed, especially for me. I'll regret
this.
Ollie gets sick in the evening. Poo & spew.. yuk!

Thursday 19th

Nightmare cold shower worst hotel bathroom ever.
Pack car and have coffee and cake. On the road again. Small towns
semi-urban. more tin roofs. Road works (Ethiopian this time, not Chinese)
bridges being made. Three wise men - sheep herders that walk hundreds of
kilometers buying, fattening and selling their flock. Concrete factories
polluting. Long straight road. A little filming out window. Arrive
Gashema. Quickly pack donkeys - Ollie horrified as packs and some camera
gear slung with ropes over poor little donkeys. Not sure whether to have
more concern for donkey or camera gear. Walk to first camp, Aterow, a
beautiful view on the edge of the escarpment. Valley floor, hundreds of
meters below.
Tea, bread, honey on arrival. Then Make bed in fantastic hut. Take photos
/ video. Dinner after dark. Thick vege soup, rice with vege goulash + beer
by fire on floor indoors - yum!
Brilliant stars, deep sleep.

Wednesday 18th

Rise to toast, jam and honey on the open fire, six cups of tea.
Pack and leave taking our guide a short distance to look again for baboons
- none again. Then depart the area taking the most dramatic drive, (one of
me most favourite of the trip - later to be known as Happy Valley) four
hours to travel 15 kilometers through traditional villages. People come
out to stare at us and children give chase, this road rarely travelled by
car. We stop to give a lift to a little girl walking to school. An eight
or so kilometer, very steep walk.
Camels start to appear as the population becomes increasingly Muslim. Does
it say somewhere in the Koran?
Stop in Kombolcha for lunch, sheep meat + injera + beer, mmmm.
Continue this long drive to Dessie. A one street frontier town. A
ramshackle of buildings along a main street that is being re-built. How
much road works can one country undertake?! Hard to find hotel - no
booking. Settle for dodgy place where we ask, "is there hot water" ...to
answer of, "water comes on at eight". We assume incorrectly this means
yes. No one feels like dinner so we have movie night, 'I Am Legend', on
laptop - fun.
This has been a memorable day.

Tuesday 17th

Rise at 4:30 in a hypnotic malaise.
No time for breakfast, not even tea!
Take all the bags downstairs then the bastard is 50 minutes late!
Watch the sun slowly rise, a couple of impatient phone calls, apologies
and headlights approaching. We're on our way.. well almost. Have to pick
up Japi, then bank at friendship building - closed, then Hilton - okay.
Now on our way.
The journey out of town is full of sights. Thousands of people commuting
into town. Cueing for public busses or the private mini busses. Swarms of
people walking beside the road. They walk kilometers! It seams like a
dozen or more. Roadwork chaos and a couple of new swanky housing estates
on the edge of town - weird.
We keep driving in our 1980's Land Cruiser. road works continue. This is
without doubt, the bumpiest road I will ever travel on in my life. Truly
bone rattling!
We stop at odd little hotel for lunch. Tim has 'special breakfast with
boiled egg'. I have 'Eggs scrambled with contnl'. which means with a bread
roll.
We continue the rattling journey as the landscape changes to rural, small
subsistence farms, thatch huts, climbing into the mountains. People
staring as we appear, a curiosity.
Take turn off to Guassamen, An accommodation project run be the Frankfurt
Zoological Society who aim to protect the Ethiopian wolf - Very rustic.
Along the way, stop the car for a look across the ancient Rift Valley,
hundreds of meters below and kilometers across, lush. We arrive, dump our
gear, have tea and go for a beautiful evening walk across the alpine
hills. Searching for wolf and baboons. None.
Deep sleep.

Monday - Last Day in Addis

Today I need to seal off my last day in Addis with my usual Melbourne
breakfast, toast coffee and the paper.
I bus to Arat Kilo for paper, then to Piazza for coffee and croissant. Add
to this the worlds most unique ham and cheese sandwich, rawish meat in a
bun with coleslaw. Makes my stomach turn to look at but on the eating,
goes down quite well - my queasiness gets the better of me half way
through.
Walk to Sheraton via Post Office - take another look at some souvenirs. Do
some pretty A-grade bargaining. Need to not want the item. If you walk
away they always come running. Bus towards Mexico - kind of lost. then
Walk to Sheraton. Internet painfully slow - not useable but bank success.
Walk out across the road and straight through the sprawling Arat Kilo
slum. Get a little freaked out by guy who loudly whispers, "be careful!"
as I enter. I walk briskly, not my usual meander while looking around. All
okay. Feels amazing to be in the middle of this huge chaotic mess. No
roads enter here for hundreds of meters. A little disoriented on leaving.
Walk back to Post Office to continue shopping. Decide to return after trip
north, so forget about any more bargains.
Meet cool taxi driver dude. Old, young man or young old man cant tell.
Driving a taxi in the best condition i've seen so far. Gives me many
useful tips to Addis. I get his card but he's not even available right now
- waiting for someone.
I catch other taxi who takes me on wild goose chase through Arat Kilo, I
have to go back to Sheraton to pick up swanky pastries as I realise we
should take gift to Japi's family for the dinner tonight. Cherry pie, half
a kilo of assorted cookies and a custard danish for me to eat now.. mmmmm!
Pick up same taxi again and somehow we have to pick up his other regular
customer, a 15 year old French kid going same area as me, Kbanah.
I make a huge mess going through all my stuff and what's left of the
kitchen stuff, so that I can pack properly!
We leave for Japi's. She lives in a middle-class area near Bolé. A
collection of little buildings jammed into a small compound. Dogs locked
up who only come out at night.
We sit to traditional faire; St George beer, whiskey, coffee ceremony
after and small child entertainment - time to leave.
Home to finish packing then watch a little of Syrianaesque movie, (what's
it called?) with other resident volunteer - Brit / Kiwi Claire.
Bed at 11:30.

Sunday 15th

Up at the crack briskly. Have to meet kids this morning for special treat.
We're taking them up Entoto mountain.
Brief shower - water was off all yesterday, then out the door. Kids arrive
one by one, then we walk to mini bus to Siddis Kilo. Another short bus to
Entoto market then begin our walk stopping at cafe for coffee, cake and
water for walk.
After fourty five minutes of huffing and puffing, one of the girls has a
hissy fit and says she can't walk any further (thankyou!). We catch mini
bus up rest of the way and get off at top about 500 meters above Addis,
itself at about 2100 meters. The main feature here is the Orthodox church,
being Sunday, there is a service going on with the crowd spilling out the
door. We walk to the other side and find a hidden gem. Emperor Menelick II
built his first palace here. A humble collection of cottages in the
traditional Ethiopian style. The view is spectacular. An old guide takes
us around then we all run amok in the various buildings.
The kids love it here, most have never seen.
Back through the church grounds where wedding party has just left the
church - it's mad. Singing and dancing in a procession. All in traditional
costume. We follow, then dart to the right to a little museum. Take guided
tour then begin the descent, by foot again. Much easier.
Arriving back home, I make plans on my own again. Probably the last time
before our trip north.
Mini bus to Arat then Sheraton. Navigate the bus system here like a pro now.
The Sheraton is really a western theme park - bizarre. But the heated
pool, palm trees, complimentary beach towel and lounge chair bar service
is enough to convince me of it's reality. Laps of the pool, G & T, watch
the sun go down.
Walk to Klaxanches (new spelling), then Atlas, then Hiya Houlett. Shola
for quick Panorama internet stop. No taxis so walk up Shola market street
to ring road, then mini bus traffic plice stop then home.
Re-heat lunch pasta and movie with Tim on couch.

Saturday 14th Feb

Meet Claire, the new girl, who we heard got robbed the day before, on her
second day of a two month stay in Addis. She tells her story and I'm
fascinated. Seems like she did a few things wrong.
I'm determined to get internet today. I taxi to mall where we saw film
last night. Free internet apparently but as i order my coffee and cake,
there is wireless connection but no internet this morning. It'll be like
this all across Addis. People get used to this kind of intermittent
service here and never complain. It happens with everything.
I try to make phone calls - No luck. Then walk along 22nd st - just called
22 or 'haya hulett'. I'm wearing contacts and my 20 dollar truck stop
sunnies, have my crumpler bag over shoulder and walking boots. I feel like
a whitie tourist. My least favourite thing here.
I take photos of the signs that mark some of the little bars I saw the
previous night. Try to find knife sharpener to put and edge to the knives
in the kitchen where we're staying. There are so many little jobs to do
there.
I find only a metal file - apparently, using my pigeon amharic and awkward
hand gestures, that is what they use here to do the job.
Stop off at Panorama and the internet is back on - yay! Upload blog.
Japi meets me here and we taxi back to mall. Not sure what she was
planning to do there but I tag along. Run into S & E from KM - they have a
little possie. We go for coffee & ice cream. I have 2 scoops, cinnamon and
mocca.
Getting frustrated at elephantine group dynamics, I need to go. Taxi to KM
and catch up with Tim who has been taking more photos at KM and out
walking also took Emily to bank at Hilton.
Rendezvous with Emily at Arat Kilo then walk through red light shanty area
in a big loop to Piazza. Many good photo op's but generally too dark for
iPhone, my camera of chouce - unbelievably! Oh, GPS tracking seems to be
working on phone now. Maybe once enough maps have been cached, it works?
Magic! Would have been nice two weeks ago!
Discover Big Tree, rather large and cool bar. Fires burning, multiple
bars, very crowded. Would be good spot for a little party.
Down allies and lanes, visiting night market - for want of a better name.
Where we see a stall that rents Play Station II by the minute. So many
creative and interesting ways people find to make a living here.
Quick pasta dinner then walk to Arat Kilo and wait for a mini bus. It's
late - 9:30 and most busses have finished. Finally Emily's arrives, them
mine - Phew! Feet sore.

A sprinkle of babies

Traffic 2

Pssst!

"Hey you, do you know my cousin louie?"

5 lions, two monkeys and a duck

Dentist?

Friday 13th - Day 12

Up early again - 5:30

Shower while water still on then out to film children rising and going to
mass.
Meet Japi at front gate and she takes me to dentist. Kind of scary! Walk
and bus to Siddis Kilo then short walk to dentist. Wait.. and wait.... and
wait.
Book appointment then out for coffee and cake, pharmacy and water. Back to
dentist and arrive just in time - no wait.

Fancy front room with all the best gear for initial Inspection, then move
to crusty back room to do filling! - Arghhhh! - scary... see photo.
He asks if I want anesthetic and considering there's a needle involved
and that the box with all the tubes coming out of it is daubed with with
house paint, I say no. All fine, he writes a bill equivalent to fifteen
dollars and I leave - I cant believe I did this!

Japi and I head towards home and pass the only zoo in Ethiopia. I hear
that there are five lions, two monkeys and a duck. I have to see this
duck.
What I cant figure out is why the greatest security is for the the duck,
while you could pat the lions if you wanted to. Tim reckons that they're
protecting not what will eat you but what may be eaten. Jump into mini bus
and head home.

Middle of the day filled with more running around, Piazza area for lunch,
bank at Lucy (closed), Hilton, mini market then home.
Film Sister Carmella who's leaving for Malta tomorrow. There's a baby room
here with about 30 babies. The air is warm and moist - can you imagine.
Down one end, four women are in a nappy and bottle production line while
at least one worker gives a little attention to each baby, all overseen by
Sr Carmella.
A little baby vomit incident and Tim and I taxi to Bole Rd to meet Japi
for movie.

Drive down 22nd street where there's millions of people out on the street,
market stalls and animals being herded down the footpath (or road). Have
to walk this street some time. See Valkyrie in large and pretty basic
cinema - but it's great to do this!

On leaving we get hassled by various dudes. Not sure what they're after
but one feels very uncomfortable. This happens a lot but (begging..
wanting to strike up conversation then often ask to swap addresses!?)
they're not usually not so persistent - maybe just because he's a little
boozy - or crazy? We duck into a cafe for hot chocolate and they
disappear. Meenwhile, Japi has called Ijob who magically is there to pick
us up and we go for Pizza in remarkably swish area then home via red light
district - there are so many little bars that look sooo interesting but
would be incredibly intimidating to go in to.
Ni ni.

Thursday

Wake very early, 4:30. Move to my new office (the couch) where I watch the
sun rise again and write - sublime!

Today is a day of errands, preparing for journey - fairly tedious.
First to home visit (filming) near Magic Carpet School, then to Panorama
for email check - can't send

Head to TESFA office to pick up sleeping bag and check map. Then to Buna
Best for coffee and cake.
To Hilton for money, to bank, to Giorn Hotel, to lunch near stadium (break
back tooth!), back to Giorn Hotel then shopping for hard drive for Tim and
compass - old school navigation. Then back home to get map then to office
of Frankfurt Zoological society for map guidance, then home for tea.

Ollie goes out for walk and dinner to Piazza. Japi walks with me and ends
up coming to dinner, we have a really great chat and explore around
piazza.
Home around 9 and fall onto bed exhausted.

Wednesday 11th

Wake early and take my place on the couch again. The view really is
spectacular. Write in journal, chat to Austrian woman who has been here
many times, this time for two months. Gives me some good background on the
goings on here, things to look out for - filming wise.

I spend the day without leaving KM, hanging out with children, playing
fuzzball, joined a classroom and ended up running the class. telling them
where i'm from and about the filming project, showing the camera, then
helping with their English lesson and playing word games - great fun and
fantastic to get them used to the camera so they don't go crazy when I
pull it out. I'm also able to get some great shots from within the
classroom that would have been impossible before. Also sharpening all the
classroom pencils! The children sing songs and do traditional dancing,
especially for me.

The day progresses.. still no water - Sr. Carmella (my favourite) controls
the switch that pumps the water to our rooms. So we use buckets and water
that we bottle for cooking, washing, etc.

In the afternoon, I meet with Sr. Lutguarda to arrange time to do
interview. We have quite a long conversation - about the children, this
project, the work she's doing. Later on, I pull out the maps of our
journey (and search high and low for a pencil) and start marking the route
- complicated.

Chat with two other volunteers, tea, biscuits, then Tim arrive from
Monicas, we make plans for dinner. Taxi to Top View and have a great time
sharing Addis travel stories. Great to have some social interaction. While
quite young, they are great conversationalists. South African Red, steak,
créme caramel - the food here is exceptional. Twice as good as Serenade
and half the price - and with a view.

Tuesday

Wake early - kids downstairs make a lot of noise each morning. Furniture
scraping on floor rattles through building.
Take sleeping bag into living area and on to couch to watch the sun rise.
Cold-thing developing, nose runny, it's a good thing. Hope to be over it
soon.
Tim rises and promptly prepares stewed apples for breakfast - A wonderful
treat and good for a sore throat.

Japi picks us up at 8 and we do another home visit. In Kisanches (?)
district. Traffic snarly on way back. Beggars of all sorts approach car
windows. Guiltily we ignore them.

Back to KM to record interview translations with Japi. Really good to do
this.

Walk out to meet guy who's organising our trek next week. A good natured
British fellow aiming to bring cash into remote northern communities by
organising small walking groups - more on this next week. We all go to
lunch (at Lucy) and we learn of what it's like for a white guy with family
to live in Addis.
Tim & I walk to Ethiopian Mapping Authority for some truly soviet style
bureaucracy ...and a couple of maps.

Hilton for bank and phone card then short walk to taxi and Post Office
area to pick up some touristy souvenirs. Some exhausting haggling leaves
us feeling smug but realise later that we still got ripped off! Home now
for a little rest.

Tim and Ollie venture out by bus across town, (we have come such a long
way in a week) to Serenade, for a mediterranean feast.
The restaurant was exceptional in its presentation, service and menu but
the food itself, while looking like it could be photographed for a
magazine, tasted like it had been copied from pictures from a magazine. On
eating, it was bland and unsatisfying. Imaging being a critic here of all
places!?
Tim thought the waiter gave us strange looks - that we were on a date!

We journey back to KM by taxi and Tim continues on to Monicas to stay the
night for an early morning photo session at Orthodox Church with the
children.

Monday 9th

Wake 7am restless night. Dogs barking, children up early. Throat starting
to feel like fire.

Meet Japi and we walk around corner to visit one of the BTO girls in her
home. She has lived for the past 13 years in a mud and straw room no
bigger than a small bathroom. She makes coffee which is the most wonderful
that I will ever have. Ever!

The coffee ceremony takes about 40 minutes to prepare from fresh beans,
roasted then pounded in what looks like a couple of car transmission
parts.
So ornate the implements and methodical the process, the smells of fresh
incense over charcoal and the coffee meticulously prepared. A joy!
We then film an interview in the same room and she tells us her incredible
life story.

It has been a big day already.

We go to the container village (HQ) to visit another BTO kid. Eight to a
room this time. Then another, where his guardian sits with him for the
interview, Some good footage.

I'm exhausted. My throat's on fire and I need a break.

Tim and I head home to recuperate and decide it's time for some r&r. We
head to the Sheraton where I will not use any more superlatives so will
leave it to the photos. The effect of teleporting into this other world is
staggering. Guilty pleasures fully embraced.

Tim and I lose our ability to speak for more than a couple of hours but
really there is no need here. The only words worth speaking would be a
stern critique which we would have to deliver to ourselves as well.

Home early, Ollie sick, Tim exhausted and trying to hold on to that
feeling of luxury.

Sunday

I wake to a head full of dreams.

This morning, we move from our little apartment. Down to Kidane Mheret -
about 2 km closer to Piazza - Kind of the centre of Addis.

Home visits today - should be very interesting.

Catch duk duk from Monica's to road junction. Then walk to HQ (Container
office). then to KM. Meet Japi get gear then walk back to HQ for Filming
Japi doing admin. I'm now free till 2pm - yay! free time!!!

Catch taxi from Kbena to Magic Carpet School for photo then to Panorama
for coffee and free wifi, email to blog, then to Sheraton for explore.
Check out; internet, pool, massage, bank, ATM (not working). Then back
into waiting taxi to Post Office to pick up jewelry (closed), fabrics
(okay but no sale), then back to Kidane Mheret. make calls to home, learn
more about fires in Victoria. Japi makes nice cup of tea then taxi to
visit BTO kids in their homes. What an amazing experience. See four kids.

Up to Monica's to pick up bags, drive past her on the road with the kids,
stop and chat to her then continue on to pick up bags.
Heavy heavy heavy!

Potter around new digs for a while un packing then taxi to Bole Rd for
walk and dinner. Find Lebanese restaurant (Yemni actually) in middle of
nowhere. Eat Fatoosh, sheep meat (!), and other unpronounceable stuff -
yummy!

Sore throat brewing!?

Saturday 7th

Muesli, stewed strawberries, toast, fried eggs, tea.
Ollie wakes to do Amharic study. Keeping little book of words now.

Arrive late for filming Saturday Session with the BTO kids. Great to
participate in this. Learn much about the history of these kids through a
role-play game.

Afterwards we all - Fikerte, Japi, Carolyn, Eliza, Tim & me, go to Top
View for lunch in western style place with view. Cream of chicken soup,
chicken salad (strange), banana fritter (stranger) and Ethiopian wine
(strangest).

Waiting taxi, all crowd in (Fikerte walks) to Kbena where we meet flap
around with Carolyn for a while then Meet Sr. Lutgada - What a mighty
force. She agrees to be filmed for a video about Kidane Mheret. She walks
out to see the children and is surrounded / mobbed. I rush to get camera
(upstairs and down lift) but miss everything. Poor little woman nearly
crushed to death.

We are told that Monica is coming so we go down to meet. We miss her then
walk out to catch taxi outside back to Monica's. Somehow we are not able
to say good bye to Carolyn and Eliza!?

Potter around at our little apartment, 20 minutes of quiet time.
Begin to cook dinner while watching Mad Men in kitchen. Make rather bland
Vege curry (curry powder turns out to be tumeric). Also Egyptian Stella
Beer, slightly frozen.

Bed at 9:30

Friday

A good sleep, 8:30pm - 3:30 then 4:30 - 6:30 - Some crazy dreams.
We walk from Monica's, no bags but with video and still cameras. Draw a
lot of attention this time. PVC flute player. Sheep.. but this is all on
the video.

Arrive Kebanah / Kidane Mheret to meet Caroline & Eliza. Help cook
shortbread biscuits and make lunch with Tim - Out to buy supplies in local
store; Tomatoes, onions, bananas, oranges for 20 Birr / $2.50
Grumpy Canadian volunteer complain of us using kitchen! You'd think being
surrounded by these children would make her chillax!
Filming cookie decoration madness and kids playing... damm, they're still
wearing blue gloves!

Chill in little room where I write this. Not very happy with filming today
- too chaotic. Back to Apartment, Have whisky with Monica and tour around
building.

Tonight we go to Fasica - Ethiopian classical dance and dinner. Sounds
touristy?! Interesting drive out at night time. All the shops and markets
open, everyone on the streets, hustle bustle. Drive down Bole Road, would
love to come back here some night and do the promenade sometime.

Home at 10, chat with Tim till midnight - very sleepy!

Thursday 5th

Early rise, 6am. Plums & muesli & toast again.
Jop & Japi picks us up and we do a day of tourist driving & photos.

Up Entoto mountain, Ollie learns about paying people for photos.
To Piazza for Coffee & Croissant and wander around. Marketo for some crazy
chaotic and somewhat scary adventures.

Then Post-office district for souvenirs and I find some nice antique
jewelry. Leave 200 Birr deposit - may be crazy. Then Bole Road and
Airport to pick up Caroline & Eliza. Finally make phone contact with home.

Drop C & E to hotel Panorama then lunch at touristy Ethiopian restaurant.
Hilton for bank and Coka with Eliza. Drop E at Kidane Mheret then to
Monica's (home). Quickly out again for soccer with children, bleeding from
super headder then walk around oval saying hi. Meander back home, try to
stay awake but fall asleep at 8:30

Wednesday

Tim stew plums, musili & toast.
We walk (a new way) to Kidane Mheret., maybe a little lost.
Play ball with children.

Hilton hotel again for internet access & Coka (Cola). Walk to 'Finfine
Adrash' hotel for lunch then walk to area where we catch mini-bus. This is
a memorable journey. Bus fills to capacity or maybe a little more, then
revs up and takes off screaming through the traffic. Engine is about to
conk out so driver revs even more especially up hill going so slowly and
kind of slaloming up hill to make it easier. Other cars and trucks weave
around us. Engine dies and we sit in the middle of road - fiddling with
battery. Suddenly roll backwards to roll start success & super revving
with smoke billowing through cabin. Up hill slowly again this time revving
madly. A couple more minutes of this with slow progress and the thing dies
all together, in the middle of the road we all pile out and some get
refund. Walk to find taxi to Kidane Mheret.

We meet teacher from school next door & find class room to film in.
Up stairs for rest - Ollie 10 minute nap then meet children and guardians.
Give little talk about project and show parts of CCF film.

Photograph Church, cement ooze splash! pack up then taxi home @ 8:30, fall
straight to sleep, no dinner

Tuesday, 3rd Feb 09

Arrive Addis around 12 noon - doors stuck on plane.
Japi & Iyob pick us up then we go to Kidane Mheret and say hi to children
and meet the sisters. Bags in room then coffee out of flask with sister
(?). Up stairs to see babies - Wow! See Irish people picking up babies.

Journey to Monica's for tea and see room then in to Hilton for money
exchange and phone credit. Taxi to Bambi where we spend a locals monthly
salary on groceries.

Back home then un-pack and cook pasta.
Bed at 9.

Internet... finally!

Hello beautiful friends, I miss you so much and wish you were here to
share the fun.

Everything here is going well in Addis and in just over two days we head
to the mountains.
It's very unlikely that we'll have any access to email or phone contact.
I'll keep writing my journal notes and update the blog when I can.
In Addis, i'm constantly frustrated with the abysmal internet here.
There's almost no access, The government filters all traffic which slows
the speed to much less than dial-up. It's also easier to receive and much
harder to send. Weird?! There's two places i've found with free wi-fi and
a paid service at the two big hotels here. I treck across town to use the
internet and only one out of five times can I get any connection at all.
That's my winge. I do love getting you emails but please no images - they
get stuck.
Oh and I can even see my blog, the government blocks it.

I've prepared a collection of postings to let you know what's been
happening. If you are subscribed to the blog, you're about to get a whole
bunch of emails.

I cant wait to hear from you. Tim, Japi and I leave for our journey
Tuesday early morning. We're eight hours behind Melbourne, so 8pm your
time is 12 noon here. Tim's mobile is +61 251 911 455 210 in case you need
to ring. My iPhone is locked to Optus, so I cant buy a local sim (forgot
to unlock it before I left). Hurrah I hear you say!

Blog postings next..
xx Ollie

A typical street

The largest (and possibly scariest) market in Africa

The Marketo in Addis Ababa.

Supposedly you can buy anything here from a camel to a kalishnakov.
It's a wonderful chaotic mess. Smells of donkey and ambergris.

We're alive and well ..though technologically challanged

Sunday 8th Feb, 12 noon - Day 6.

Sitting in the lobby of a cheap western style hotel (Panorama).
Bloody frustrating for this iPhone connected lad to have no internet,
phone, GPS or email for so long. But kind of good in a way.

Today we hear news of home and the fires, how upsetting. Hard to be here
and have such scant news, unable to check that loved ones are all okay. I
guess news will filter here slowly.

I will visit the Sheraton holel to see If I can get wifi access with my
laptop and I will upload some photos.

Tim is well and has taken about 700 photos so far. I am on my second day
of filming. The children are inspiring but heartbreaking. The staff at the
orphanage are just wonderful. Have met some incredible people.

Addis is a strange shanty jumble of tin shacks and the off hi rise
scattered amongst them. Roads are pretty much just rubble and there are
many, many people walking everywhere. Almost no private cars, just
run-down blue and white taxis, mini busses (all on their last legs),
busses and trucks - All billowing thick black smoke.

The people are very friendly and although we are made to feel very foreign
(farangi) they are very friendly, especially if we use a little Amharic.

More soon from the Sheraton - I think they have a pool (my god!)
Ollie

Take off!

Today is the day of departure.

Can't help but think I've forgotten something. Anyone know where to
buy tape stock in Addis Ababa.