Friday, 23rd Feb 2007

To: Camp Ethiopia #7 (Resort on Lake Langano)

Nice day. Nothing special, other than the horse cart ride after lunch. I'd been seeing the horse carts, they are used as taxis. Tried to get a picture of an Ethiopian taxi park (horses and their carts) today, but my camera isn't working. Sadly, may not be able to get any more photos till Nairobi, when I can replace the camera, or fix it. That's in another 2 weeks.

So, today I decided to get a ride on a horse cart, so that I could add it to my list of transportation modes across Africa. Horse cart in Ethiopia - tick! Guess what my horse cart driver's name was? Ashenaffi! I told him I knew another Ashenaffi - the one who had taken me to the traditional music club in Bahir Dar.

By the way, apparently, the Ethiopian millenium is coming up this year - in 4 or 5 months or so. Ashenaffi from Bahir Dar suggested I come back for it because it is supposedly going to be a great party and lots and lots of fun, with huge festivities all over the country. In case you didn't know (which you probably did), Ethiopia is on a different calendar. They are on the Julian calendar, while the rest of us are on the Gregorian calendar. I'm not completely sure what that means, except that they have 13 months and they are not in year 2007. They are in some other year, which I've forgotten. So, their millenium is coming up! I may come if I can get a week or so off work by that time. I love Ethiopia and would love to explore it some more. I know, I know, currently on 4 months off work, haven't even gone back yet, and already planning the next leave. Hmmm.

Started reading a fascinating novel called "The Sign and the Seal - A Quest for the Lost Ark of the Covenant." It's the one I bought in Addis at the extortionist price! There is a legend/theory that the Ark of the Covenant, described in Exodus of the Bible, was stolen from Jerusalem by the son of the Queen of Sheba, and has been residing for some 3,000 years in a place called Axum, in northwest Ethiopia. That's what the book is about.

Tonight we are sleeping on the grounds of a nice resort, on the shores of Lake Langano.

Transport modes to date:

Bus - Egypt
Boat - Egypt to Sudan
Tour Truck - Sudan and Ethiopia
Donkey Cart - Sudan
Long-Haul truck - Sudan and Ethiopia
Tractor - Ethiopia
Horse cart - Ethiopia
Foot - Ethiopia
Bike - Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia

----------------- TODAY ------------------ TOTAL
Cycled ---------- 105 km (65 mi) ---------- 2,505 km (1,559 mi)
Sagged (horse)--- 6 km (4 mi) ------------- 1,162 km (834 mi)
Total ------------ 111 km (69 mi) ---------- 3,667 km (2,393 mi)
In Saddle -------- 6 hours 1 min ----------- 154 hours 43 min
Ascended -------- 741 feet ----------------- 29,314 feet