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• Ethiopia With mixed feelings
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Ethiopia

Ethiopia
With mixed feelings

Until five years ago, Ethiopia was closed to travelers. Now a French couple roamed the African country that made headlines in the past with famine and civil war.

Jean-Francois Lagrot, Isabelle Prouteau

10/08/1996

There are still around 180 kilometers to the Ethiopian border town of Moyale. Isabelle and I stand indecisively at the edge of the piste that leads through the Chabli desert in northern Kenya and inspect my Yamaha Tenere. The shock absorber burst, and without the dampening effect of the oil, the load sways up and down like an elevator gone wild. Only two weeks ago in Nairobi we exchanged the old struts for new ones on both enduros. We consider for a long time whether we should go back there to get a spare part. Or whether we will just continue as planned – in the hope of being able to enter Ethiopia at all and perhaps getting a new shock absorber in the capital Addis Ababa. It would certainly be more sensible to turn back, but we decide differently and head towards Ethiopia. We are curious about a country that was closed to travelers until recently, but at the border there is a big surprise: the formalities take barely an hour, the customs officers greet us in a non-bureaucratic and friendly manner in the small, simple offices, marvel at our enduro bikes and make wishes Finally, we have a good trip. From the border town of Moyale to Addis Ababa, it is around 800 kilometers that, according to our map, should be paved throughout. But quite a few times during our travels through Africa, allegedly asphalt roads turned out to be bad gravel or sand tracks. This time we’re lucky, the tar cover is in good condition, so no problem for my damaged Tenere. We drive comfortably through a wide savannah landscape, the vegetation of which becomes more and more lush and green towards the north. After a few kilometers we are stopped by a heavily armed soldier who has positioned himself with his troop in front of a few poor wooden huts with roofs made of blue plastic sheeting. From him we learn that we are in the middle of a camp for refugees from Somalia. A brutal civil war has been raging there since 1991, which has claimed countless lives and from which tens of thousands of people have fled to neighboring countries. While the uniformed man is studying our papers with a stern look, a group of men, women and children passes us, all of them carrying large bundles of green leaves on their shoulders. “Smuggled goods to Kenya,” says the soldier, as if that were the most normal business in the world, and stuffs a few of these papers into his left cheek. The juice of the qat leaves has a very stimulating effect, he explains to us, and although it is officially banned in Kenya or Somalia, hardly anyone would do without it. Then he gives us the papers and disappears again in the shadow of a wrecked tank. Only when it is already dawn do we reach a small village in the province of Omo. Immediately we are surrounded by countless children who do not leave us a step while we are looking for a place to stay for the night. Only at the end of the village do we discover a house that looks like a small pension. A petite woman opens the door and smiles at me. When she discovers Isabelle, she shakes her head – apparently only men are allowed here, I conclude from her reaction. But she understands a few words of English and lets herself be softened. We get a small room for the equivalent of one mark. The next morning we walk through the village. We finally have to exchange money. But not even the cashier at the local bank can change our 50-dollar bill because he rarely has that much money in his till – and we no longer have any smaller notes. With the last Ethiopian money we still have, we fill up the two Yamaha and set off again north. At the end of the town the street leads under a partially destroyed triumphal arch, on which hammer and sickle are still shining – symbols of a 15 year long Soviet and Cuban support for the rule of the dictator Mengistu, which lasted until 1991 and under whose regime it was impossible for foreigners to Soon the road disappears into a dense forest, slowly climbs and leads for a long time through a harsh mountain landscape, the peaks of which are over 4000 meters high. Then the central highlands spread out in front of us, in which most of the population of Ethiopia live at an altitude of between two and three thousand meters. Green meadows and golden wheat fields extend almost to the horizon, with turquoise shimmering lakes in between – a sight we did not expect in Ethiopia. Families work all over the fields, countless small donkey caravans haul the harvest to the next location. At the moment there is little to remind us that Ethiopia is one of the three poorest countries in the world. It is still 150 kilometers to the capital, which takes us a whole day because the condition of the road leaves a lot to be desired. In first gear, and now and then also in second gear, I maneuver the heavily loaded enduro past deep holes or drive almost idle over the heavily undulated asphalt. More is simply not possible with the defective strut.In the evening we finally reach the extensive suburbs of Addis Ababa and finally push our way through the heavy traffic into the center to the huge Revolution Square, on which, surrounded by modern buildings in the Stalinist style, up Great military parades in honor of Marx, Engels and Lenin were held five years ago. Instead of Russian tanks, a herd of goats now claims the site. The only thing that worries us is the fact that we have not yet seen a motorcyclist or a corresponding workshop. But the mechanic of a bicycle workshop can help us, much to our surprise: His brother, who lives in Paris, would be visiting in ten days and could bring us a suitable shock absorber. We are excited. Equipped only with the bare essentials, Isabelle and I leave town on her Tenere after two days. We still want to go to the north of the country to Lake Tana. After 130 kilometers we are at the edge of a huge canyon that is over 1,300 meters deep and at least as wide. Below rushes the Blue Nile, which winds like a snake through the barren rocky landscape and, together with the White Nile, forms the main source of the Nile. The gravel road leads down to the river, which we cross on a narrow bridge. Because of the heavy rains in the last few days, the Blue Nile has overflowed its banks. Late in the evening we reach Bahir Dar at the southern end of Lake Tana, the largest lake in Ethiopia. Bahir Dar and the cities of Gonder, Axum and Lalibela in the Abyssinian highlands have been centers of Christianity since the fourth century. In the Dek Stefanos monastery in Bahir Dar, an old monk in a white robe shows us icons and writings that are hundreds of years old and which are surprisingly well preserved unique wildlife is under the protection of UNESCO. The path leads ever steeper through the jagged cliffs to the foot of Ras Deshen, the fourth highest mountain in Africa at 4620 meters. A cold wind is blowing over this almost vegetationless volcanic landscape, in which we have pitched our camp on a small plateau at an altitude of over 3500 meters. Shortly before sunset we suddenly hear strange grunting noises and discover a herd of Gelada baboons – a species of monkey that only occurs in Ethiopia and has an impressive, bright red-colored chest. But the wonderful spook only lasts a few seconds, just as quickly as they came, the pack disappears again behind the jagged formations of solidified lava. We slowly have to make our way back because our visa will expire in a few days. And we’re curious to see whether the shock absorber for my Yamaha has now arrived in Addis Ababa. But there is still time for a short visit to Lalibela. This is where many of the country’s religious leaders have lived since the twelfth century, carving their beautifully ornate churches out of large rocks. Today priests still guard these unique buildings, in which ancient religious writings, icons and pieces of jewelery of inestimable value are kept. Back in Addis Ababa, we can hardly believe our luck: the bicycle mechanic smilingly holds a new shock absorber in his hands and loads it in the evening he and his family invite us to a touching farewell party. We set off early the next morning, we want to drive through eastern Ethiopia as quickly as possible to the Djibouti border. According to our new friends, this is not a safe venture, as brutal raids are common in this region. The route leads east to Dire Dawa, then branches off to the north in the direction of Djibouti. From now on we are crossing a desolate region. To the left of us stretches the part of Ethiopia that hit the headlines in the 1970s when over 200,000 people died here during the great famine, to the right the Ogaden Plain, an area that is open to tourists due to the ongoing armed conflict between the tribes living there is impassable. The calm and carelessness of the last few weeks gives way to a grueling tension, and we drive our enduros towards Djibouti as quickly as possible.

Info

A trip through Ethiopia is a fascinating experience – and surprisingly unproblematic, even though the country was closed to tourists for almost two decades until five years ago.

Arrival: Entering Ethiopia by land from Kenya, Eritrea and Djibouti is relatively problem-free. In contrast, the border crossings from Sudan and Somalia to Ethiopia are currently not passable. The motorcycle can also be transported by plane to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. Information and prices from the Frankfurt company GGG-Gruner Logistik, phone 0 69/69 07 35 72, fax 69 59 01 29. The Bielefeld company fly & bike transports the bike for 2790 marks (return flight) to Mombasa in neighboring Kenya. Between 1,300 and 1,600 marks are then still due for the driver’s ticket. Information on 05 21/17 41 05, Fax 13 87 38. Documents: Germans need a visa for Ethiopia. This must be applied for before departure at the Ethiopian Embassy, ​​Brentanostrabe 1, 53113 Bonn, together with a passport photo. The visa is valid for three months and can be extended by one month at the immigration office in Addis Ababa, Churchill Ave. The international driver’s license is compulsory, while a Carnet de Passage is not required for the vehicle. Health: A yellow fever vaccination is mandatory for Ethiopia. Vaccinations against cholera, typhus and hepatitis as well as malaria prophylaxis are recommended. Further information from the doctor or in the tropical institutes. In addition, an extensive pharmacy belongs in the luggage. It is better not to take a bath in the rivers and lakes. When traveling to the higher regions of Ethiopia, it is advisable to acclimate for two to three days from an altitude of 3000 meters. Outside the capital, drinking water should be boiled or bought in closed bottles, but water from springs should not be drunk at all. Travel time: The months of June, July and August are best for a trip through Ethiopia. During the rainy season in winter, many roads are impassable, and it also gets very cold in the highlands. Accommodation: There are enough hotels and guest houses in all price ranges in the capital Addis Ababa. The Hilton in the center on Menelik Ave. has international standards, prices are around 150 dollars per double room. We recommend the Buffet de la Gare opposite the train station on Churchill Ave., a double room costs between 20 and 30 dollars. In the larger cities there are good hotels of the state chain EHC, rooms from 20 dollars. Small pensions and guest houses can be found in every town, and prices in rural areas are often under five dollars a night. Wild camping is possible in the remote areas, as Ethiopia is a relatively safe land. Sights: Ethiopia is a very varied and interesting travel destination, both in terms of landscape and culture. In the Abyssinian highlands in the north of the country, Christianity has been preached since the fourth century. The most interesting monasteries and churches, in which centuries-old writings and icons are stored, can be found in Axum, Gonder, Bahir Dar and Lalibela as well as on the islands in Lake Tana. The Simien National Park north of Gonder is protected by UNESCO because of its unique fauna in the middle of a rugged volcanic landscape. Three of the animal species living here are only native to Ethiopia. In the Awash National Park, 225 kilometers east of Addis Ababa, you can see almost all of the African fauna. Definitely worth seeing: the Tisissat waterfalls of the Blue Nile near Bahir Dar. Literature: Since Ethiopia has only recently been considered as a travel destination, travel guides are currently in short supply. The English-language East African Handbook for 42 marks, which also covers Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, is very good. Because of the many information a must for travelers in this region. Detailed descriptions of the natural landscapes and the animal world are available in the APA-Guide Experience Nature East Africa for 44.80 marks. Due to its excellent terrain representations, there is no alternative for Ethiopia to the East Africa map by Michelin, sheet 954 on a scale of 1: 4 million for 14.80 marks. Time required two months, driven distance4,000 kilometers

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