We spent the last few days trekking up in the Simen Mountains National Park near Debark. Our route took us from Sankaber Camp (N 13 13.832', E 38 2.443') to Gich Camp (N 13 16.111', E 38 06.515') before reaching our objective the peak of Imet Gogo (3,926 m). Despite the seasonal haze we had excellent views of the cascading cliffs, rock towers and grassy slopes dotted with giant Lobelia. The night time temperature of 5 C was quite a change from Sudan (as was the thunder, torrential rain and hail).
The park is basically a long escarpment and is not quite what I expected. Up to 10,000 people live there and so the hill sides are dotted with villages and grazing sheep and goats. So it's not really a wilderness experience. Mind you this has advantages as you can visit a village to experience an Ethiopian coffee ceremony. The (green) beans are washed, roasted over a fire, ground in a mortar and pestle and then boiled in a kettle. Per the ceremony, we got served 3 cups, each made from the same grounds, the last being a bit weak and tasting mostly sugar. Not quite Starbucks as the whole process takes 45 min, at least 30 of which seem to involve chasing the chickens out of the house !
The villages here are very basic and make Nepal look well developed. They don't even have candles or oil lamps and live totally with the sun. The lady who served us tea was 50 years old in a country where the life expectancy for women is only 54. A sobering fact.
Saw quite a bit of the local wildlife. We had great views of the local Gelada baboons (you can approach to within 2 m) and got a glimpse of the very rare Simen wolf trotting off in the distance. Also coming out of your tent for a pee after dark and coming face to face with 4 Ethiopian Jackals makes you wish you skipped that last coffee!
How to load an Ethiopian mule:
1: Find gullible westerner.
2: Agree price (approx 30 min).
3: Realise sacks and ropes to load the mules are not included in the above price.
4: Agree price for sacks and ropes (approx 10 min).
5: Realise that price for sacks and rope is only for rental and not ours to keep (after all we don't get to take the mules home do we!).
6: Weigh baggage on dodgey scales. (Evidently I now weigh 100 Kg!!).
7: Load mules and depart (only 1 hour late, not bad).
8: Arrive at camp to find all the charcoal to cook on has been “mislaid”.
9: Discover that mule drives “just happen” to have some expensive wood we can buy !
10: It's not only the sheep that get fleeced around here. Resign to your fate and smile. The views are worth it.
1: Find gullible westerner.
2: Agree price (approx 30 min).
3: Realise sacks and ropes to load the mules are not included in the above price.
4: Agree price for sacks and ropes (approx 10 min).
5: Realise that price for sacks and rope is only for rental and not ours to keep (after all we don't get to take the mules home do we!).
6: Weigh baggage on dodgey scales. (Evidently I now weigh 100 Kg!!).
7: Load mules and depart (only 1 hour late, not bad).
8: Arrive at camp to find all the charcoal to cook on has been “mislaid”.
9: Discover that mule drives “just happen” to have some expensive wood we can buy !
10: It's not only the sheep that get fleeced around here. Resign to your fate and smile. The views are worth it.
Back in Gondar for one night and then off to Lalibela. Could be a long journey as due to the road conditions, Athena travels at about the same speed as the internet!
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