Addis Ababa

Hidden 45 minutes flight from Nairobi is Africa’s only state never to have been colonized.

Abyssinia or Ethiopia as its nowadays called is perhaps the most famed African state of yore. Tales in the Bible describe this land as full of myrrh and other trade goods and “deadly” womenJ.

On this 19^th leg of my adventurous 1000 city Odyssey, I find myself headed there.

Is quite easy as the destination is served by Ethiopian Airways, Africa’s oldest airline (in terms of founding and not planes. On the contrary it boasts one of the most modern fleets and comes second only to SA airlines. Various other carriers serve the route and the prices vary between 20 and 40,000 Ksh.

Having heard and dreamt of the Ethiopian Airways flight attendants my choice of carrier was natural. And sure as hell they did not disappoint, the only regret was the in-flight service which was poor and the serving too (perhaps because my ticket was budget; I got it for 15,550 which was a bargain!

And for the first time in a while I am seated next to a hawwwwt Ethiopian gal n her mum and she speak Swahili. The flight couldn’t have ended sooner. Damn!!! When i checking out at the immigration I hear “if you want to hang out in Addis at some time visit us, we stay at……………………J hehehe

For Kenyans you don’t need a visa, other nationalities should however consult on the same.

Addis has a new city and the old airport has also been expanded, Landing at Bole contrasted from JKIA shows the similar economic situations of the two. In contrast to JKIA, Bole is actually small.Day 2

I hope into a taxi and paid 20 bucks (found out later t should have cost me 10 $ L just shows that all cabbies are rip offs regardless of the city. Anyway a drive through the city to the old Addis town gives me a glimpse of life in Addis. It’s full of people walking at 3 am! The cab driver says they are going to “work” or home??? At that hour!!!

I had previously booked at the Taitu Hotel and soon we are there. Despite my disappointments at its standards (the website had better room and pictures I settle in and grab some sleep. The room was ish ish but starting at 18 bucks (We are doing budget safaris and I wanted to experience this!!!Apparently its popular with most backpacking students and other budget travelers.No hot shower,no wifi internet, no cable Tv but you wouldnt get that even in Nairobi J

Day 1

Morning

I attend an elaborate Coffee ceremony. Essentially they roast your coffee beans while you watch and grind them then make your coffee. All this with soothing Ethiopian music playing in the background and a traditional dance troupe. Quite a ceremony!

I learn that the hotel was a popular destination of the former Emperor and belonged to him in the 1960 when it was in it’s hey days. It still has that feel of a once great place. I hope onto a ‘lada”, Italian equivalent of the Peugeot 204, relics of a socialist experiment that still persists.

A brief tour of the city to acquaint myself with the town. Basically Addis has two parts, the old town and the new town (Bole). Since I am a medic I head to the local referral hospital The Blackline Hospital and make quick friends over lunch at the cafeteria.

Grab a cab, pay 30 dollars and do a round the city ride. This gives you the quicker feel of the place and you can then decide which areas to avoid. Sadly Addis is full of street families perhaps belying the poverty it is undergoing presently. The streets are full of shit, literarily. A walk downtown reminds me of Nairobi in the 90’s. I counted 500 before I stoppedJ

Anyway just as a consolation the jaw dropping gals are an adequate compensation,

Day 2

I run onto a street savvy hustler and after an impressive tour “fall” for Addis favorite con game. What happens is that you are approached by such a guy or gal who gives you a tour of the city then requests for lunch or a drink. Woe unto you if you accept as he will lure you to a prearranged pub and here you will be served with drinks that apparently cost 300 USD! They put ordinary beer in Courvoisier bottles and the guide drinks that J then you have to pay. Any attempts to refuse paying are met with a tough looking bunch of khat chewing marijuana smoking unkempt youth. You just want to get out of there as soon as possible!

 See the red Martyr Museum-commemorates those who fought against the Fascist regime of Mengistu Haile Mariam

Grab some lunch in Bole, any of the places there is top notch

Day 3

After yesterday’s fiasco I am now wiser. I opt to take a taxi instead of trusting a local guide. In the end it will be cheaper. A call from my seat mate in the flight invites me to Bole for an evening out which turns out to be very interesting. The thing about bole is that it sis the nerve of the expatriate community hosting numerous embassies and ambassadorial residencies. As such it is very cosmopolitan. The

I meet with three Rwandese neurology fellows at the Blackline hospital that serves as a good meet for people in the healthcare industry.

Day 4

Because of my Nairoberry upbringing it’s hard to get hustled out so I plot a very daring “in your face” sting targeting the owner of the place where I lost 300 USD. That was the craziest thing I’ve ever done but I pulled it off!!!!!!!

So after a very adventurous day by my standards J I had to relocate hotels and I find myself at Harambee Hotel. Another facility way past its glory days unable to keep up with the modern hotel industry. It seemed liked in its heyday it also must have been quite nice. On a rating 5/10, it just almost makes it.

The shrill telephone ring startles me at midnight and my heart pounds from my day’s escapade. Is it the police? The female voice excuses itself and tells me” It’s the reception, we wanted to let you know that your daily rate is inclusive of a breakfast,” Phewks!!!

10 minutes later the door knock startles me. And my heart goes racing again; I open it hoping to see my khat chewing dreadlocked nemesis. The greeting smile from the hotel’s night manager reassures me. But I can’t help but wonder whether he couldn’t have waited till morning, was it that urgent??

Anyway the night was fitful eventually managing to grab a few hours of sleep towards dawn, a quick shower (the water is warm here at least compared to Hotel Taitu)

Day 5

A 5/10 breakfast served by the courteous hotel staff was great. I head out for light stroll and manage to stumble upon the Ghion Hotel after a few false starts.

After purchasing a costume and changing in the open (no changing room) I dip into the ice cold water hoping for a 1km swim but only, manage 200m. The water is intolerable.

Getting a mobile sim card is crazy in Addis. You need a passport a referee, address e.t.c. The experience just serves to remind me of the wide differences between the two countries.

The beautiful gal from the flight calls me up for a lunch date at her work place.

No more taxis, money is fast running low, I head for Dembele on the suburbs of Bole, a quite modern place, equivalent to Nairobi’s Westlands area only it is better planned. Numerous new places targeting expatriates and tourista are everywhere. The modern malls give quite a contrast from downtown Addis.

Perhaps it is an expression of the determination of the people of Ethiopia to bridge the socialist gap and join capitalism. Two escalades within 20 minutes of each other attest to this, the noeveau riche are definitely here, (can't help but wonder if they belong to politicians or the famed Ethiopian athletesJ.

Anyway the lunch itself is quite good, my hostess very good company, 2 hours later she has to rush for work and she leaves me watching a replay of the English premier league match. Here too soccer is popular and Arsenal the most supported. Exhausted from the swim lunch and walk I head back home to relax. Tomorrow I sample Addis’ night life then head home.

Day 6

Some sightseeing and window shopping reveals that clothes are very expensive here. But Ethiopians and the gals in particular are very well dressed, chic even. Some more sightseeing and evening comes. Headed for Dembele!!!! Club hoping in boutique pubs very tastefully furnished, in Bole every single pub is done in a lounge style, with dimmed lights, beaded curtains, pipes shisha and belly dancers J

A very well done pizza from my two hostesses and a few drinks, some dancing and I head back home. Just like some sections of Nairobi at night Addis streets are full of commercial sex workers, literary in their hundreds lining the streets. This too due to the poverty in the country maybe. My host tells me here it is officially accepted to ply the trade. A sad story for these young girls who are victims of circumstances.

As usual we tried to keep the visit to less than 10 days. Short enough to enjoy the place but not too long to start seeing the bad sides.

All in all a good trip! I think if I had company I would have enjoyed it more.

So here’s our take, when in Addis

1.       Enjoy the traditional delicacies anjera, mitkief, coffee ceremony

2.       Hang out in Bole (it’s the most lively part of Addis, Lotsa clubs eating places and good company

3.       Go on an excursion to the nearby towns

Hotels

The Taitu is good for Budget tourists rooms start from 8 dollars, 18, dollars and 4o dollars. The 40 USD is particularly good.

The Harambee is slightly better but costs 20 $.

Capital city = Addis Ababa

Currency = Birr 1 Birr = approximately 5 Ksh (you wouldn’t know that!

Language= Amharic, English isn’t that commonly spoken

Best known for= Excellent coffee, world marathon runners, very beautiful gals (I digress again), cuisine is ish ish.

On our adventure meter 8/10, but we are returning there in December this time with a crew and head to the legendary resort town of Awassa.