Bus Journeys

Every bus trip I go on provides yet more interesting observations and events.  The journey from Gondar after the Simien Mountains was no exception.  We take the road north, which edges close to the border; the road where a bus last year was blown up.  It is expected to take 11-12 hours as the road is not good and it winds up and down sheer cliff faces.  Concrete blocks are sometimes visible.   The occasions they are not are due to us driving so close to the edge and more often because they have already fallen down the side.   The Italians, with their Alps experiences, built it while they were here last time.  Although a relatively small place, the bus will terminate at Shire, a small place on a regional border.  From there we are required to get another bus for the final 2 hour drive.  We finally arrive in Axum just before 9pm, having left just before 6am.

 

On the way we are subject to the usual "Where are you from?", "How do you find the condition of Ethiopia?" and "Are you fine?".  While we are becoming very comfortable with the country; it is easy to forget that for many local people it is a great opportunity to talk English, or just to simply stare at strange white people.  One geography teacher assures me that England is in the Southern hemisphere; a small child looks confused at the ceiling, when the radio is turned on; and I wonder why the driver is revving a diesel engine in between dropping from 2^nd to 1^st up a hill.

 

Top 5 common events on a bus.

1.      Banging knees and head over bumps

2.     An extra person crammed on carrying 20 plastic bottles, sack of tef flour and a stick

3.     Windows closed

4.     Music so loud it is impossible to use an mp3 player

5.     Traffic police stopping the bus, saluting, checking one ID and getting back off.

 

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