Day 150
Sleeping location: Unknown hotel, Wichale, Ethiopia
Distance (km today/total): 62 / 10957
Estimated climb (m today/total): 1000 / 77900
State: semi weak
Distance (km today/total): 62 / 10957
Estimated climb (m today/total): 1000 / 77900
State: semi weak
Day in three words: Where’s the energy
We both had another bad night’s sleep due to traffic noise and multiple upset tummy awakenings, leading us both still feeling unideal in the morning. We made the decision to make Dessie for New Year in two days, it was only 120km but the route was tough and we could do with two shorter days. To celebrate we went to last night’s burger place so I could see what the fuss was about. It was indeed a very nice burger, but best food in Ethiopia was probably pushing it. After breakfast we went back to the hotel and relaxed, eventually leaving at noon. On the way out of town was a man wearing a tshirt that simply said “Wang”, and a couple of times kids shouted “money money” out of a rapidly moving tuktuk. How was I supposed to get the money to them? Extremely accurate coin throws? Extremely aerodynamic paper aeroplanes? Maybe it’s just a reflex thing when they see a white face.
The riding involved lots of ups and downs but at manageable gradients, and the descents were fun. It was nice to be back on tarmac and to go uphill at more than walking pace. The landscape was green with lots of trees and beautiful rugged green peaks in the distance. It really feels like we crossed some kind of divide at the peak yesterday, the Lalibela side was much dryer. Another change is that now there are mosques as well as churches; I was subsequently surprised to learn that Ethiopia is 1/3 Islamic. It feels like this area is a bit more relaxed and hospitable, good old Islam.
After one peak I suddenly felt very weak and had to sit down and drink some pop and eat bananas and cheese until I felt better. Of course a crowd of children watched this with great interest. Soon after setting off I had some tummy issues and had to pull over for an emergency comfort break in a semi exposed spot. I did my business and was finishing up when two guys walked past and one shouted “my friend what are you doing”. I replied “having a shit, do you want to see?”. He clearly had no idea what I’d said, replied “very good!” and walked on. After this came as steady but long (500m) climb which was most notable for seeing a home-made go kart whizz past in the other direction, carrying two large water containers and two people. The wheels were tiny so the driver must have been skilled to negotiate those bends.
At the top we had a brief twisty descent into Wichale, a small town clinging to the side of the hill. We found some usual basic accommodation, and some non-usual food nearby, where the owner offered us some “special spaghetti”. This was regular spaghetti with tomato (usual cost 60 Birr) with some added omelette (usual cost 40 Birr for a bigger one). Of course the specialness meant that the price was somehow apparently 480 Birr despite the owner’s acceptance that our 5 beers were 20 each. I had gone back to the room by this point, but Rebecca’s admirable response was to give him 300 Birr, say “this is all I have and at most what it was worth” (both statements true) and walk off. This is actually the first time someone has tried to rip us off in Ethiopia, aside from some distorted pricing in tourist places.
We both had another bad night’s sleep due to traffic noise and multiple upset tummy awakenings, leading us both still feeling unideal in the morning. We made the decision to make Dessie for New Year in two days, it was only 120km but the route was tough and we could do with two shorter days. To celebrate we went to last night’s burger place so I could see what the fuss was about. It was indeed a very nice burger, but best food in Ethiopia was probably pushing it. After breakfast we went back to the hotel and relaxed, eventually leaving at noon. On the way out of town was a man wearing a tshirt that simply said “Wang”, and a couple of times kids shouted “money money” out of a rapidly moving tuktuk. How was I supposed to get the money to them? Extremely accurate coin throws? Extremely aerodynamic paper aeroplanes? Maybe it’s just a reflex thing when they see a white face.
The riding involved lots of ups and downs but at manageable gradients, and the descents were fun. It was nice to be back on tarmac and to go uphill at more than walking pace. The landscape was green with lots of trees and beautiful rugged green peaks in the distance. It really feels like we crossed some kind of divide at the peak yesterday, the Lalibela side was much dryer. Another change is that now there are mosques as well as churches; I was subsequently surprised to learn that Ethiopia is 1/3 Islamic. It feels like this area is a bit more relaxed and hospitable, good old Islam.
After one peak I suddenly felt very weak and had to sit down and drink some pop and eat bananas and cheese until I felt better. Of course a crowd of children watched this with great interest. Soon after setting off I had some tummy issues and had to pull over for an emergency comfort break in a semi exposed spot. I did my business and was finishing up when two guys walked past and one shouted “my friend what are you doing”. I replied “having a shit, do you want to see?”. He clearly had no idea what I’d said, replied “very good!” and walked on. After this came as steady but long (500m) climb which was most notable for seeing a home-made go kart whizz past in the other direction, carrying two large water containers and two people. The wheels were tiny so the driver must have been skilled to negotiate those bends.
At the top we had a brief twisty descent into Wichale, a small town clinging to the side of the hill. We found some usual basic accommodation, and some non-usual food nearby, where the owner offered us some “special spaghetti”. This was regular spaghetti with tomato (usual cost 60 Birr) with some added omelette (usual cost 40 Birr for a bigger one). Of course the specialness meant that the price was somehow apparently 480 Birr despite the owner’s acceptance that our 5 beers were 20 each. I had gone back to the room by this point, but Rebecca’s admirable response was to give him 300 Birr, say “this is all I have and at most what it was worth” (both statements true) and walk off. This is actually the first time someone has tried to rip us off in Ethiopia, aside from some distorted pricing in tourist places.
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