I think a little context is in order to explain why Christi and I are so excited by the prospect of exploring the remote south-west of Ethiopia beyond Arba Minch and down to the Omo valley. First and foremost the reason we are going is because we tried and failed in the past to find one of the most iconic tribes in Ethiopia if not Africa generally, the Mursi, who inhabit the Omo valley area. (And I hate failure). The ironic thing is that we were part of a Dragoman overlanding trip at the time and a visit to the Omo valley was not even part of the itinerary. The tour leader, a dominating blonde woman of quite voluptuous proportions (as exotic to the indigenous inhabitants of the Omo valley as they were to us) persuaded the group to go along with her crazy scheme. To be honest Christi and I were not familiar with the Omo valley and its inhabitants and we were happy to simply see as much of Ethiopia as possible. There are numerous ethnic groupings in the southwest of the country and they don’t all get along (it’s a bit like the US Congress), but perhaps the most impressive are the Mursi. We had hoped to see them in the small market town of Jinka, but none were there when the Dragoman truck staggered into town. We were determined to keep going and so the decision was taken to drive out to their remote villages, some 50 miles away. This was going to be a challenging trip because the roads were deplorable (this being the wet season). Our tour leader baulked at taking the truck any further and so we rented two 4WD vehicles. The vehicles were not in good condition and the road was basically a bog. It took us 7 hours to go 35 miles and we still had 15 miles to go when a vote was called whether to continue. The concern was having to sleep outside at the Mursi village (we hadn’t brought tents with us) and the risk of tsetse fly bites (which can be fatal) and light-fingered locals. After getting so close the group decided to give up (Christi and I, the tour leader, and one other passenger voted to continue) the rest clamoured for a hot bath and a beer back in Jinka after congratulating themselves on ‘a good effort’. It’s been a while, but we’re back (well we are on our way) and this time failure is not an option. Christi has vowed to giver her life (now that’s what I call dedication) to ensure I finally get to meet the Mursi.

Back to the present…we leave the luxury of the  Hilton hotel at 7 am for the 500 km drive to the Paradise Lodge at Arba Minch overlooking Lake Chamo and Lake Abaya. The name of our hotel and its location sound fancy, but the southwest of Ethiopia is not renowned for high quality accommodation so time will tell. Our driver-guide incidentally is the amazing Fekadeselassie Yosef. If you are planning a trip to anywhere in Ethiopia then this guy should be your number one choice (write to me for his contact details). And if you contact him directly then you can avoid the additional fee that Explore Abyssinia Travel charged us for organizing this trip. As with any big city, actually getting out of the place is a challenge, but very soon after that we are driving through quite beautiful pastoral scenery. Our first stop is at Lake Ziway for a spot of bird-watching. Apparently both Fekade (as he is known) and Christi are amateur twitchers. The lake is home to amongst others one of the largest and ugliest birds in the world, the Marabou stork and the sacred ibis.

A lunch stop at Shashamane, which is right up there with Ouarzazate in Morocco for sheer lyrical pleasure. South of Shashamane rural life really kicks in. The roads are used by everyone for every conceivable purpose and everyone believes they have the right of way. We see endless herds of goats, cattle, and sheep; donkeys and carts; men on horseback; women struggling along with 5-gallon Jerry cans of water or weighed down with firewood; not to mention a million school kids. Much of the area is under cultivation with sorghum and wheat being the major crops.

At one point (ironically on one of the better sections of road we get our first flat tire). Fekade fixes it with ease, but he does attract a crowd of people willing to offer him help and advice, which is more than Christi and I are capable of doing. Instead I photograph the locals and their classic round thatch huts, which really does remind one of the classic Hollywood-inspired imagery of Africa. And for the most part Africa is not like that, which makes southwest Ethiopia all the more appealing. Eleven hours after leaving Addis Ababa we arrive at the Paradise Lodge overlooking Lake Abaya and Lake Chamo in Arba Minch. And it really does live up to its billing, especially with the comfortable beds, mosquito nets, and luxury of luxuries a western-style sit-down toilet (thank you). There are an abundance of amenities including internet access, spa, massage, and sauna facilities, and lake cruises (for crocodile watching among other things). It would be nice to stay awhile, but we don’t have time or the money to indulge in this little slice of heaven. The good news is that Christi has not had to risk her life to ensure this trip is a success – well, not yet, anyway. 

Blog post by Roderick Phillips, author of Weary Heart – a gut-wrenching tale of love and test tubes.

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