Travel to Ethiopia – Episode 544

Hear about travel to Ethiopia as the Amateur Traveler talks to Anwar from beyondmyfrontdoor.com about travel to this country rich with beauty and history.

Anwar says, “When I booked my trip I didn’t know much about Ethiopia. Like most people, my opinion about Ethiopia dates back to the late 80s, and early 90s to the famine. One of my friends was going to Ethiopia. At the last minute, I changed my plans to join in on the trip. But when I went to Ethiopia I discovered how incredible a place it is.”

“It’s a very big country with so many different regions. The north has a lot of beautiful historic areas. It has mountains. In the south, they have a tribal area. Unfortunately, I did not go to the south during this trip. And in the east they have deserts. There’s a lot of ancient history there. There’s a lot of religious history there.”

Anwar flew into Addis Ababa. He then visited 4 different UNESCO sites:

• He traveled up to Bahir Dar to see Fasil Ghebbi, an ancient royal enclosure. While there he also visited the Blue Nile Falls and visited ancient monasteries on the shores of Lake Tana.
• He went hiking in the beautiful Simien Mountains National Park which is another UNESCO site, although one that is under threat by human encroachment.
• He flew to Lalibela to see the ancient Rock-Hewn Churches, carved out of a single rock.
• He also went to Aksum to see the ancient ruins near Ethiopia’s northern border. These sites date from the 1st to the 13th centuries.

But the highlight of the trip for Anwar was the Danakil Depression with salt flats strings of camels in caravans carrying salt, an unearthly landscape of sulfuric acid ponds, and a lake of lava. All of this in the hottest place in the world where people live continuously.

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Show Notes

beyondmyfrontdoor.com
Ethiopia
Travel to Ethiopia – Episode 79
Danakil Depression
Bahir Dar
Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region (Royal Enclosure)
First Italo-Ethiopian War
Second Italo-Ethiopian War
Simien Mountains National Park
From the Roof of Africa by C. W. Nicol
Gelada Baboons
Ethiopian wolf
Ras Dashen
Church of Saint George, Lalibel
Gebre Mesqel Lalibela (King)
Axum
Queen of Sheba
Ezana Stone
Ark of the Covenant
Danakil Depression
Ethio Travel and Tours
Ethiopian Airlines
Afar people
Injera

Community

Dear Chris

It’s taken 18 months, but I have now listened to all the podcasts and have enjoyed them immensely. Due to disability, I am no longer able to travel much, and although I get envious sometimes, I love hearing other people’s travel stories.
Generally, I find that the more independent the traveller the more interesting the podcast. A very few done by professionals have had a rather travel-weary slant to them as in ‘the hotel that night had no shoe shiner
…’ and others have had the ‘travel-bores’ shallowness of the ‘Oh, the Bahamas were simply wonderful……’ type. I have made both of those up as I do not want to be specific.

However, the vast majority have been excellent and very informative. I have especially enjoyed the podcasts on more unusual places such as North Korea, St. Helena, the Pacific islands, NW China, Iran, and so many others. Above all I love the sheer enthusiasm and joy people have for their chosen destination. Claire, describing Oman last week was a delight. I think she had the historical, cultural and natural interest to paint a wonderful picture of a country I knew little about.
I cannot go there, but wish anyone able to go to have a great time there or anywhere they go.

Finally, don’t knock yourself Chris about your own travel stories. One of my favourites was your tour of southern France, Italy, etc many years ago. They are always interesting and have an honesty about them as well as the good travellers humility to say what you didn’t enjoy and admitting to things that went not so well.
I wish you Well in Japan and India and look forward to hearing about your adventures there. Just don’t start by saying ‘Oh, Fujiyama was simply gorgeous….’, though it probably is.

Best wishes

Nick

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