Hello Back in the Blog.

It is now Sunday and I am sitting in the Mayleko  Lodge in Gondar,  Ethiopia.  Yes, a bit further than anticipated but, you know, once I go its hard to stop.   Only tiredness is a killer and will stop me.

Also I was curious how it would be at the border.  Hopefully no horrible procedural nonsens again.  Have had enough of that.

On Friday I still wanted to stay resting in Khartoum but on that morning I looked out of the window at 7 and saw no traffic.  Hey, its week end here. They go to the mosque.   A good day to ride with less traffic and so I took off at 8.30 to Wad Madani at 188.  That was my plan, nice short 3 hr drive .   No I get there and it was onky 11.30.

Decision was fast, PULL the throttle and go for the next 236 to Gedaref.

Road was ok, enough fuel  and no troubles.  I arrived there at 15.30 hrs.   Search for the “ BEST “ hotel in town and found the El Watemaliki.  Big old east european style block .   Hardly any guests and only chicken to eat again.   Nicely charcoaled so no stomach problems.

The next day Saturday I took of for the 160 km to the border.  70 km was excellent, next 50 km was horrendous and I felt so sorry for the bike everytime I did not see a bloody pothole.   It wears you out also but you cannot get careless.  The bike might break in 2 if you hit a big one at speed.

I arrive at the very busy border not with people crossing but just hanging around, possibly looking for a stupid like me and ripp me off.  But they do not know me and very quickly notice that there’s no chance for that.  Also all my valuables are packed on my body so they should cut me up to get to it.

Another rule is to have , at least, your CC and cash + passport on your body so you can go anywhere if and when neccessary. More important than your underwear , I say.

On the Sudanese side I was directed to a hut for the customs.  They checked chassis nr and engine nr, looked a bit in the luggage and signed the Carnet de Passage.  15 minutes and off to Immigration and security.  No problems , all-in order and 15 min later I had a stamped PP and off to the Ethiopian side.

Directed first to immigration.  Also in a shed you do not want to keep your pigs in and just as dirty.

2 young chaps helped me and stamped the PP within 5 minutes. Holland and football always works.    Van Basten and Gullit for the elderly and Robin van P.and Robbe for the yoiung ones .  Off to the other side of the road with even more gruelling accommodations for customs.  Nice young lady helped me to fill the Carnet while she said that it is not really required in ETH.  I checked that later in the list of countries and she was right.  Now I have to have it stamped again at the exit in Moyale.

She checked all bike numbers, luggage and after 15 minites I took off into Ethipia.  I can tell you I was happy that  the border s… t. as at Wadi Halfa was over.   Both sides within an hour.   Super !!

Had planned to go to Gondar since there is no hotel before that.  Was rather worn out , because of some border stress and the road to G seemed endless.  But the riding was great, nice mountain roads like in the heart of Spain.   The winding roads and with good tarmac.   Hardly any traffic but many fuel lorries.  I saw six fuel combinations, that is lorry + trailer completely burned out and not long ago.

Wonder wich side they carry the fuel, to or from Sudan or just for the border town. 

Approaching the town you get the usual increase of people on the road but more than that are the animals roaming on the road.  You must be very carefull not to hit a cow, goat, dog or sheep.  The people seem to live all along such road.  Going to Addis this might be confirmed.  You just ride all the way through towns.  In fact in Belgium is the same .  Houses are built there all  along a Steenweg.

I had booked a lodge that, I thought , was on the entrance to town.  Could not find it, traffic was horrible with all those tuk tuks that jump like flies.  I asked a student for a good hotel with wifi.  He directed me up a hill to the Goha hotel and I put me up there.  Good choice but wifi mediocre .   Beautifull  view over the city.

I decided to move to the lodge that I had booked for 1st Feb and drove to the road back to the border.  Google Maps showed as if it was there.  Went for 30 km on that beautifull road and did not find it.  Rode back to the junction south of Gondar and asked a police woman who directed me nicely on the parallel road to the airport and 2 km further found  the lodge.  Less impressive than they show it on the site.

Wifi was off since there was no power.  They asked for 90 dollars while B. com indicated 45 dollars for a standard room.

They called the woman owner in Addis and she agreed for me to have a luxury room for 70 and I agreed.  Wifi is back now so I can enjoy myself with the laptop.

Tomorrow I go for an insurance card, so called yellow card like our green card for all the coming countries up to SA.   Handy but no value since an accident is a matter of cash. But I must have an Insurance to avoid hassle at a police roadblock.

Also needed a local SIM card and biscuits cause the ones from AH are finished.   Stll a pot of Calve but the Kanjer stroopwafels ended today.   Pity, I love them and give plenty energy together with a real coca cola.

Plan is to ride on as from Tuesday for the 750 km to Addis in 3 days, maybe.

To be continued.

One other thing that has really struck me all along from Cairo to the Sudanese border  with Ethiopia is the plastics everywhere , hanging in huge quantities on anything it can cling to.   Every bush, tree, fence, pole, grass is litered with plastic hanging on it.   Most towns dumb their refuse outside the town somewhere in the desert and put it on fire.  That smell you meet at every town and city depending on the wind and I hate it.

Wonder what the future will bring because this is not going to stop.  It will get worse.

Let’s see how Ethiopia deals with this refuse and the other countries to follow.

It is 16.05 hrs, its  nice and warm and my mouth is dry like sandpaper.  High time for a Wahlia.

Cheers.