September 26th Moyale to Hwassa.

A big day ahead ..would like to get to Hwasa on the shores of Lake Awasa,

a Rift Valley lake by about 2pm to relax and check out the town.

I leave early, go to pay my bill , and no credit card facility. The manager said sorry..I said why didn't you tell/train your staff. Blank I gave him US$15 and drove away.. He wasn't happy.

Low on fuel.. no Ethiopian money (called bir..meaning gold) to buy fuel ..Fuel suppliers only take cash.. I siphon the fuel out of my two emergency reserves and hit the road. I start to climb ,it's misty and wet.. Initially the road is good.. but it deteriorates after about 175k.

At the second largest town, a bank is open and I am able to change US$ and fill up the tank and the reserve drums. I'm on my way again.. The road gets bad and slow. Lots of villages.. Every bit of land is under cultivation..It is wet and cool .

The villages are chaotic - bicycles, motor bikes, tuk tuks, mini-buses, cars, trucks and buses.

This was one of the better villages ..it had a sealed road

Not to mention pedestrians and those without a job just passing time on the road..

People walking ..Lots of people.

Heavy going for these donkeys..and a real traffic hazard.

Ethiopia.. A little smaller than South Africa and New South Wales. Population

110 -115 million the second largest country in Africa (1st Nigeria..160 -170 million, 3rd is Egypt.. 100 milion).

Ethiopia has 82 distinctly different languages.

Ethiopia has 70 % of Africa's mountains.

When you arrive in Ethiopia from the south, everything is different.. The people, the climate, the altitude, the language, the food. the customs. Ethiopia is the only country in Africa never colonised (but occupied by the Italians for 6 years)..It is independent and very different.

Since leaving Moyale I had been climbing I guessed about 3000 feet.

At Hawasai I am almost 5500 feet above sea level.

There have been big rains here and in some areas the road is washed away.. it's a bloody mess.. 4 wheel drive used on more than one occasion.

Truck accidents are common and I have to drive extremely carefully.. It's physically and mentally draining.

The locals said this driver survived.

More dramatic from this angle.

The cargo was USA food aid. If a few more bags had been stolen from the trailer I'm sure the truck would have slipped over.

But life goes on and I move on!

Table tennis anyone.?

I eventually get to Hwasa at 4.30.. Stuffed, but there is good cold beer.

Hwassa is relatively clean. and has some lovely big buildings.

The lake is large and looks clean. But no swimming.. Crocs and Hippos but, I guess,

not close to town.

Dinner in the hotel ordinary.