The countdown had started to me leaving Ethiopia. Unfortunately the loss of my phone was hanging heavily over me and I was pretty depressed over it. I decided to wait until Mombasa to buy a new phone and hopefully sort out my safaricom SIM.

Sun 11th I went to the Greek church for the morning service. I didn’t stay long afterwards as most people didn’t hang around as it had rained and the weather was generally miserable. I knew my way around now and got there easily and the return journey was straightforward.

I then decided to revisit Arba Minch again. I wasn’t sure it was the right thing to do, but at the same time I felt be a need to visit the scene of the crime in a forlorn hope that somehow I would find my phone. I went to Ethiopian and used some of the money from my wasted Djibouti ticket….so I clawed back about 50Gbp. I went for 2 nights…the 14th and 15th and returned Fri 16th.

Wacha met me at Arba airport and I checked into the Tourist hotel. I went to see the ladies at Alliance and asked the guys with the tuk tuk a if there was any news…. Well, of course not. Just did the usual rounds of eating and drinking for the rest of the day.

Thurs 15th. I arranged to go back up to Dorze village to revisit Mokone’s place and take photos to make up for the ones on my phone. Mokone couldn’t take me but another bodaboda was arranged. An hour’s journey again but this time as we got higher and higher the weather changed dramatically. I started raining; it got much colder; and the road was dangerously slippery. We made it safely. Mokone wasn’t home but I was welcomed with 3 shots of ‘Holy Water ‘…..the local gin. Tasty and warming. Only stayed longed enough for a few pics then made our way back. My driver was much more talkative on the way down….with the Holy Water inside him!!!!

Eventually we got down the mountain and reached the tej bar. Mokone was there and I drank way too much tej.. After dinner and some beers I went to my room and crashed for the night. I hadn’t realised that Wacha had arranged for a lady to visit me; I vaguely recall her coming into my room and undressing, before I passed out !! She left after an hour or so ( I think ), and maybe I was lucky she didn’t Rob me of my wallet.

Fri…a casual breakfast. 15 min bajaj to the airport. Early afternoon 1 hour flight to Addis, and after dropping my bag off at the house I met my friends at the Red Lion pub.

Sat 17th. I went to the Hilton..to the Washington clinic to ask about covid testing. When I phoned a day or two before, I was told to go on Monday. But I said how can that be right with my flight on Tuesday. I figured she just wanted me to get a last minute test with a quick turnaround of the result, at a cost of 4000birr. I thought that couldn’t be right. Well, I was right, and I had the test Sat and the Neg result came through in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Sunday I took it easy. Monday I exhausted myself by walking all the way to Mercato market. I think it’s the biggest market in Africa and should be visited. Yes, big and hectic, and people carrying goods all over the place and lots of shouting…..but otherwise not too exciting. I stayed less than half an hour and left. Go a big bus down the hill to Mexico. Lots of people queueing all over the place so decided to walk back to Old Airport..Bisrate Gabriel. I was exhausted.

For my last dinner I went to Africana restaurant where I had my first dinner 3 months earlier. Had a very nice sizzling fish with rice. Went to Zhemer hotel for my last drink there. Not tej this time… wasn’t going to mix my drinks. Treated myself by going into their VIP lounge. Paid nearly double for a beer just for a little more peace. Then I went to the Red Lion pub for a last drink with my mates. Then back to the house to do some more packing for my flight to Mombasa on Tues 20 morning.

Had printed off my covid test result at the cyber cafe. Completed my health tracker form for Kenya. Arranged my taxi for early in the morning. Was all set to go. What an adventure. What an amazing experience to spend those three months in Ethiopia. The only thing that went wrong was the theft of the phone. Otherwise, I had an incredible time. Saw some amazing sights. Met lots of lovely people. And had fun learning Amharic….. Wow…