China Road

Time to head towards Lalibela, the jewel of the Northern Historical circuit some 250 kms away.

This is known as the "China Road" and you guessed it ... built by the Chinese in the late 1970's and recently upgraded.

Back towards Bahir Dar and a stop so that we could both have a bush stop for those who wanted one and a short walk downhill towards the Finger of God.

It was market day at a small town before the University town of Debre Tabor. Stopping to photograph another smaller rock finger called Tarra Gedam, it was hard not to photograph the passing locals walking on mass on route to market.







































































































































 
















































































































































































































































 


 






































































































 

























































































 
Last 64 Km

It was scenic through at times the seriously mountainous terrain.

The last 64 km from Gashena through to Lalibela is still being reconstructed so was both dusty and very much slow going.

Stopped at an Amhara village and dropped off some laminated photos taken by a member of his last group who visited here. The expressions of sheer delight on the faces of the locals prompted me to do the same.

Allowed into several of their one room huts that housed both the whole extended family, their animals, and either in the centre or at one side was the fire pit and bunk beds but Ethiopian style.

We met a young couple with young baby who had returned to the village after meeting in Addis where they had spent several years trying to make their fortune ie employment. Besides looking after the animals, he had a hive for honey, a transistor radio in his hut and a light bulb for some evening light. This short visit will be no doubt be one of my trip’s memory.

Once we hit the road from the airport, it was tarseal for the remaining 20 kms into Lalibela. The end of a long travel day.