I took a shower in my deluxe jacuzzi shower for 2 this morning - all by myself - but I think there wasn't enough water pressure to do much more than get water from the hand-held showerhead or the rainforest shower head, but it was still nice . I got up before 7 am so I would have time to shower and have a leisurely breakfast - which I did. There was an exceptionally nice breakfast buffet with fried potatoes and a green bean and potato mixture as well as a salad and the usual egg choices. Pancakes were also available but I passed on those. I got some milk for my coffee after some of the group managed to get a milk container next to the coffee.

We then went to the fish market at Lake Awassa that I had visited during the first tour. I liked it just as well and found out what the boys were doing in the fish prep building - they used their teeth to strip the skin off the fish. I took a few pics - don't know if they really came out though - and two boys popped out asking for money so I gave them both some - not really recognizing which boy's photo I had taken. With my cold, I had more trouble managing some of the sights and smells of the fish chopping, gutting, etc.

We proceeded to the shore to watch the fishermen and the marabou storks and pelicans . I took photos with my zoom lens this time, even though I had to focus manually, and think I may have gotten some better photos. After that I went with Leigh and Lang to an area in back that I don't think I visited last time: the place where they took the eyes and livers and other organs maybe - not sure what-all fish have got - from the fish that had been filleted already. That was a bit gruesome.

I passed the cooking stalls and no one really wanted their photos taken except for money, so I mostly passed them by - didn't buy any fish like Doris had. We walked back to the bus and off we went.

Our next stop was back to the hotel to pack up. I managed to get another roll of toilet paper to use to blow my nose since the runny nose didn't really stop yesterday, but started again after I got to our hotel. We only had a half hour before starting out for a walk in downtown Hawassa. A group of us walked to the monument and then to a church yard and then back toward the bus and a cafe where some had macchiatos and pastry . Leigh gave me some of her pastry to try and it was very tasty. After that bit of relaxation we were off to lunch at a resort hotel on Lake Awassa. This was the Lewi Resort and a real treat. The restaurant had umbrellas next to the lakeshore and a great menu. Sian was in heaven with her tuna melt. Leigh and Lang and John were sitting at a table on a glider and swinging back and forth. There were some vervet monkeys running around and a whole bunch of Egyptian geese plus a tabby cat or two. I don't think anyone wanted to leave.

But, unfortunately, we had to leave for Wondo Genet.

The drive to Wondo Genet was uneventful - the usual scenery - but with lots of blue and white tuk-tuks (I have forgotten the Ethiopian term for them). We got to the hotel and got our rooms - I now have 15 instead of 3 but the rooms seem identical with the exception that the front door does not close unless you lock it. After settling in, quite a few of our group went for a walk with Kibrom . I decided not to go since I had seen most of what would be on it and I felt a bit tired with my cold. Sian, Linda and Gerri stayed back as well. I watched some monkeys playing with Sian and Gerri until Gerri and I walked down to the hot springs pool. When I came back and got my camera, the cute monkeys were gone - chased away by a pack of dogs, so I was told. After that there didn't seem to be a lot to do, so I went back to the room and napped a bit before dinner.

Dinner was an anticlimactic affair after yesterday's big hit. I had my left-over pizza and a Bedele beer that was bigger than the St George's alternative. Others got the grilled fish that they thought was just skin and bones. Even though there must have been some satisfactory meals, I don't think anyone was totally satisfied. Nadine and John's local wine was too sweet. Peter argued about his bill with the waitress who seemed the best organized at collecting payment that I have seen yet.

Now it is around 9 pm and I am trying to get down my thoughts and recollections for today's blog while they are fresh and maybe upload some photos - I didn't take that many today - I don't think. Then to bed since tomorrow is the big day with travel onwards from Ethiopia for most everyone. I hate to see my trip to Ethiopia end - especially since I feel that there have been parts I have missed - and opportunities that I have missed to make the most of the trip, but like many trips, this one has begun to wind down and the urge to move on has taken over.