On a new bridge we cross over the Blue Nile and make the break after the bridge to enjoy the view of the Nile.
The Blue Nile rises in the highlands of Ethiopia and during the rainy season from August to September delivers 68% of the Nile water. End of August the flood reaches Aswan and late September Cairo. During this period the White Nile, which originates in central Africa, provides very little water.
We have reached Addis Ababa, where we check in at Wim’s Holland House at the campsite. Wim is a popular meeting place for Overlanders and we also meet other long-distance travelers.
Like Michel and Laurence with their Land Rover, they are from Switzerland and started months earlier.
Wim is Dutch, and his wife Ethiopian, and together they run the restaurant and campground.
New are the two German motorcyclists Wolfgang and Sibille, who started with their motor bikes in Germany and go to Cape Town.
Addis Ababa is a loud city and construction sites are everywhere. Interesting is how they build it.
Lots of sellers try to find their luck and income in the streets of Addis Ababa. Also vegetables are sold in the streets in an unusual way.
Because we recognized that we will not make the trip to Cape Town in the scheduled time, my wife Alexandra reluctantly quit her job in Austria. Now we are free and no longer have the pressure, to be somewhere at a certain time. We drive to Lake Langano.
The weather gets dramatically worse, but we enjoy the ride anyway, because there are so many things to see along the road and now that we have time, we decide not to be stressed because of the weather.
At Lake Langano we make a stop. Swimming in the lake is due to the high ash content, absolutely safe, there is no risk of schistosomiasis, and the water is really pink and feels very soapy.
Here we stay for a few days and relax. Alexandra uses the soapy water for washing clothes.