Lalibela is our next destination. The animals and humans have not yet adapted to the higher speeds on tar, therefore, extreme care is necessary while driving.

In the mountainous hinterland beyond Adigrat Bine and Bodo want to visit a rock monastery. Picturesque it is on the edge. As we can see the wooden stairs structure, we do not want to climb up any more but Bodo and Bine give it a try.

From here our route runs just to the south, we want to get to Lalibela, but until there it is still two days to drive.

We find a place to sleep beside the road and quite a few children are here to observe us. My wife asks them a lot of questions which the boys do not like and they are leaving, which ensured a good night.

After the obligatory cup of coffee in the morning, we travel on.

The last 30 kilometers before Lalibela, we are already tired of the corrugated road and increase our speed to 70km/h because you do not feel the pumps at that speed and sail over the pumps but you have little control over the vehicle. Conclusion: I can hear our bearings.

The churches of Lalibela are a highlight of our tour through Ethiopia.

They belong to the last rock-hewn churches built in the 12th Century. These churches are rectangular layout, as opposed to churches built round the 16th Century. However, each of the 11 churches has its own character. King Lalibela had built the church into the red tuff, so the legend says. Angels have continued to be built them at night and accomplished so double the work performance.

More realistic is, that they had been built under several kings, among whom was a King Lalibela. It is still not entirely clear why there is this unique concentration of various rock buildings. Lalibela is a symbolic representation of Jerusalem. There is a place Golgotha​​, a grave of Adam, and a grave of Jesus.

Although a fee must be paid for the entrance, Lalibela is not a museum but an active faith center, there are still active services held in front of believers and they speak their prayers and religious songs.

Unfortunately, this also is the place where we separate from Bine and Bodo after two months of traveling together. Bodo and Bine go a different route, it takes us to Bahir Dar on Lake Tana.

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The fallen stela was already broken at the time of its construction. Stelae are markers of tombs. Over time they have developed into high-rise buildings decorated with entrance door and floors, similar to the houses as they are found in Yemen.

The major Aksum monuments in the town are the steles, which can be seen already from the distance. These obelisks date back 1,700 years and are for sure the identity of the Ethiopians. The bigger site is the Northern Stelae Parkwith the Great Stele reaching 33 metres in the heights and it is said that it has fallen and broken already during construction.  The Obelisk of Axum was robbed by the Italian army in 1937, and returned to Ethiopia in 2005 and reerected in 2008.  The 2nd tallest is the King Ezana’s Stele with 24 metres in height. Three other stelae are 18.2 m, 15.8 m and 15.3 m (50 ft) high. The stelae mark graves The Gudit Stelae to the west of town, unlike the northern area, are interspersed with mostly 4th century tombs.

We are more interested in the carts with the yellow and red tanks. They transport water from the river or pond, because there is no running water in the houses of Axum.

We leave Axum north from here there is brand new tarmac and it is a pleasure to glide through the beautiful landscape.

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The Ethiopian highlands are of rugged beauty, sparsely populated, averaging over 2,000 meters above sea level. Only a few roads go from north to south, little traffic, therefore gravel roads, only maintained rarely.

Ethiopia spends little money for infrastructure, mountain roads are expensive to maintain and build. We move forward slowly. We are heavily loaden, have spare diesel on board, and the slopes are difficult. For hours we meet no other vehicle.

We enjoy the scenery, enjoy the deep gorges and forget the effort it takes to travel here.

We are exhausted and take a coffee break. The entire transportation of goods to the north runs through this route. Truck drivers know the route and need two days from Gondar to Axum. We will take us four days.

There are only a few villages in the north. The farmers live in scattered huts and plough the barren ground. They plant corn and other crops and keep cattle, but more frequently goats.

The northern highland is divided into broad plateaus characterized by table mountains and deep valleys. While the population in Europe has settled in highland valleys, here they inhabit the high plateaus. The valleys divide the land and prevent communication in many places. The valley sections north of Gondar are the borders between the provinces Begemder, Tigray and Simien.

As soon as we stop at the roadside, out of nowhere numerous children appear. They are usually shy at first, but curiosity wins and they get closer. Bodo shares his snack. The heads of the girls and boys are shaved to prevent lice and fleas, probably. Traditionally they wear floor-length dresses.

The red earth is for us like hell, because the fine dust gets in our vehicles and covers everything with a thick layer. It is already late afternoon and we are tired. We begin to look for a place to stay. The road winds down to the river Tekezze where we want to set up our camp.

Early morning we scare up a camel, which can not decide which side it prefers to escape.

In a bigger village we find ourselves in a procession. It could be a national or religious holiday. We do not know, but the colorful umbrellas are beautiful to look at.

A detour. Road construction is in full process across the country. Above all, China is building the roads, in return for economic impact and the hedging of future markets for Chinese goods.

After some time we reach Axum and take a look at the columns.

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Soon after Gondar begins one of the most breathtaking areas of Ethiopia. The area is becoming increasingly inhospitable and rough, the villages poorer, the Ethiopian roads worse. We have heard a lot about the North, boundless poverty coupled with wonderful scenery, friendly people, but also robberies and bandits, it is controversial – the North, only a few people travel to the provinces of Gondar, Wollo and Tigray. In the media we often hear from the crisis-hidden region of Tigray. Why do we want to go there, we do not know, is it adventure, is it curiosity, anyway we are already on the road, some 400 km of rocky roads ahead of us, we will have to camp in the bush, because there is no accommodation or camping.

We leave a last outpost of civilization to the Ethiopian Highlands. From now on, we will not see any settlement for days because of the bad road we reach an average speed of 12 km per hour, daily maximum 100 km, then you fall dead into the bed of the camper. We have a squeaking noise at the vehicle. Will we get into a bigger problem? Shock absorbers, wheel bearings, or even a transmission or engine mount? We do not know. There is no return, so we go on. Maybe we can locate the sound and fix the damage in Axum.

We get a lot of dust. The dust is pulled into the car through the back door, everything is covered with a finger-thick layer of dust. Before the night the car must be properly cleaned. The road always takes its tribute. Again we see trucks on their sides. Axles or lack of concentration could be the cause.

The day is coming to an end, we will soon have to find a safe place for the night to continue further on in the morning.

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The next morning we leave Tim and Kim Village and heading back on the gravel road. Roads are often washed away and you have to dodge around the area, this time we just have to pass a dry river bed.

In the early afternoon we reach Gondar, the historic royal city. First, we visit the palace district, the so-called Gemp. The plant was started in 1630 and over the years more buildings have been added to construction. The whole district includes 7,000 square meters and is surrounded by an enclosure wall with 12 gates. No buildings are alike.

The best preserved is the palace of Fasilides, it is the oldest on the site and is the symbol of Gondar. A legend says that an old man had advised the Emperor to build, instead of a pond, his palace here. First he had built four towers, one for himself, one for his wife, one for audiences, and the court.

The space in between was roofed over later for banquets. The Palace has almost square floor plan of 25 x 25 meters. The interiors are still used for official events occasionally. From the palace you have a good look at the archive. This two-story building with corner tower is now a ruin.

In the yellow plaster building is the library of the Emperor John. The upper floor is reached by a staircase. Today the management of the Gemp is housed here. Emperor Dawit III had built later this singer hall.

At the very end of the complex there is the Palace of Mentewab. The Empress built the palace in a trench, the upper floor is accessed via a bridge. The turret is to be construed more as an ornament than as a defensive tower. Door and window frames are divided beautiful. The palace now houses the town library of Gondar.

Ethiopia is famous for its churches and monasteries. We visit the monastery of Debre Berhan Selassie. One enters the plant, which is surrounded by a wall through a gatehouse with tower. The Monastery was built in 1700 and consecrated the same year. Into the perimeter wall towers and apartments are built for the monks. According to legend, it was not only the strong wall that saved the monastery in 1888 from the onslaught of the Mahdists. A swarm of bees attacked the assailants, who then fled from the monastery.

The church itself is built in an odd shape. The long rectangular building copies the form of a basilica in Axum, dealing with pillars, as the rock church Medhane Alem in Lalibela.

On the ceiling winged heads of angels are painted, with the big eyes, typical of the style of Gondar. The wall paintings are among the finest in Ethiopia. Today’s paintings have been restored during the 19th century. On the walls there are almost all aspects of Ethiopia’s religious paintings represented.

We drive on to the bath of the Fasilides. The unique water tower stands in a garden overgrown with large trees. On site is a pool of 70 by 40 meters, in which the castle is built. The pool is for reasons of preservation not filled with water all year round. Just for Timkat celebration, the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus, is it filled with a water pipe from the river. After people had spent the night in prayer, the Bishop of Gondar inaugurates the water by dipping his cross, which is the sign for the children to jump into the sacred waters of the basin. A wooden cross is allowed to float on the water, from the direction in which it floats, the priest read the future.

We are tired of culture by now, we want to explore the more remote parts of Ethiopia, especially the northern parts around Axum. Early morning we leave our guest house. We could park and camp in the courtyard, a little cramped, but definitely with a flair.

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Soon the paved road goes over into a gravel road. But it is in good condition and we can drive comfortably with 60 km / h.

After about an hour we reach Gorgora, from here it is about half an hour to Tim and Kim Village at Lake Tana. People at the roadside marvel, not often foreign vehicles come along here. We will see later in other parts of Africa that children sometimes run away in panic at the sight of white people. We later learned that here in Africa the white man is the one who steals the children, of course, not the black man like in Europe. Here the whites are the evil.

In the last village before Tim and Kim Village we come to a halt. The truck of Bodo and Bine is wide and high, and have problems with the low-hanging power lines. Because we are smaller and lighter and the road is uncertain, we drive ahead to see how the road condition is. The road is bad, but not impassable, we pass this information on by radio to our friends. And suddenly there in front of us, Lake Tana, the largest lake in Ethiopia. It is situated 1860 meters above sea level with a depth of 72 meters.

We drive to the camping area directly situated on the banks and are amazed that we again see the Dutch couple we had met months earlier in Cairo. Unfortunately, they continue on the same day. We have an idyllic spot overlooking the lake and want to relax for a few days, the last days we spent many hours in our vehicles.

Kim and Tim Village is a relief project, which goes back to a Dutch donor group. The goal is to build a lodge with a campsite in a few years and pass it on upon completion to a local manager. Tim and Kim build everything themselves, they only have a few helpers and work hard from morning to night. They are also far from civilization, thus exposed to many diseases and had been some serious attacks of malaria.

Schistosomiasis is apparently not existent in this part of Lake Tana, and so we use the water from the lake for washing and cooking. We enjoy the peace and tranquility at the lake and the beautiful landscape. Lake Tana is a paradise for ornithologists. There are countless species of birds, some only exist here at the lake.

Patient and disciplined people are waiting for the start of the distribution. The tension is high, the goods are spread out, and one can even munch on what pieces you can get hold of.

Tim manages the distribution, because he knows the residents of the village and tries to distribute balanced. Finally everyone should get its share and not one person all of the things. He also makes sure that everyone gets only those things he can also really need. Of course, it is difficult to prevent, that one or the other piece is finally sold on the black market, which however should not happen. On the other hand, if a shirt is exchanged or sold for something else, which is perhaps more urgently needed , the clothes donation meets its purpose, as long as no alcohol or drugs are purchased.

Of course there is juice and cake, a nice gesture of the two Dutchmen, because thus it is a meeting among friends and no relief distribution, the two really organized with sensitivity.

The distribution of Western goods is always problematic, in general the issue of development aid is controversy. We discuss on this subject many evenings and there appear some questions to be answered with great difficulty. Is it a disturbance for the culture of the people here, will they still produce their traditional clothing, does it create a dependency from the West,does it encourage begging, are people really in need or are they just in need within the meaning of Western thought, is one in need if there is no satellite dish on thatched roof? All difficult questions and we have seen, unfortunately, just a lot of abuse in Ethiopia from relief organisation, expensive land cruiser rushing down the roads, the sign of charity at the door, ultimately, everybody must decide for itself, how he deals with these things.

In any case, the action was much joy and we sort out our thoughts and our pictures, because we will head to Gondar, a city with much history.

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Our first Ethiopia impressions are mixed. Gallabat consists only of a few mud huts, and the customs officials sitting in a mud hut as well.

We have heard a lot about Ethiopia from other travelers. Apparently a lot of people gather around a vehicle as soon as it stops. Some have also said that they were really harassed. Forewarned, we depart from the main road out of sight and find a good place for the night, it promises a peaceful night.

In such situations, Tara is a big help. Most Africans and Arabs fear dogs, especially black dogs and therefore we had always been lucky at the borders, because the officers avoid to search the car if possible, because Tara does not tolerate strangers in the car. But officers have a rather easy going way, passports stamped, carnet stamped, although none is required for Ethiopia, but here they like stamps, not a single look into the car, unimaginable.

The night was really quiet, just in the evening two shepherds guided their animals home, they greeted us and did not else take notice of us.

The road to Gondar is in good condition, but we do not drive to Gondar, but first turn off into a gravel road to Lake Tana. There, Tim and Kim, two Dutch, have started a relief project.

Slowly, the road climbs up into the mountains. Time passes and again we drive through roadside villages and every time there are a lot of people on the road.

Everywhere in the country highways are improved at the moment. The building of fresh tarmac of the main routes is progressing rapidly. Built by Chinese companies, of course, they want economic influence in the country.

The road villages are always created equally, simple mud huts with tin roofs, the modernized form of round huts with thatched roof, it is our first Ethiopia impressions.

We enjoy the ride through this beautiful country, we imagined quite differently.

Commuter transit is carried out, as in the rest of Africa, by small mini buses for 9 to 15 people registered. The road winds uphill more steeply. Ethiopia is generally situated at very high altitude , we will cross passes, which are above 3000 meters and our vehicles will fight rather heavily due to the thin air of the mountains. At the top, we stop and enjoy the view. Here true Africa starts, savanna-like landscape in hilly areas.

It is extremely dry here, everything is dried up, apparently it has not rained for a long time. Bine is enthusiastic and shoots photo by photo. Bodo also loves photography. They are both very committed and make really good pictures. We enjoy the time with them and have loads of fun.

A heavy truck crawls up the street. At road construction in this rocky terrain no regard is taken to the steepness of a road, unlike in Europe, as in Western countries they build more tunnels and bridges, which would be far too expensive here and here you have time anyway, the only thing the Africans have plenty of.

Soon we reach the first really large city. I urgently need a Sim card for the phone, here we will try our luck. You learn from faults a proverb says. As we had a lot of problems with our car in Tunisia we had to call several times to Europe, we ended up with a phone bill of 1000 €. Since we always use SIM cards from the respective countries, our phone costs have fallen dramatically. So we hope to get an Ethiopian SIM card here. We look for the post office, there should be cards available. Found! Stopping left at the side and try our luck. Sorry, no! In Ethiopia, one needs a passport, that is not the problem, 2 photographs, no problem, submit a request and after 6 weeks you get the SIM card sent to you, then you have to buy phone credits and load to your mobile phone. Just one problem, we can not wait for six weeks, perhaps there is a different solution.

In the meantime, Tara has displaced my wife from the front passenger seat and enjoys the scenery. She likes to sit in the passenger seat, in Western countries it is strictly prohibited. Here, nobody cares, the people are more than surprised or laugh when they see a dog in the passenger seat. The best she likes, when animals cross the road, which she finds really exciting.

In Ethiopia, more than anywhere else you have the impression that the road is built for pedestrian traffic, tons of people are on the road. About 77 million people live in Ethiopia, of which 43% are under 15, the age of 65 is reached only by 3%. From 1994 to 2007 the population rose from 49 million to 77 million. The average life expectancy is 48 years, per 1000 live – there are 110 stillbirths.

In Azezo we turn towards Gorgora on Lake Tana. So far our first Ethiopia impressions.

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Gedaref is the last town before the border. From Khartoum we head towards Ethiopia. Soon after Khartoum Africa is changing and there appear the first round thatched huts as they are so typical for black Africa.

Since there are no campsites and we do not make it up before dark to the border, we are looking for a place away from the road in the bush. Bush camping is no problem in Sudan, the people are very friendly and you can sleep undisturbed.

Early in the morning we go on, if all goes well and the roads are good, we are crossing the border into Ethiopia today.

Bine reports on the radio that their last Sudanese pounds have to be exchanged. Gedaref is the last major town before the Ethiopian border, there is also a bank. We have to look for it.

We stop in a side street and wait for Bine. Gedaref is for Sudanese conditions, a larger city. It is the center for the agricultural hinterland, Sorghum and sesame is cultivated here. Even cattle breeding is done in the region, especially by nomadic Arabs.

With the donkey cart, the grain is brought into the city to the many mills that contribute as a small craft on the urban economy.

Soon all shopping is done and we move on. A strange-looking landscape accompanied us. There is little traffic, people and domestic animals are the most common road users in this part of Sudan.

Although peace reigns at the moment, it there has been disturbances again and again. Reasons are lack of political representation of communities in the national government and a low investment in the development of Eastern Sudan.

Animals have right of way, as everywhere in Africa, they are after all, the livelihood of the people here, an animal run over is a worse offense than to hurt or to kill a man – common in all of Africa.

Patiently we wait until the herd is crossing the road. From a caretaker is no trace.

Suddenly we discover the boy, who should take care of the camel herd. He must have forgotten that his animals are crossing the streets. The boy is maybe 8 to 10 years and has a responsible job. Spontaneously, the term child labor comes into our mind. But this concept is one of the western world. Child labor is not a concept for the Sudanese. They have a different view of the world, other necessities, children simply grow up in the family. Slowly they are growing up with the tasks and I get the impression that they are not so unhappy. Reading and writing most of them learn in the Islamic school.

In brisk drive we approach the border. Already early in the afternoon we crossed the border and found a place to sleep on the Ethiopian side of the border.

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We plan to see the whirling dervish. But before I once again want to know it and decide to have my hair cut.

Hassan brings us to the hairdresser. A few minutes later, I regret my decision, but now there is no escape. And the barber already comes to the point. I wanted as usual hair washing and cutting, but seemingly washing is not done here. Hassan and Bine are amused and curiously observe what is happening here with me. So far everything still seems to happen normally. With an electric shaver, the hair is cut, not measured but by feeling. I discover another customer. I really do not want to look like him, but about the style of the hair we have not previously spoken. I sincerely hope the barber had ever foreign customers. Although unlikely, because the store is outside the city center. The thing takes shape, seems to be not so bad. Then it gets really bad. With a shiny razor blade the edges of the hair are trimmed. I’m afraid. Can he handle the blade,will he cut inside me, how many times he has already used this blade, there are many diseases in Africa. I try to keep still and not flinch. Through the mirror I see a different client. He receives the default hairstyle, all hair cut to baldness. With this style they have experience, but with my hair?

Suddenly I get some substance smeared into my face. What is this! A face peeling. I did not order, could be expensive. I count our cash holdings in the head.

Now it must rest for a while, then the procedures is repeated. I sit helplessly in the chair and have to wait. Then all that stuff is rubbed off my face like a scratch card. Does not feel so bad. I am envied by Bine and Alexandra, Hassan remains skeptical. Now I get another substance into my face. The hairdresser massages and rubs pretty wild. Where I’m gone? Only now is the turn of hair washing and the substance is washed from my face, a strange approach.

Still rubbed dry and finished is the whole bag of tricks. I’m not sure if I should laugh or cry, all the others laugh, so I do the same, and take the result on the bright side, pay about 5 € and it is good. Freshly styled, we go to the dance of the whirling dervish.

The ceremony has already begun, a preacher speaks to people and is waiting for the approval of the crowd.

The whole takes place in Omdurman at the Tomb of Sheikh Hamed al Nil, a Sufi leader of the 19th century. Every Friday afternoon, members of the Sufis meet, to hold the religious ceremony. Around the Preacher already some men start to prepare for the ritual. They sing and beat the drum. Outside the grave a great square was created for the dancers. The songs start slowly and increase gradually. The purpose of the ritual is to recite the name of God and with his assistance to fall to an ecstatic state in which the heart can communicate directly with God. Then there is a short pause and the Sufi form up to march to the grave.

Once the green flag is raised, the actual ritual starts. While they march, they sing continually La illallah illallah “which translated means “there is no God but Allah”. It is the first line of the Muslim faith book. Other believers who first waited on the edge, join. The Sufis are often described as dancing dervishes, which is actually a misnomer. For the ritual consists mainly of marching in a circle, sing and clap their hands. Only occasionally individual Sufis break out, turn around their own axis in a trance, to find a personal path to God.

The central idea of Sufism is to find a personal path to God, which differs fundamentally from the orthodox Muslim prayer ritual. The Sufis organize themselves in order or brotherhoods, headed by a charismatic leader or sheikh.

The most common Brotherhood in Sudan is one, which was founded in the 12th century in Baghdad and taken from there to the Sudan.

The ritual reaches its peak, to be recognized, for the increasingly loud chants and movements become faster and faster.

Even a while we watch the Sufis in their religious ceremony. Tomorrow we will leave Khartoum and head towards the Ethiopian border.

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With Hassan, we visit Khartoum sights and first drive to Omdurman to the Tomb of the Mahdi.

Just five months after his victory over Khartoum, the Mahdi died after a brief illness in 1885. The tomb with a silver dome was built to honor him. It became a real pilgrimage for all Sudanese, which replaces the pilgrimage to Mecca. After the British had recaptured Khartoum, they blew up the monument in the air to destroy the pilgrimage. The nephew of General Gordon did the job, and scattered the ashes of the Mahdi in the Nile. Lord Kitchener wanted the head of the Mahdi as a pencil stand, however, took distance from this, now the head is buried in Wadi Halfa. An exact replica of the tomb was built in 1947 again.

The tomb can be entered by non-Muslims, but women must cover their hair.

Hassan drives us to the souk of Omdurman. He is waiting in the taxi. The souk is the largest in the Sudan. The main section consists of many narrow streets with shops and stalls. The buildings are very old, but the sounds, the smell and the different dialects make up the charm of the souks.

We stroll relaxed through the streets, as Khartoum is regarded as the safest capital in Africa. The people are very friendly here, they of course want to sell something.

On a corner shoes are offered ,at a different corner spices. All this is available in the souk. There are not only crowds of people in the bazaar, but also traffic jam. Motor rickshaws fight with cars to the right of way. A really lively mess.

With Hassan’s taxi we torture ourselves out through heavy traffic to the periphery, where there should be a camel market.

The traffic is unusual by Western standards and we are glad that we have left our car in the Blue Nile Sailing Club, our camping site.

The camel market does not meet our expectations. It is said to be the largest in Sudan, but we see only a handful of animals. The province of Darfur is the center of camel breeding in the Sudan and most of the animals that are offered for sale, comes from this region. Most camels are destined for the Egyptian market as meat suppliers, a small portion is delivered to the Gulf states as racing camels.

We talk to a group of traders. Hassan translates. Of course, we are an attraction here when do Europeans come to the camel market. Our women are naturally admired. Timid, cautious approach to a foreign culture. Proudly they show us the animals. Normally you have to pay the bride price for marriage in camels. But we do not get an offer. We do not know whether these animals have already been sold, or whether a buyer is sought.

The camels like the fresh green grass. We take photos and they want money, for food of course. We make a donation and leave.

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