27 Sept 2010 - Ethiopia - Addis Abeba, Awasa, Yavello to Kenya - Moyale

News from Jay on 27 September in Addis Abeba:

Totally by chance I bumped into my old companions the two South Africans I met in Moyale, and we went out and had a few drinks. I leave Addis after breakfast today.

I got bitten to shreds by bed bugs in the highlands. The bedding was filthy, it's just that it took me a few days to realise it was bed bugs and not mosquitos!

His itinerary for the next three days is as follows:

28 Sept - Awasa, Ethiopia

29 Sept - Yavello, Ethiopia

30 Sept - Moyale, Kenya

Moyale is the strategic point at which he will decide exactly how to quote "tackle that damned desert road..." Last time he hired a jeep from Kenya to take him and the bike to save his suspension and tires a grueling bashing.

Awasa, Ethiopia

Yavello, Ethiopia

23 September - Ethiopia - Bahir Dar

News direct from Jay:


Finally got to a halfway decent sized town up here in the Ethiopian highlands. It's called Bahir Dar, it's on the Southern shores of Lake Tana. It's where the Blue Nile starts (it looks very 'brown' up here...even got hippos in it!). Machines are very slow, the cafe's are not too pleasant. I've not really been able to get into the swing of any form of correspondence. Am fairly whacked most evenings after long hard rides, and going to look for these mosquito infested dens is not very appealing. Maybe when I get back to Nairobi, I'll try to put some write up together. 
 
This pm, I bumped into a bit of a legend on the road, coming the other way! A young German fella called Alex. I'd prevously heard of him from other travellers: 5 years and 200,000km on the road, he's finally getting home sick and heading home to Hamburg. We chatted road side amongst corn fields for an hour before we both headed our own ways. I should be in Debre Marco tomorrow night, then Addis the next. After one night there' I'll race south towards the Kenyan border again. Should take 2-3 days to get to Moyale.
 
Trip has great days and difficult days. The highs are normally very high, the lows can be quite low. Still, I enjoy taking the rough with the smooth. It's not been possible to ride with anyone for more than one day as I am travelling quicker than most. still, I bump into travellers every few days up here. 

Jay's route  4-23 September 2010

Blue Nile - Bahir Dar

Village just outside Bahir Dar

21-22 September - Ethiopia - Debark, Simian Mountain National Park and Gondar

Jay's took a day out from the road to trek in the Simian Mountain National Park. 


He made it to Debark after 9 punishing hours of trying to keep the bike upright on rock-mud mountain roads. Quote: "Just to move one inch on the map!" He's currently making his way 'slowly' back towards Addis Abeba.

Debark

Debark

Simian Mountain National Park

Gondar

Gondar

Gondar

18-20 Sept 2010 - Ethiopia - Lalibela, Mek'ele and Aksum

Jay didn't arrive in Lalibela till the 18th, a day later than originally anticipated. He hooked up with two German riders there and rode with them to Mek'ele. The road to Aksum was pretty bad. A lot of steep rocky descents. He visited the Queen of Sheeba Baths, though not to wash, hmm, wondering just how smelly he is right now? Three weeks in those biker pants!

Mek'ele - Google Earth image

Mek'ele

Mek'ele

Aksum

14-17 Sept 2010 - Ethiopia - Addis Abeba, Dessie & Lalibela

Jay arrived in Addis Abeba around the 14th September. Dessie quote "is a real dung heap!", perhaps something to do with the amount of camels? He's heading now for Lalibela, famous for it's rock churches. Having seen the google earth images I think he is going to enjoy this location a little more...

The route so far

Addis Abeba, Ethiopia

Addis Abeba, Ethiopia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Addis Abeba, Ethiopia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dessie, Ethiopia - Google Earth ariel view

Dessie, Ethiopia

Dessie in Ethiopia "is a real dung heap!"

Laliela, Ethiopia - Google ariel view

Lalibela, Ethiopia

Lalibela, Ethiopia - Rock churches

 

08-11 September 2010 - Kenya - Nairobi, Isiola, Marsabit and Moyale

Jay finally hits the road heading for the Kenyan/Ethiopian border. His news so far:

On leaving Nairobi:

Got the bike this afternoon, all is okay. Heading to Isiola, which is North of Nairobi, just past Mount Kenya. It's the final fueling/staging post before the big push to Marsabit National Park in the middle of the desert. Then onto the border town of Moyale. It is going to be a really tough continuous two days slog in an escorted convoy through Northern rebel/bandit country. Taking an over night break in Marsabit. It is the only damn way into Ethiopia!

On heading to Moyale:

Hired a jeep to carry bike across the last 250km; terrible rocky surface was destroying suspension and tires, so early in trip! Also punctures in desert are very bad news!

At Moyale:

Got to Moyale safely last night. Met two South African bikers at the border. Will ride with them towards Addis Abeba, the capital.

Route

Isiola, Kenya

Marsabit, Kenya

Moyale, Kenya