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Are you afraid of the dark? Have you ever imagined what it might be like to be blind? Embrace your fears and check out the Seattle Blind Cafe, or a Blind Cafe event in other cities around the USA and world!
What is the Blind Cafe?
The Blind Cafe is a traveling dinner experience where the participants get to experience blindness, if only for a few hours, and learn more about life of the blind. It’s been to many major cities in the US and the world. They serve vegan and gluten free (except for the bread) meals. The experience costs $95, except there are discounts available if you use Groupon or can’t afford the entry fee.
Spoiler Alert – stop reading if you have plans to visit a Blind Cafe soon and want to be surprised. Read on if you want to find out what goes on inside a Blind Cafe.
Signing Up
I first saw a blind restaurant in the movie “When in Rome”. The concept looked pretty neat but I never came across an opportunity to do it until now… The surprise vegan menu helped relieve some fears… there was no chance I’d find myself chomping on insects or intestines!
Preparing Yourself for the Dark
We arrived at a local banquet hall and were given a waiver that gave up our right to sue the Seattle Blind Cafe if we broke a bone or had emotional distress. We were also given a fact sheet that talks about the organization and strategies to prevent panic in the dark. There was time to sip wine and talk with the other participants. Rosh, the sighted leader of the Blind Cafe, did an introduction and required we turn off all phones and store away our watches so we would have a totally dark experience.
First Impressions
We paired in groups of six and were led, each person with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them, through a PVC pipe and curtain maze to prevent light from entering the banquet hall. I was surprised by how dark it was.
Finding Your Seat
We shuffled our feet as we made our way towards the center of the hall and it felt like it was even getting darker. Then we heard the blind waiter call out “Where’s the next group?” “Here” we cried. “Marco.” “Polo.” He found us in no time and we shuffled our way to the table. He placed our hand on our chair and we felt around to make sure we landed on the seat and not on the floor.
Dinner Time
We felt around on the table in the dark and I located a large bowl, a smaller cup, and a water bottle. Each with lids so we didn’t spill them. We reached further on the table and someone located the brad basket. Another stuck her fingers in the butter. I touched something sticky that turned out to be chocolate covered strawberries. One of my table mates said he didn’t know what he was touching. I joked “Keep your hands above the table.” Another girl mentioned she was feeding herself but wasn’t getting any food and we discovered her spoon was upside down. The waiters later came out with dessert and it was a team effort to get dessert served to everyone. Somehow the chain broke down and one of the desserts just disappeared.
Party Foul
The number one rule was to leave all your lights off but a couple people flashed their cell phones only to be scolded by the whole room.
AMA – Ask Me Anything
My favorite part of the night was when the audience members could ask any question to Rick, the resident blind waiter. He told us loads of info ranging from how technology has changed his life, why he doesn’t have a seeing eye dog, what dating is like, and what he sees in his dreams.
Music
To top off the night, we got to hear 3 original songs by the leader Rosh. He was very insistent that everyone be quiet so we could hear him sing.
Candlelight Exit
At the end, they lit a single candle and our eyes were so adjusted to the light, it took only a single candle for the 100+ participants to make our way to the curtain maze to exit the banquet hall.
Blind Cafe Review
I really liked this experience. The vegan meal was good. The music was nice. But I especially liked the openness of Rick. I was a bit surprised that there weren’t more blind waiters – Rick appeared to be the only one. I’d recommend that anyone try this. I might do it again if it was a different organization/ different people.
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Princess Cruises Cancels Port Disclaimer: Yes, this whole issue screams of “first world problems” but why did Princess Cruises cancel the Apia, Samoa stop on the March 30, 2018 cruise after the final payment date and not provide any compensation to passengers that already booked?
The Evidence
Why was Princess not aware of the Apia port closure? Let’s look at some facts that were discovered with a few minutes of internet search…
Fact #1… look at this post on the Samoa Ports Authority facebook page. It clearly shows that the cruise port would be under construction until June 2018.
Fact #2 Princess Cruises runs this same itinerary every Fall and Spring. The October 2017 also cancelled their Apia stop 45 days before departure so how did Princess not know it was closed? I truly think they should have known Samoa was impossible and changed their itinerary then or at least warned those with reservations and potential buyers that the port was in jeopardy.
Fact #3 Residents and tour operators of Apia were surprised when passengers of our ship were trying to make reservations for cars and tours. Some even called Princess to ask about it, but were told Apia was still on the itinerary.
Fact #4 The major Samoan newspaper reported it would not be finished until June 2018 in this article from November which no longer appears to be available…
If anyone from Princess is reading …Were alternatives considered? Why can’t we tender in Apia? Why did we extend the time in Bora Bora? I know it’s a beautiful place from pictures, but now we’re spending 37 hours there and the longest shore excursion offered is 3 hours long and costs $129.95. My 8 hour tour in Samoa was $30. I’ve also been told that the little town of Bora Bora completely shuts down at 5pm so there’s no use spending the night there.
Another alternative… if the port was in limbo, perhaps disclose this when booking? A simple “Apia, Samoa is under construction until June, 2018. There is a possibility that we will be unable to dock there and we will replace that with an additional date at one of the other port of calls.” I know if I had seen something like this, I never would have booked, nor complained.
Yes, again this is total first world problems but it seems Princess should have done more to avoid this Princess Cruises Cancels Port situation. I know I’m very fortunate to have the time and money to do things like this but I feel like I’m spending much more on a cruise I wouldn’t have selected in the first place if the current itinerary was the one on offer.
Update: Other Problems
I only booked this cruise 1.5 months ago, and only 3 months before cruise departure, but there have been several other incidents showing lack of pre-planning on the part of Princess Cruises:
The order of ports was changed in Hawaii due to “congestion at ports”. Three of the four port days were changed. Fortunately none of these stops were cancelled. This cruise, and others visiting Hawaii have been planned for a couple years, how is it possible that this congestion was only discovered a couple months before departure? This caused passengers to scramble to re-book tours, rental cars, plans with Hawaiian friends, etc.
Those who had pre-booked tours through Princess for Hawaii had all of their tours cancelled, and not automatically re-booked for the correct port days. I’m not sure if this caused people to lose a spot in a now fully booked tour…I hope not.
The Bora Bora stop was previously scheduled for Monday only and tours were available on that day. As of 12 days ago when the Apia port was cancelled, we are now scheduled to be there on Sunday and Monday. Since passengers were booked for tours through the ship and elsewhere for Monday, they started booking activities for Sunday. And now just the last couple days, ALL of the tours have been moved from Monday to Sunday.
Princess is showing a circle Bora Bora tour that stops at the world famous Bloody Mary bar on Sunday. Sorry to tell you Princess, but Bloody Mary’s is CLOSED ON SUNDAYS. Princess, maybe you convinced them to open on Sunday since a ship with 3,000 pax is in town but this seems unlikely with all of the info found online?
NONE of these changes have been communicated very well. Most people are finding out by logging into their booking or from others on Cruise Critic. Princess… why can’t you send a notification e-mail when you change something in a booking?
Those of us booked, and now without ability to cancel without losing 1,000’s of dollars, certainly hope this is the end of the changes. Certainly forced changes due to unforeseen events, such as bad weather, is a given possibility but these changes so close to departure are very disappointing.
Update 2/23/2018
We are now only 5 weeks until cruise date and still things are happening:
Bora Bora tours for everyone were canceled, they popped up again and at least one of them is now $10 more expensive. Multiply this by potentially 100’s of people taking this tour over the 2 day period and Princess is making potentially 1000’s of dollars more.
I found out at least one person got some compensation from Princess for the cancellation of the Samoa Port. Granted it wasn’t a huge value perk but why doesn’t everyone get this? When I called to complain all you offered me was the ability to cancel for the normal cancellation fees.
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Ethiopia isn’t traditionally known for it’s wildlife, but I saw much more than I thought I would see in my 40 days in Ethiopia. This is a pictorial guide to commonly seen Ethiopia Wildlife:
Ethiopian Animals in Southern Ethiopia
South Omo Valley Region:
Dik Diks are small antelopes, with large eyes, that always seem to run in packs of two. We saw these animals all over the Omo region.
Several Species of Guinea fowl can be seen. This is the Vulturine Guinea fowl with it’s unique cobalt blue feathers and black and white striped plumage.
This eagle has a serious mohawk. It was spotted in Mago National Park
Mago National Park does have some large game animals such as Kudu and Water Buffalo, but you must take a safari vehicle to see them. We visited the park primarily to see the Mursi tribe. Click here to learn more about traveling in the Omo Valley.
Arba Minch:
The best way to see aquatic animals and birds in Lake Chamo is to catch a boat ride to the “Crocodile Market” and an Ethiopian Safari. Here you can see crocodiles up to 6 meters in length.
There are lots of birds in Lake Chamo including this Pelican and Fish Eagle. Fish Eagles are similar to American Bald Eagles with their white head and black bodies.
Lake Abaya is the lake northeast of the city of Arba Minch. It’s dirtier than Lake Chamo but is home to many beautiful birds. I saw several types of colorful birds including parrots and kingfisher varieties.
Lake Hawassa is home to a few hippos. The numbers of hippos are dwindling but I was happy to see this baby following it’s mother around. The best way to see them is by boat tour, but I saw a few from the shore on a couple occasions.
There are many lizards that like to swim in front of the Progressive International Hotel. You can sit at the water front and enjoy a meal or drinks and watch the wildlife here.
I did not have time on this trip to get over to the Bale Mountains, but it’s tops on my list if I ever visit Ethiopia again. The Bale Mountains is the best place to view the Ethiopian Wolves.
Ethiopian Animals in Eastern Ethiopia
Harar:
Harar is a charming walled city with cobblestone alleyways with a world unique wildlife experience – feeding wild hyenas. The “Hyena Men” have been feeding them raw meat nightly for many years. When you go to witness this nightly event, you have a chance to feed the hyenas yourself. Hold a short stick in your hands or your teeth and hope they don’t accidentally bite you!
Simiens Mountains National Park is home to many Gelada monkeys. While they look like baboons, they are classified as monkeys. Both the males and the females have bare pink spots on their chests, the the males have a unique mullet “haircut.”
These monkeys are quite accustomed to people. They will continue to eat their body weight in grass as tourists sit among them.
If you are lucky, you might see these antelopes that jump from rock to rock, thus giving their names as klipspringers. We saw three or these cuties.
Described as the more inhospitable place on earth, there was some wildlife in the Danakil Depression. This depression in the earth is one of the hottest and lowest places on earth. A few pairs of Ostriches roamed freely in the Danakil.
I was surprised to see hundreds of butterflies when we stopped by the side of the road to take in the view of the mountainous Danakil Depression.
Spam – the luncheon meat, not the annoying e-mails – is an American Icon. And there is even a museum dedicated to it! Of course it’s called the Spam Museum. It’s located in Austin, Minnesota – the headquarters of Hormel Foods, a Fortune 500 company.
The History of Hormel and Spam
If you ever wondered about the history of Hormel, you can learn about George Hormel’s butchery and how it morphed into the multi-brand company of Hormel under his son Jay. There’s even statues of George and Jay that tell the retirement story of George. Maybe the only historical statues in the world memorializing a retirement announcement?
The World of Spam
See how Spam is used around the world. As a travel blogger I loved these little nooks about how Spam is used in places like Australia, Japan, Philippines, and of course Hawaii. For you trivia buffs: Hawaii has the highest consumption of Spam of any US state.
Spam Can Conveyor Belt
A 390-foot conveyer belt runs overhead in the museum and shop. It contains 20 varieties of Spam – 15 from the USA and 5 international.
Let the Spam Museum send you the other kind of Spam
Use the interactive recipe terminals to send recipes to yourself. If you check the box, Spam will also send you spam e-mails. If you really want to be funny/vindictive make sure you send spam to your friends/enemies.
Selfie Zones
There are a few places to get a fun photo with Spam:
Spammy – the big Spam can with arms and legs. If you travel near the holidays, he’s complete with a giant Santa hat.
Sir Can-a-lot – a cartoon knight and Spam spokesman.
The Spam Can Height Chart. Fun fact: I am 21 and ¾ Spam cans tall.
Farm Themed Indoor Playground
There’s an indoor playground for the little ones. Especially useful on those cold Minnesota days, like the -10 F day I visited in January.
Beat the Clock – Can Spam by Hand
You can assemble your own can of Spam (a plush version of it) and then hit the button to see how many cans the factory produced in the same time.
Free Samples
Supposedly, the museum has free Spam samples but not were seen on my visit.
The Spam Museum Gift Shop
You can pretty much equip your kitchen, office, and closet with Spam gear. There are 100’s of Spam branded stuff – from pens and magnets, to sweatshirts and stuffed animals. Make sure you pick up your own Spam slicer… slices a full can of Spam in one swoop. Or pick up a 12-pack of Spam varieties.
Spam Museum Hours
April – October – Monday-Saturday: 9:00am-6:00pm and Sunday: 11:00am-5:00pm
November – March – Monday-Saturday: 10:00am-5:00pm and Sunday: 12:00am-5:00pm
They are closed on New Year’s Day, Easter,Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.
Spam Museum Review
I love the Spam Museum. I’ve been several times, both at the old and the new locations. Lots of fun and history within. It’s definitely worth a stop if you’re in the area, but it might not dispel any of your Midwestern Stereotypes.
International Spam Museum Location
Austin, Minnesota is about 100 miles south of the Twin Cities. The closest airports are Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) 98 miles away and Rochester (RST) at 35 miles away.
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One of the fastest growing tourist destinations is the out of the world destination of the Danakil Depression in Ethiopia. Now I’ve never tried LSD, but the sites and colors of Danakil are what I’d image Yellowstone might look if someone was on LSD. National Geographic has called it the “cruelest place on earth” but I found it utterly fascinating. The following post contains the details of my 4-Day Danakil Depression Tour, and advice if you want to make a trip to the Danakil Depression.
Day 1
Wasting Time, Nice Views, and Getting Used to the Heat
A rep from ETT picks you up at the hotel and takes you to their offices. It’s a busy place – different people heading out on tours of varying lengths from 2 to 4 days. Each jeep contains a driver, 4 tourists, their gear, water, mattresses, and other supplies. You meet your driver and start to head northeast. Each jeep is numbered, and the jeeps must stay in this order (we were in the lead car for the first 2 days). There’s a stop for coffee and then some photo stops with beautiful scenery before a lunch break for yummy pasta. Ice cold sodas and beer can be purchased at the lunch spot. There’s a little time to walk around the village but it was unbearably hot.
Visiting the Salt Lake at Sunset
You arrive to the campground at Hamedela by mid-afternoon and you pick out a bed frame made from logs and twine. You get back in the jeeps and drive a couple miles to the salt lake of Lake Karum. There is so much to see and photograph – the stunning salt lake, the glowing sunset reflecting in the lake, or the long camel trains carrying out their loads of mined salt. This lake is like Uyuni in Bolivia – the lake is incredibly shallow and it’s only possible to wade in ankle deep water for as far as you can see. After the sunset, you gather with the group to toast the next few days with a drink that’s a combo of Ethiopian wine and Ouzo.
Visiting the Military Bar
After the drinks are gone, it’s time to go back to camp for dinner. The first dinner was yummy soup, followed by a chicken dinner. After dinner, the guides may invite you to go to the bar. The bar is the hangout place for the Ethiopian military that guards this contested area near to Eritrea. There’s a generator so the personnel watch their news and soap operas until the power goes out. You can get warm beers for about $1.
Sleeping out in the Open
Camping this night is out in the open on a thin mattress on a frame. It’s like sleeping in a hammock. This camp is very basic – there are no bathrooms. There are no trees or bushes either so if you have the urge to go, you just need to walk far enough into the desert or try to crouch behind a rock, so you don’t expose yourself. This would be a fantastic place to camp and watch the stars if it wasn’t for the bright lights of the potash processing plant.
Day 2
Dallol
After a hearty breakfast it’s time to get into the jeeps for the drive to Dallol. This area is home to the 6th lowest spot on earth, at -125 meters. The craziest site in Dallol is the colorful mineral deposits at the top of a huge lava mound. You need to take plenty of water because it’s a short hike up the hill with no shade in sight. At the top is the most amazing sight – yellows and greens and very unusual mineral deposits. I could have spent all day here, but soon it is time to see the other sites to see in this area.
Unusual Pools
There are several spots where you can climb on large hills made completely of salt and you can also visit some very unusual pools. One large pool looks like a boiling pond of yellow water. The guide grabbed a handful of the liquid and motioned for me to stick out my hands. He put the warm oily substance in my hand. I wiped the oil all over my skin to spread it out but overheard a couple girls complaining that they couldn’t touch their cameras to take pictures with this mineral substance all over their hands.
Salt Mining
Today you get to visit the salt mines at the edge of the big salt lake you visited yesterday. This in an eye-opening visit. Poles are used to pry big chunks of salt from the earth and then men carve the salt pieces into uniform blocks. An incredible amount of work, in sweltering heat, is required. Sadly, each block is worth only pennies. Arduous work for the animals and the humans.
A Walk to a Waterfall in an Unfriendly City
After a long drive, you arrive in Abala, the biggest town east of Mekele by mid-afternoon. You are instructed to choose a “bed”. That is a mattress on the floor only a few inches from the next mattress. Each room had 6 to 10 mattresses. After time to set up your things, you can join the group for a walk thru town to a small waterfall. The waterfall looked great for a refresh but there was lots of trash and cow manure around. The water was green with algae. We walked back through town, but it wasn’t very friendly – a few people throwing sticks and stones and a crazy guy that threatened to choke several of the tourists in our group.
Sleeping in the Dorms
The best meal of the trip was served this night – a mixture of Indian and Ethiopian foods. Two girls from the store across the street brought a crate of cool beers to sell. It’s a great chance to hang out with the guides and other tourists in the group. After socializing, it’s time to go to bed in your dorm room. Hopefully you don’t have lots of snorers.
Day 3
Another Coffee Break
In the morning, you must wait for the people on the 2-day Volcano tour coming from Mekele to catch up with the convoy. There’s plenty of time to take a shower, eat breakfast, and get coffee somewhere in the town.
Driving to the Volcano Base Camp
Leaving Abala, you are on a paved road for much of the distance. This is the main semi-truck route from the Djibouti ports to Ethiopia. Keep your eyes open to see Afar people in their colorful clothing and jewelry, and wildlife including pairs of Ostriches. Eventually you go off road to a vast sand desert. The sand is very soft here and it’s easy to get stuck. Luckily, the convoy group stays together and there are other jeeps to help the sand bogged vehicles. Eventually you get to a small village of nomads who service the base camp for Erte Ale volcano. The village children will run out to ask for pens and candy. From here it’s a bumpy, uncomfortable, 1.5 hours to drive 8 miles over solid lava flow. At the base camp, there’s time to prepare for the long hike, drink lots of water, and eat one big meal that needs to hold you over until a late breakfast tomorrow. We wait for it to get dark because it’s too hot the hike in the sunshine.
Climbing the Volcano
With little notice, the guide says, “We’re going right now!” The tourists turn in their dinner plate and grab their hiking and sleeping things, and 2 big bottles of water to start the 6-mile hike each way. There is an option to take a camel up the hill for a cost of 700 ETB (about $28). The hike starts in loose sand, eventually you get to flattish lava, and the last section is a moderately steep ascent on lava rock. The lava rock is not real difficult to climb as there are not loose rocks. The difficultly comes with the heat and the constant ascent on a trail in the dark that is not well marked. For this reason, the group must stay together with the guide. As you climb the hill, the glowing red light gets closer and closer. Finally, you reach the camp at the rim. This is a secondary rim that is far enough away from the lava lake to stay safe from the fumes and potential, but rare, lava overflow.
Looking at the Lava Lake
Once all the hikers make it to the top, it is time to hike over to the crater of Erte Ale Volcano. We are told to walk in single file since the dried lava flow is very young – it most recently overflowed in January of 2017. We are also instructed to take a scarf in case the fumes start blowing our way. The guides will try to take us on the safest route to avoid fume and breaking through the new lava floor. The lava is full of air holes, so you will often feel the lava cracking underneath. Then you see it… glowing flowing lava less than 100 feet below the crater rim on which you’re standing. I’ve never seen anything like it. On the other side of the hole, the lava is not liquified, but there is a glowing orange furnace. We watch in awe as the lava flows in one direction and occasionally splashes its glowing molten rock.
Sleeping at the Rim
You return to the campground at the secondary rim around midnight. The campground is separated into “rooms” with walls constructed with lava stones that are stacked approximately 10 inches high. These short stone walls are the only protection from the nightly winds experienced at the top. My friends and I grabbed a room with 4 mattresses. Once again, there are no toilets, so if you need to go you need to find your own rock away from the group. There are a few spare sleeping bags provided by the tour company, but I used my silk sleep sheet and my daypack as a pillow. It is a cold and short night of sleep before the guides wake you up at 5am.
Day 4
The Descent from the Volcano
For the descent you have a choice – if you are a faster hiker, you may have the chance to go back to the crater to see the lava lake at dawn’s first light. If you are a slower hiker, you need to start down the hill before it gets too hot to do so. I was in the slower group, so I started down the hill in the dark. It takes under 3 hours to get back to the base camp, where the drivers are waiting with a splash of water and a bottle of sickly sweet mango drink to restore your energy from the hot hike. After a bit of rest, it’s time for breakfast and then the long drive back across the lava flow and dusty desert.
A Chance to Swim
By noon, you arrive at Lake Afdera. There’s a chance to swim but we didn’t have our swimsuits handy and the water was bathwater warm – not the most refreshing dip on such a sweltering day. We opted to go to the lunch restaurant instead and get an ice-cold beer. After lunch, we say goodbye to all our new friends, as each jeep makes it way back to Mekele on its own time. We had a second flat tire and had to stop in Abala for tire repair, so we didn’t get back to Mekele until after dark.
Logistics and FAQ of visiting Danakil Depression in Ethiopia
Danakil Depression Tour Cost
It is not possible to visit Danakil independently…you must take a tour. There are a handful of tour companies that do the trip in a 3 or 4-day tour. Everyone seems to pay a different price, whether booked from home or booked in Ethiopia, and whether booked directly or through a booking agent. It seems typical Danakil Depression Tour cost is about $300 for the 3-day and $400 for the 4-day tour when booked in Ethiopia, but this might require some negotiation. A few people negotiated less than this. Do not book the tour from your home country – you will overpay!
Danakil Depression Tour 3-Day vs. Danakil Depression Tour 4-Day – Should you do the 3-day or 4-day tour?
The best sites of Danakil are visited on both the 3 and 4-day tour. The 4-day tour is run at a slower pace, with time for slower driving, coffee breaks, and socializing. The main thing cut on the 3-day tour is the night in the dorms, a nice meal, and a chance to use real toilets and have a shower for a night. If you are short on time or money, the 3-day tour is an appropriate choice and you won’t miss anything major.
Danakil Depression Safety
Danakil is extremely close to the border of Eritrea and there have been some kidnappings and killings. For this reason, each group is required to take armed guards to the major sites. When I visited in November 2017, the last incident had been in early 2012. Unfortunately, only a couple weeks after my visit, a German tourist was shot and killed by a bandit. Security has tightened since then, with a requirement for more armed guards, but all groups are continuing tours to this area.
Another aspect of Danakil Depression safety that should be mentioned is prevention of lava cuts. The last lava flow was in early 2017. While the guides say to walk in single file to not fall through the lava, people still venture out on their own and fall into small lava tubes (air holes in the lava). Lava is incredibly sharp, and I met several people with very bad cuts on their legs due to falling in the cooled lava. One of my friends also got a bad cut but he proudly proclaimed, “I fell in a volcano” every time someone asked about his injury.
Best Time to Visit Danakil Depression in Ethiopia
Danakil Depression Weather is hot year round, but it’s especially hot in the northern hemisphere summer. November – February is the best time to visit Danakil Depression.
Notice for Danakil Depression Tour 2018 and beyond:
As of early 2018, the lava has stopped flowing. Visitors are reporting Erte Ale is just smoke and/or a red furnace but no flowing lava. Please check on conditions before traveling to avoid disappointment.
Ethio Travel and Tours Review (ETT Danakil Review)
ETT is the most famous company for doing a Danakil Depression Tour. We really liked our driver and the group guide. As for food, while we got at least one meal of pasta with red sauce every day, there were some excellent meals – especially our first night in the desert and the night in the dorms. And breakfasts were hearty with ample protein (eggs) and fruit. It’s true that our group was big – almost 40 tourists. This had advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are that there were many cool people – so with 40 you’re bound to get along with some of the people. It also felt safer. There’s a patch of desert with soft sand and a couple of the cars got stuck, but the other cars help them get out. If you travel with a smaller group, there’s a greater chance of getting stranded. The main disadvantage was the tendency for some of the group to run ahead to get photos, especially with the camel trains. Most of my photos of camels have other tourists in them. Bottom line: If I ever return to Danakil, I would consider taking ETT again.
Mekele – Gateway to Danakil Depression Tours
Mekele is a city with close to 600,000 residents. The main reason to visit Mekele is to do the Danakil tour. It’s also a place to start tours to the Tigray Churches region and other sites in the far north of Ethiopia. Mekele has a huge market – a suitable place to get tailored Ethiopian dresses and coffee paraphernalia.
I stayed in one of the mid-range hotels of Mekele…the Atse Yohannes. An excellent location near the center of town, it contains the Ethiopia air office. The hotel has wi-fi and included buffet breakfast. Book the Atse Yohannes Hotel at booking.com.
If you stay at Atse Yohannes , make sure you get dinner at the very reasonably priced Bellevue Restaurant right around the corner. Cheap beers and amazing chicken and vegetarian meals.
Moving on from Mekele
If you visit Danakil, make sure you get a chance to visit some of the other sites of Ethiopia.
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Arba Minch, which means “Forty Springs” is a cool college town on your way to Omo Valley. It’s to the west of two lakes, and comprised two sections – a northern and southern town, known as Sikela and Shecha, respectively. It’s worth taking a break and spending at least a day or two in this small city. Whether you want to visit a village, or hang out by the lake, or hit ups some night clubs, use this is a guide to Arba Minch Travel.
Dorze Village
Dorze House
Dorze village is a great example of community based tourism. This tribe builds houses from tree leaves in the shape of an elephant head. You have the opportunity to spin cotton, watch “Dorze Pizza” being made from false banana plant, and see the men weaving. The entrance fee is 300 ETB ($12) per person but this includes dining on the false banana bread with honey and hot sauce and doing as many “schnapps” hard liquor shots as you want. You can get your photo taken in a real cheetah skin and enjoy singing and dancing.
If you like what you see, there are guesthouses – miniature versions of the elephant huts, or stay at the Dorze Lodge (book here). The village can be reached by public transportation but it’s easier to go by private transport. The village is at the top of a mountain northwest of Arba Minch.
Dorze Shots
Word of warning: I couldn’t stop itching after visiting the Dorze Village. When I got back to Arba Minch I discovered a terrible rash – hives – all over my body. It had to be from something I ingested – most likely the false banana. It took 3 days for the hives to totally disappear.
Nechisar National Park
Nechisar National Park takes up all much of the land east of Arba Minch and between the two lakes. It’s possible to do a safari to see larger animals such as zebra, kudu, and Swayne’s Hartebeest. Tours deep into the park require a guide and a 4×4 vehicle. It’s also possible to visit and soak in the springs but the road was too muddy when I visited.
Lake Chamo
Of the two lakes near Arba Minch, Lake Chamo is the blue and clean lake. Here you can take a 2-hour boat tour to the “Crocodile Market” which is home to Nile Crocodiles as long as 6 meters! This spot is also home to hippos, fish eagles, and pelicans. We rode in a power boat and tried to sneak up on some crocs – only to see our boat captain poke a huge croc with an oar and see a big splash! It’s amazing to see how the local fishermen paddle in tiny wooden floats amongst the crocs! You can buy super fresh fish from the fishermen and have it served as sushi when you get back to the dock.
“You’re going to need a bigger boat” Definitely not crocodile-proof boat.
Lake Abaya
Lake Abaya is the brown and dirty lake. The reddish-brown color is due to sediment. This lake isn’t known for tourism but there is a great marshy park next to the lake that’s a great place to hang-out. Sunday afternoon is a popular time to visit and you can chew khat (stimulant drug, in the form of leaves) and have a few drinks. Sunday is also a popular time for weddings. We were lucky to catch a Muslim wedding party before it started to rain. I witnessed the most colorful birds in Ethiopia at this park and had fun catching frogs that may or may not be poisonous.
Discos
There are some great night clubs in the Sikela part of town. My favorite was a cool cultural house just around the corner from the Kairo hotel. A more modern club that plays Ethiopian and international hits is Club One Night near the bus station.
Where I Stayed
For a budget stay, you can stay at Turuye Hotel, a new hotel just 2 blocks west of the Selam bus stop on the main road. This place has private hot showers and a good restaurant. 250 ETB ($10)
If you’d like to go upscale, you can’t beat the view at Paradise Lodge. We made a trip up there for drinks and wifi at the nicest hotel in town. They also run jeep tours to the national park. Support this blog by reserving Paradise Lodge at booking.com.
After spending almost 6 weeks in Ethiopia, I thought it would be fun to share some of the amazing Ethiopian Food and Drink… yes, believe it or not, I drank and ate everything in this post! I may have had a few belly aches, but it was worth it!
Ethiopian Foods
This is the most common meal in Ethiopia. Tibs is a sauteed beef or goat, sometimes cooked with onion, garlic, and peppers. Injera is the large round sour bread made from teff grains flour. It is served with nearly every meal.
You can also get Tibs grilled in a clay pot with hot coals. This is called Shekla Tibs.
There are many lakes in Ethiopia. When you’re near the lakes, you must try the fresh fish.
Orthodox Christian Ethiopians have many fasting days… every Wednesday and Friday and the entire duration of Lent. Fasting means that no eggs, dairy, or meat (other than fish) may be consumed. My favorite fasting food was a mix of vegetarian foods on Injera bread, called Bayenetu.
This was another fasting meal. The one on the left is Tegamino, a thick bean paste with raw garlic and peppers baked in a clay pot. The one on the right is Shiro, a thinner bean paste.
The Hawassa fish market is a great place to get fish fresh from the lake. This meal consists of fried fish, yummy fish soup, and round corn breads. The most amazing food for just a few dollars as the goats circled us looking for scraps.
If you have the stomach for it, you really should try the Ethiopian sushi. fish fresh from the lake, served with crushed chili peppers, garlic, and lime juice.
This is breakfast in Key Afer town… beers and raw meat. I could only stomach a couple bites of raw beef. The raw steaks are cut from the carcass at this butcher shop and restaurant when ordered, so it’s fresh.
My favorite condiment is hot sauce, pronounced Dah-tah. My mini bus stopped at a roadside shop and everyone jumped out to buy some at this one spot. Must have been good! They were also selling raw honey there.
The selection of street food and snacks is great in the eastern city of Harar. This guy was frying donuts in the alley ways of this charming town. The other famous thing to do in Harar is to feed Hyenas by hand.
Occasionally you will get popcorn when you order the famous Ethiopian coffee. If you don’t eat it quick enough, you might lose your chance! This monkey was stealing popcorn in front of the lovely lake in Hawassa, Ethiopia.
Ethiopian Drinks
Coffee is the national drink. The price of a small cup costs from 3 to 10 ETB (11 to 37 cents), depending if they charge you the locals or foreigners price. It’s common to put 2 or 3 spoons of sugar in this small cup. I found it tastes best with 1/2 spoonful.
Juice shops are everywhere! You can get pure juice, or a mixture like this. The lowest layer is strawberry syrup and guava juice, the middle is avocado juice and chocolate syrup, and top is mango juice. This is topped off by squeezing a lime on top and stirring it all together. Juice costs from 18-30 ETB, or 66 cents to $1.10.
The wine industry is growing in Ethiopia’s Rift Valley. There are several brands you can buy. Here we had a bottle of red with our beef Tibs, with a nice view of the lake in Hawassa.
Ethiopians love their beer. There are many brands made all over the country but the oldest and favorite is St. George’s, like this draft I enjoyed by the shore of Lake Hawassa. You can buy draft beers for as low as 12 ETB (44 cents) and bottles for just a few cents more.
Ethiopia is famous for it’s honey wine, or Tej. Especially around Addis Ababa, it’s common to get fake honey wine that contains no honey. This honey wine, purchased in the market in Konso is obviously real… full of bees wax and even a dead bee!
The ethnic tribes in the south of Ethiopia use this Sorghum beer as a food source. We bought this bubbly brew and shared it with the locals in a makeshift bar on market day.
The hardest local liquor I tried was this “schnapps” served at the Dorze village. For 300 ETB (about $12) you can tour their village and they will give you as many shots as you want.
Do you think some of these foods are extreme? You should see the stuff they have at the Beijing Night Market.
Thinking about travel to Ethiopia? Check out all of my Guides to Ethiopia. Consider supporting this blog by reserving your hotels in Ethiopia or anywhere else in the world at my link, at no additional cost to you…booking.com.
What do you think of Ethiopian food? Would you try all of these? Leave your thoughts below.
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Omo Valley Ethiopia is becoming one of the more popular tourist destinations in Ethiopia as hundreds of tourists visit per day. Although the scenery is quite nice, the reason all tourists come is to see the unique tribes that live in southwest Ethiopia – beautiful people with beautiful customs. This is my guide and my verdict on whether you should visit – Omo Valley Ethiopia Travel is NOT for everyone!
Omo Valley Ethiopia Markets
Markets are one of the easiest ways to see the daily life of people from the tribes and the goods that make up their local economy and diet. Many of them walk for many hours to sell their wares, from goats to honey to vegetables. For women, this might be their only chance for social interaction during the week. Expect to see many tourists at these markets and pay from 300 ETB ($12) per group or per person to visit a market. Except the Jinka markets, these markets have curio sections for tourists where you can buy all kinds of handicrafts (carvings, jewelry) as well as items that are used by the tribes such as the small stools used by the shepherds to the thick necklaces that indicate the marriage status of Hamer women.
Dimeka Saturday Market
Hamer women sell butter
Our first stop on our Omo Valley tour. This colorful market is primarily Hamer and Bena tribes. You can buy the clay here to have your hair styled like a Hamer woman… small twisted tails encrusted in red clay. I can only assume they cannot wash their hair and they largely need to stay out of the rain. It’s best to visit this one in the afternoon.
Turmi Monday Market
This market starts around 10 am and is largely attended by the Hamer people. There’s a decent animal market at the same location. Check out the honey sellers.
Key Afer Thursday Market
Bena woman at Key Afer Market
One of the larger markets, and attended by many tribes including Hamer, Bena, and Aari. A large livestock markets is held on the same day in a separate location in town.
Jinka Tuesday Market
Jinka Market
This colorful market was free! It was not so much a market for tribes, but more for the local people of Jinka. We were the only tourists here so we had a mob of children following us around. Good selection of fresh goods, spices, clothing, plastics, pottery. You can get a pottery coffee pot for very cheap here.
Omo Valley Ethiopia Tribes
Each town or homestead in Omo Valley that accepts visitors also charges a fee of 200 – 300 ETB ($8-12) per person for a visit. This often includes a local guide. These fees really add up if you’re visiting a couple tribes per day.
Dasenech Tribe (Omorate town)
Scarification means this warrior has killed an enemy or wild animal
A drive south on a gravel road took us to the town of Omorate, on the Omo River. This town is so close to the border of Kenya, we had to stop in and immigration office for a special permit. We got a ride in a dug-out log canoe to cross the muddy Omo river to visit the first Dasenech tribe.
If I had to live in this tribe, I predict I’d be dead within 24 hours. This was the southmost tribe we visited and the driest area. The huts in this village are densely populated. The townsfolk were building a fence on this day with the men digging and placing large posts and the women carrying large stacks of branches to fill in the fence line. There was no drinking water nearby so it was heartbreaking when some of the villagers were begging for my bottle of water. I gave my half full bottle to one of the men that looked particularly parched.
Aari Tribe
Aari children thrilled by a video on a tablet
The Aari Tribe is centered around Jinka. Unlike some of the other tribes, most of the Aari now wear western clothing. The Aari are known for their crafts. In the village we visited, we had a chance to see injera bread making, liquor distilling, pottery making, and knife firing.
Hamer Tribe
Typical Hamer dress
The Hamer Tribe is centered around Turmi town. The women have amazing hair and wear necklaces that indicate if they are the first or later wives of the polygamous husbands. The men are skinny and surprisingly tall. Their fashion includes tank tops, beaded headbands, a wrap skirt, and shoes made from old truck tires. Both men and women are proud of their scars from whipping or scarification. One of my favorite moments of the trip was drinking honey wine and shots with a Hamer woman in one of the Turmi bars.
Bena Tribe
Making and drinking the coffee shell tea
The Bena people are centered around Key Afer and have similar hair and dress to the Hamer. The women often wear goat skins adorned with shells that are their most prized possessions. Our visit to the Bena consisted of visiting a single family. This family of mother and father and eight children from a baby to teenagers live in a domed hut that’s about the size of my bedroom. The whole family sleeps on the floor on cow hide. They also cook in the same hut, including brewing the coffee shell tea they made for us that we drank out of gourds. One of the interesting features of this tribe involves the teething of babies. A baby is not part of the family until the first teeth come in. If they come in on the top, this is bad luck and the family does not accept the baby. There is an orphanage in the area that accepts them.
Mursi Tribe
Mursi woman and child
This is the place everyone wants to go to see the African lip plate. The Mursi is the most popular and most photographed tribe of Omo Valley. They have the most unusual feature – the adult women have cut their lip so they can fit a large ceramic plate – up to 5 inches (12 cm) in diameter. The origin of this tradition was so that other tribes found them ugly and lost the desire to kidnap the Mursi women.
I didn’t know much about the tribe before visiting them, but learned from our guide afterwards that the Mursi have the reputation of being drunk and harassing visiting tourists. From the moment we stepped out of the car until we drove off, we were mobbed by Mursi people poking and prodding us to pay 5 ETB (20 cents per photo). It was quite an uncomfortable visit… I was glad to get out of there and ended up with fewer photos than I had intended to take. The locals were obsessed with me… many of them aggressively touched my breasts and one woman even wanted to take off my shirt!
The Mursi Tribe is accessed from Jinka city, by entering the Mago National Park, but I DO NOT RECOMMEND VISITING THIS TRIBE. There are other tribes, especially the Dorze, Aari, and Dasenech that are trying to build responsible community tourism… from providing responsible guides, to showing you and letting you try traditional crafts, to sharing music and dance, to letting you sit down with local people and ask questions via an interpreter.
Mago National Park
Birdlife in Mago
A visit to the Mursi Tribe requires entrance to Mago National Park. The fee to visit Mago National Park had risen to 220 ETB ($9) just before our arrival. The park is beautiful but not worth the park admission. Each group must also hire a mandatory scout – an armed guard for its protection, but it’s a bogus fee to employ more Ethiopians. I got a big kick out of our scout drinking our honey wine out of a plastic water bottle! There are a few animals to see it this park including dik diks, baboons, and many types of birds.
Konso Tribe and UNESCO site
“New York City”
We visited two of the smaller villages of the Konso Tribe – Gamole and Gersergiyo. The Konso villages are recognized by UNESCO for their stone buildings and generation poles (a collection of Juniper trees – each tree in a totem represents 18 years).
Gamole had some very nice stone buildings and central meeting houses. Gersergiyo (better known as “New York City”) doesn’t have the stone buildings, but does have some amazing sand pinnacles which reminded me of a small version of Bryce Canyon National Park.
Other Sites in the Omo Valley Ethiopia
Sunset at an Acacia Tree
The quintessential African view is an Acacia tree at sunset. We found a small tree in the middle of nowhere outside Turmi village and waited for the sunset – but our time was cut short when a town official demanded we pay 200 ETB ($8) to visit “the village”. An argument between our guide, driver and this guy ensued, and we won by driving away without payment.
The Greenery & Rain
The Omo Valley is beautiful in October. It did rain almost every day of our trip, but it didn’t affect anything as it mostly rained at night. The result was an extremely green and beautiful landscape, which differs from the dry season with only dead brush and green Acacia trees.
Wildlife
Guinea fowl, the striped variety (there are others with spots)
I was surprised by the high amount of wildlife in the area – amazing birds including two types of guinea fowl, cute dik diks (small antelopes that always run in pairs), monkeys, baboons, and ground squirrels. It was worth keeping an eye on the road to see what kind of wildlife would run by.
The Verdict on Visiting Omo Valley & How to Be a Better Visitor
I am happy I visited Omo Valley because I learned and saw so much but there are some definite negatives to travel in these parts. I had some worry before the trip that the visit might feel a bit like a human zoo and in some ways these worries came true. The people here don’t always like getting their photo taken – especially if you sneak a shot or take from afar – the reactions range from a dirty look to a reprimand to even threatening to throw stones. If someone motions to not take their picture, do NOT take their picture!
If you want to take a close up of someone, expect to pay 5 ETB (20 cents) per person. In one example, there were 8 boys all painted and if you wanted to take their picture, the cost was 40 ETB ($1.50). Some people go for the perfect shot of people but if ultimately you’re making the person mad is it really worth the shot? I’ve decided I don’t like taking photos when the subject is not so willing and it made me sick when I saw others being especially aggressive with their photography. I don’t plan on visiting Omo Valley again for this reason.
Most towns and markets don’t just allow you to walk around. You must pay a visiting fee and also pay for the required guide. Towns and markets are accessible for 200-300 ETB each which really adds up. Some of the fees are per party so it’s cheaper to travel with others. While a fee to visit a town may seem ridiculous, the fees do some good. After the guide is paid, the rest of the fees go to the communities to purchase much needed medicines and other supplies.
The giving of pens and candy is not the best practice. Many children will ask for these but don’t be tempted to provide. This encourages a begging culture and children missing school to get freebies. Bringing school supplies and donating to a teacher at a school is a better idea. He or she can distribute to children in need that attend class. Candy is especially bad because you will see many children with rotten teeth. Even a gift of toothbrushes would be a better idea.
But most importantly, don’t just go and take pictures and leave. It is important to learn about these cultures if you are making a visit. Ask questions. There are lively bars and restaurants when the market is in town. Don’t just go in and take pictures. Go in and buy a round of local sorghum beer and share with your neighbors. Before or after you take your pictures, consider putting your camera away and walk around town and greet people. You will find a warmer welcome and smiling faces.
Logistics of visiting the Omo Valley:
While it is possible to visit many of the Omo Valley Tribes by public transportation, it seems like it is very difficult. We saw very few public buses around the area and they were often full.
Getting to Arba Minch
It is possible to get tours from the capital of Addis Ababa, but to save money, get yourself to Arba Minch – you save a couple days in an expensive rented vehicle and tours seem to be cheaper from Arba Minch. We took the Selam bus from Addis Ababa to Arba Minch. The ride costs just 280 ETB ($11) and goes by beautiful scenery. A cake, water, and Ethiopian videos are included. It takes about 8-9 hours with two stops – a bathroom stop (find your own tree or bush) and a quick lunch stop. An alternative is to fly via Ethiopian airlines for $75+. On your way to Arba Minch by road, you might want to consider a stop at Hawassa, my favorite relaxation town in Ethiopia.
Finding a Guide – Omo Valley Tour Cost
Any hotel can arrange a car, with or without a guide. We were quoted as little as $100 per day for a van. 4x4s are starting at $140 per day. The vans can get to most places in the Omo Valley. The only disadvantage is they are a little slower – we were passed by many a 4×4 in our older Toyota Van.
Alternatively, you can just get a driver or ride the local mini buses as most of the villages provide local guides. This is the cheapest way to visit Omo Valley for backpackers, but I recommend a guide if you can afford it
Where I stayed:
Arba Minch: Turuye Hotel. New Hotel just 2 blocks west of the Selam bus stop on the main road. This place has private hot showers and a good restaurant. 250 ETB ($10)
Turmi: Salem Pension. Very small, basic room with shared squat toilet and cold showers (water hauled by the local ladies so use sparingly). This place houses the local guides and drivers moreso than tourists that stay in some other nearby pensions. 150 ETB ($6)
Jinka: Nardo’s Pension. Large rooms around a great courtyard. Shared bath and cold showers out the back past the small corn field. Decent wifi. 150 ETB ($6)
Key Afer: Sami Pension. A small, cute place with larger rooms and private bath with western toilet on the main road. 250 ETB ($10)
Konso: Faro Family Pension. A small room and shared bath for 150 ETB ($6)
Hawassa, Ethiopia (also spelled Awasa and Hawasa) is the perfect place to relax on a longer trip to Ethiopia, especially when traveling to the Omo Valley. Here are my recommendations for a romantic and/or relaxing Hawassa Travel Trip.
Fish Market
Ethiopian Sushi
The fish market is probably the top visited site in Hawassa. It’s best to go in the morning when the fish is coming in and being sold. If you dare, sit in the restaurant with locals and roaming goats and eat raw fish, fried fish, and fish soup (served in mugs).
Amora Gedel Park
This park entrance is next to the fish market. It costs 50 ETB ($2) to get in. Much of the wildlife you can see at other places around the lake can be seen here.
Progressive International Resort
Swimming Lizard
This resort is a bit run down but a great place to spend a few hours relaxing by the lake to see birds, hippos, monkeys, and swimming lizards. Don’t go in the area to the north east of the grounds – the part covered by a wooden fence.
Cultural House
I didn’t take down the name of this place, but you can eat, drink and listen to live music at a cultural house two blocks south of Tasso Italian Ice Cream. Get ready to have funny lyrics sang in Amharic about you, especially if you don’t tip. When I heard “Farangi” and “Habesha” I knew they were poking fun at me. Go with an Ethiopian who can translate.
Lakeside Bars at Sunset
There are loads of bars with great lake views around the jetty that extends from the main street of town. Very cheap beers and drafts. This is the place to be for sunset. If you order fish, expect the huge Maribou Storks to hang around for handouts. But try not to use the restroom here. It brings to mind 3 word: river of poo.
Boat Trips on the lake
For a small price, you can be taken out on the lake for a short scenic boat trip. If you’re lucky, they will find the hippos.
Safety
Hawassa seemed to be one of the nicest places in Ethiopia… the harassment level was very low. A local friend did say it wasn’t safe to walk in the central of the city in the night with a bag or camera, and take a Bajaj (tuk-tuk) instead. But the area around the Lake View Hotel seemed perfectly safe for a walk of 10 minutes or less – we could walk to restaurants and the Cultural House.
Mother and baby hippos
The Airport
Hawassa may have the strangest airport I have ever visited. It is very far in the country and there are no signs. I really thought I was going to miss my flight from a wild goose chase. But after many minutes on 13 km of dusty road past mule carts and villages, a small airport with a shed for check-in and waiting. But construction continues on a modern terminal.
Where I stayed:
Lake View Hotel balcony visitor
Lake View Hotel. I cannot recommend this place enough…my favorite hotel in Ethiopia. 650 ETB ($25) per night includes a super clean huge room, king size bed, satellite TV, adequate wi-fi, great bath products, and one of the nicest showers I’ve ever seen. They have a good restaurant with reasonable prices and will do room service too. There is no elevator so consider this if getting a room on the 2nd or 3rd floor. Room 305 has the best view…above the acacia tree and no palm trees blocking the view. We saw (and fed bananas) to two kinds of monkeys and saw many birds and a couple hippos from the balcony. It was great to sit on the balcony and watch the lake while sipping on wine and beer. They seem to be busy every night so I recommend reservations. There is no elevator so consider this if getting a room on the 2nd or 3rd floor.
Spam – the luncheon meat, not the annoying e-mails – is an American Icon. And there is even a museum dedicated to it! Of course it’s called the Spam Museum. It’s located in Austin, Minnesota – the headquarters of Hormel Foods, a Fortune 500 company.
If you ever wondered about the history of Hormel, you can learn about George Hormel’s butchery and how it morphed into the multi-brand company of Hormel under his son Jay. There’s even statues of George and Jay that tell the retirement story of George. Maybe the only historical statues in the world memorializing a retirement announcement?
See how Spam is used around the world. As a travel blogger I loved these little nooks about how Spam is used in places like Australia, Japan, 
Use the interactive recipe terminals to send recipes to yourself. If you check the box, Spam will also send you spam e-mails. If you really want to be funny/vindictive make sure you send spam to your friends/enemies.
There are a few places to get a fun photo with Spam:
You can assemble your own can of Spam (a plush version of it) and then hit the button to see how many cans the factory produced in the same time.
You can pretty much equip your kitchen, office, and closet with Spam gear. There are 100’s of Spam branded stuff – from pens and magnets, to sweatshirts and stuffed animals. Make sure you pick up your own Spam slicer… slices a full can of Spam in one swoop. Or pick up a 12-pack of Spam varieties.
Of the two lakes near Arba Minch, Lake Chamo is the blue and clean lake. Here you can take a 2-hour boat tour to the “Crocodile Market” which is home to Nile Crocodiles as long as 6 meters! This spot is also home to hippos, fish eagles, and pelicans. We rode in a power boat and tried to sneak up on some crocs – only to see our boat captain poke a huge croc with an oar and see a big splash! It’s amazing to see how the local fishermen paddle in tiny wooden floats amongst the crocs! You can buy super fresh fish from the fishermen and have it served as sushi when you get back to the dock.
Lake Abaya is the brown and dirty lake. The reddish-brown color is due to sediment. This lake isn’t known for tourism but there is a great marshy park next to the lake that’s a great place to hang-out. Sunday afternoon is a popular time to visit and you can chew khat (stimulant drug, in the form of leaves) and have a few drinks. Sunday is also a popular time for weddings. We were lucky to catch a Muslim wedding party before it started to rain. I witnessed the most colorful birds in Ethiopia at this park and had fun catching frogs that may or may not be poisonous.
This market starts around 10 am and is largely attended by the Hamer people. There’s a decent animal market at the same location. Check out the honey sellers.
The quintessential African view is an Acacia tree at sunset. We found a small tree in the middle of nowhere outside Turmi village and waited for the sunset – but our time was cut short when a town official demanded we pay 200 ETB ($8) to visit “the village”. An argument between our guide, driver and this guy ensued, and we won by driving away without payment.
I am happy I visited Omo Valley because I learned and saw so much but there are some definite negatives to travel in these parts. I had some worry before the trip that the visit might feel a bit like a human zoo and in some ways these worries came true. The people here don’t always like getting their photo taken – especially if you sneak a shot or take from afar – the reactions range from a dirty look to a reprimand to even threatening to throw stones. If someone motions to not take their picture, do NOT take their picture!
There are loads of bars with great lake views around the jetty that extends from the main street of town. Very cheap beers and drafts. This is the place to be for sunset. If you order fish, expect the huge Maribou Storks to hang around for handouts. But try not to use the restroom here. It brings to mind 3 word: river of poo.
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