The country of contrasts
As I may have said before … Ethiopia is amazing! It is probably the most beautiful country in the world – going by my opinion and several other persons on our trip, that have traveled quite considerably.
The beauty and general friendliness of the country is contrasted – and possibly tarnished – by the extreme crowding, persistent badgering and noticeable poverty.
The countryside varies from near desert aridness, through savannahs and typical Kruger Park vegetation to lush, thick, green jungle in the higher altitudes. The greater part of the population crowds into the cooler, lush areas where one easily finds water, fresh fruit and vegetables. The lower areas are by no means lacking water and fruit/vegetables … but it is not as frequently displayed on ones journey thru the countryside. The notion of famine and starvation due to drought is definitely wrong. The country is very fertile and water sufficient. The problems lie in the poor infrastructure, overcrowding and poverty evident everywhere.
ethiopia
Half the population is currently sixteen years and younger! The culture also expects that every person duplicates/replicates themselves … and that means not just once. They are definitely sitting on one major time bomb … with little time left. The greater problem here is that the culture is one of reproduction and family growth which cannot be changed easily due to the level of literacy, education and the availability of radio or TV publicity in the rural areas. There are many billboards and posters about AIDS and safe sex – but none about family planning or similar (at least not what we could see or read).
The overcrowding, lack of schooling, huge numbers of children and definitely a lack of communication between locals and tourists has resulted in immense numbers of children (and adults) readily available on the sides of the road to badger us as we speed or coast along. The problem of the badgering children has sparked many a debates in our campsites … from those saying they are “animals”, “vicious”, etc to those of us that can understand their (the children’s) frustrations and annoyance and therefore behave the way they do.
Another contrast is the widespread poverty and begging … contrasted to Egypt and Sudan, where we didn’t see much begging or disabled people on the road and in the villages. The (blatant) begging here (Ethiopia) seems to be isolated more specifically to young children badgering and screaming for Bir (local currency) as we come by and to the real elderly and disabled who seem to be in real need and desperation for the few Cents they can scrape together from anyone around.
kids & cows
Although I do admit I’m quite glad to be leaving Ethiopia at this stage … both looking forward to a new country and experiences, as well as a bit of peace and quite while cycling along … I will honestly say that it is a country that has to be visited – and I didn’t even get to see so many of the truly beautiful and memorable temples, etc. The poverty, begging, badgering kids/people and grimy capital city are totally overshadowed by the immense beauty, friendly people, value for money and varied possibilities of Ethiopia.
another cairo to cape town race?
