This is the first part of a trip I took to Ethiopia in January. It was also my first time in Africa. Ethiopia is a great and fascinating country. I grew up in the era where all you ever heard about the country was the famine, and my childhood was full of images of extreme starvation in Ethiopia. I think this has previously affected my (and lots of peoples) image of the country at a whole. However, having eaten some delicious Ethiopian food in London, I researched the country more, and discovered it to be a truly fascinating place. It is the birthplace of humankind for a start. It is also the only African nation that wasn’t colonised by Europe (it came close but valiantly fought off the Italians). Ethiopia has a very strong and unique culture unlike anywhere else on the planet. They live according to their own time and calendar. They have a very strong and ancient form of Christianity known as Ethiopian Orthodox, which has brought with it ancient relics and monuments, all very much worth seeing (mostly in the north, which I will deal with in later threads). In addition, most of the country is lush, with stunning hills and mountains. A far flung reality from the scorched earth and starving children many people still associate with Ethiopia.
Part 1 of my trip cover the journey south from the capital, Addis Ababa. Most photographs are taken in the town of Arba Minch, Lake Chamo, Dorze, Konso and Jinka. The last stop, Jinka, is the main town in the incredible Omo Valley. The rest of the valley will be covered in subsequent threads. Anyway, without further ado….
