New another new team member Thorsten, from Germany.. Found applying for a visa at the Kenyan embassy in Addis Ababa. You can count the number of people per month who cycle this obscure route to enter Kenya on one hand, so to bump into someone with the same idea is very lucky indeed.
The plan was to cycle solo and meet up up with Aurelien and Amalie at strategic points enroute. So now I don’t have to drink my evenings gin & tonic on my own!! Bizarrely you can find this drink in most bars where the usual selection is around 5 dusty bottles on a shelf. It will set you back all of 15p. Another of those bottles will be ‘Spearmint’ (Creme de Menthe) and other will be Ozo. If you like these drinks then Ethiopia is the place for you! Beer is more popular and ‘Jumbo Draft’ is my preferred choice.
Gin & Tonic.. Cheers!
Standing Stones
Gravestones. The number of swords represents the number of enemy killed..
On the road
The only thing missing from this picture is someone washing their motorbike too..
I think they are about to ask me for something..
Cycling past traffic heading to a weekly town market
A wedding convoy stopped for photos and dancing in the middle of nowhere
Find the gap..
Lake Ziway
Lake Ziway
Marabou stalk and Pelican
Lake Langano
Anything that calls it’s self a lodge tends to charge outrageously high prices. Not wanting to pay more than an upmarket hotel just to pitch a tent, we cycled 100 meters down the road and I asked if we could camp on someone’s land. Problem solved.
Many of the lakes have all manner of waterborne nasties. This is the only one declared safe. Pity the waters brown.. And cold, hence no pictures of me in the water..
They are indeed big..
Shashemene and Hawassa
All four of us on the road together. Good times.. Drinking pint size mango and avocado smoothies.. Mmmm
Final decent to Lake Hawassa
Try eating a meal with this many people watching you!
Lake Hawassa fishing Cooperative
Lake fishing Cooperative
Seen the movie... Now eat the cast!
Sat in a waterside bar drinking beer watching this...
Africa fish eagle in the wild..
African fish eagle.. But this one it tame and specially trained to stand very still
Coffee beans before roasting
To Arba Minch
When spotted by a group of kids, this is what happens. When the reach you the just shout 'money, money, money, money'. All 30 of them.
With sudden improvement in the road system came a sudden increase in speed
Sodo. View from a rooftop restaurant
Lake Abaya
Water: when you turn the tap, the donkey arrives
A very nice meal. Security made sure we could eat our meal without the usual crowds gawping at us.
Mangos are in full season. Those that are too ripe are fed to the goats. It gives them terrible gas.
Arba Minch
Shown around by a friendly guide who found us in our hotel. Our arrival coincided with a religious festival where all churches in Ethiopia take their copy of the ark of the covenant and parade it around the streets. Arba Minch also hosted a huge outdoor service.
The procession must follow the red carpet.. Since it was in rather short supply, a bit of quick thinking Saved the day
Computers 4 Africa Tour 
Wow you can shoot a basket ball while watching this festival…..amazing sight btw
Above comment by Rachel Tree