Hakuna Matata
Our Sunday started with the chirp of wild birds and some frogs still croaking. It was a beautiful morning in our tiny hut in the middle of the jungle, and we were ready for a full-day game drive. After a long seven-hour drive, we reached our weekend safari trip destination to see the big five (aka the lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo)! Below is a photo of us on a break from our car drive.
We saw four out of the big five (we missed the rhino), which was more than we expected and was surely a surreal experience. We were lucky enough to watch a pride of lion hunt and then tear away a warthog for breakfast (Yum?!). We also saw giraffes, zebras, impalas, cheetahs, topi, baboons and even several hippos, which came with a very scary warning sign. Additionally, we were very shocked when a monkey broke into our car during a pit stop and stole Carrie’s crackers and Kyle’s wipes! We were really happy that the monkey didn’t steal anything truly valuable.
Below are some of Kyle and Kelly’s selfies with the elephants that certainly made us laugh while on the tour.
But the best was the peaceful sunrise just before we left for Addis Ababa. There is something extraordinary calming about watching the sunrise in the wilderness.
Back in Addis Ababa, it was a very action packed week. On Tuesday, we visited Sabahar, a local textile company promoting sustainable growth in silk manufacturing in Ethiopia by using local artisans who are primarily women. It was started by a Canadian woman. Her Marketing Manager, Sophie from Colorado, gave us a tour of the plant. (Kelly was the happiest to meet a fellow Coloradan and was instantly best friends with her.)
After visiting Sabahar, we tried one of Addis’ top restaurants on TripAdvisor, called the Four Seasons. This was NOT a five-star hotel… It is actually an Asian and Thai Restaurant and the food was delicious- a must for anyone visiting Addis. We liked it so much that we had lunch there a second time the day we left Addis.
Also, during our three-week trip in Ethiopia, we documented all the places where we were served Ethiopian coffee. It was an internal competition to find best place for coffee in Ethiopia. Having read about a coffee shop called Tomoca as one of the best places to get local brewed coffee, Kyle and I decided to give it a try. Such a disappointment! As of today, our last day in Ethiopia, we have declared that out of the 15 different coffee places we have tried, our unanimous favorite is the Nigatu Hotel near the University of Gondar Hospital. It was amazing, and we enjoyed the traditional ceremony.
This is all from Addis for this trip. It has been a delightful experience, and I am sure all of us will remember it for years to come. Ameseginalehu!!!!
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
0 Comments