Birds and a Thief

The Ethiopian Rift Valley was formed about 40 million years ago when the African tectonic plate started to split apart.   It is about 60km wide and runs from Mozambique, through Ethiopia, and north into Eritrea.  I find the following fact very bizarre to imagine: over the next few million years the Rift Valley will slowly be flooded with sea water and East Africa will unceremoniously split off from the rest of Africa. (I guess no need to worry in the short term).

During the formation of the Rift Valley, various lakes were born on the valley floor.  These lakes and their surroundings are now home to several hundred bird species and various mammals.

Our first excursion outside of Addis was to visit a few of the lakes.  Upon driving out of Addis, you really appreciate how agricultural Ethiopia is.  Endless people (mostly kids) herding cows, goats, donkeys…..  Fields of corn, tef, false bananas…

The rift valley birds were amazing and it turned out to be my kind of bird watching; no patience required, the birds just show up.   I am still not a convert to the Mike/Tini/Ravi style of bird watching :)

Ethiopia is not really known for it’s mammalian wildlife, but we were able to see hippos (from a fisherman’s boat), ostriches, warthogs and gazelles.  

Cooking up potatoes

The Rift Valley is also home to some interesting natural thermal springs.  The water gets up to 98 degrees centigrade.  Local villagers use the springs to cook up potatoes and corn (tried the corn, not the potatoes).

During our stay, the inevitable happened.  We were robbed from our hotel room—all of my cash.   Happily our passports and plastic weren’t among the things taken.  Even more happily the hotel management didn’t charge us for our two night stay (which worked out to be an even trade).

 

Closing words from Aysha and Sunil.  “We like the popcorn at the coffee ceremonies.  Our weekend trip was excellent.   I saw an ostrich for the first time and saw gazelles fighting.  It was nice to get out of Addis”