Ethiopia was an amazing country, especially the visit to the north. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the rock churches in Lalibela and participating in the Timkat Festival. In fact if you ever go to Ethiopia I would urge you to go when the festival is scheduled (late January); it made the trip so much more meaningful and enjoyable. The history of the country and its earlier role in the world is fascinating and I was amazed at how little I knew about the culture and history.

The trip extension to see the tribes in the Omo Valley of southern Ethiopia was a disappointment and I would not suggest it unless you really need to experience it. The driving distances made for long days on the road. The hotels, for the most part, were a big disappointment, as were the visits to the tribes. The latter might be as a result of their recent change to how they would be compensated for picture taking. My tribal visits (except for the Dorze tribe) were nowhere as informative or entertaining as the ones we experienced in Kenya, Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Was I glad I went? Definitely! Would I go back?  No, it is a one time visit country for me. It was #93 on my “United Nations Visited Countries” list; #111 if I include territories of countries (like the Azores, Aruba, etc). There are other countries I would still like to see.

A parting word:  “Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.” Unknown contributor