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August 25 - September 3 Bahir Dar
for final preparations
Like
a leaky faucet, the team slowly trickled into Bahir Dar congregating for
what was to be the paddle of a lifetime.
On
August 25, crammed with luggage and inhaling diesel, Les and Mark came
overland from Addis with Connecticut Colin (a.k.a. Big Dog) who had
assumed the role of Ethiopian Base Operations, mule-boy and part-time
paddler. It wasn’t long
before the adventurers were settled into the deluxe Dib Anbessa Hotel and
ready to contest the local Foozball crown, unfazed by the vengeful Rasta villain
who apparently was hard on their tail. With
the arrival of Himalayan rafting legend Anvesh Singh Thapa on August 26, the
official cricket
element was introduced to the mix. A
30-minute timeslot for Les and Mark on the national Ethiopian TV talk show
Meet ETV catapulted the visitors to celebrity status. Foozball triumphs, parading inflated rafts through city
streets and up hotel walls, a spiked-pith helmet and Anvesh’s assumed association with Bollywood, further
enhanced the team’s larger than life stature.
In addition to the countless logistical preparations and reconnaissance
missions, the team worked tirelessly to dispel any rumors of the wealth of
foreigners to
ensure expedition costs were kept at responsible levels. Setting
unrealistic expectations on westerners - something that has occurred from
past expeditions and careless foreign-aid efforts - has often resulted in
a cargo cult mentality that in the long run creates greater dependency and
thwarts efforts at self-sufficiency. On
August 31, after the Blue Nile Gorge flyover, Kelley, Scott and Sarahlee landed
in the empty jungle-surrounded Bahir Dar airport, resembling nothing short
of a suspicious
narcotics drop. Ali and Rob
drove in the next afternoon and the team was together in Africa for the
first time. With most of the pressing issues ironed out and faced with a 3AM rise the next morning, the team retired to their comfortable rooms for the last night's sleep before the big journey.
Sep 4-Sep 8 Blue Nile Sacred Source - Lake Tana 160km >> You can subscribe to Water Colours, the Colours of the Nile email updates and receive the latest news from the expedition delivered to your inbox as it happens. Click here. © Mark Tanner and Les Jickling 2004 |
