Ethiopia

22 March 2023 Cape Town to Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)

After putting some feelers out, a week or two back, while walking my dogs on the beach, Maretha called me and suggested I join her on the 23rd March in Tanzania. Her and a friend plan to travel to Kenya for a week, after which I can stay at her lodge. Hell yes! I went home and booked my tickets.

After much shopping, mostly for the lodge, I'm packed, Corinne Coram is looking after my animals, Dad and Mom drove me in my car to the airport and my bags are through. Ethiopian Airlines allow 2 bags of 23 kg each. How does anyone manage to use all of that!

There was a world cup over 50s cricket tournament in Cape Town and the Canadians were leaving on my flight. One of the players came to sit next to me and it took me a while to realise he was hitting on me. Instead of getting annoyed by default I realised this is something to celebrate after your 50s and be grateful, even if he's not smoking hot 😂🥳 I held thumbs he wasn't sitting next to me as he hoped, and fortunately I the row to myself. Watched Elvis.

My flight included a layover in Addis and while exiting they had an issue with me taking my binoculars out the airport. So strange. Government security issues. At the baggage claims where I handed them in was an American soldier, Terry, headed to Jabuti, having to also give his expensive camera over for the night. He was not happy. We ended up at the same Hotel, with two Cape Town'ians, Bradwin and JP, headed to Cameroon on business. Was fun chatting on the short drive to the hotel and I loved all the happy looking dogs on the way.  We had dinner and while there was no water in my shower I used a cup from the sink to wash myself and I'm dead tired and happy to have a bed for the night.