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Ethiopia General TipsTips 31 - 40 of 60  
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  • Updated By SirRichard on September 4, 2006
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  • The crowd entering the bus station at 6am - Ethiopia
    The crowd entering the bus
    station at 6am
    by SirRichard
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    Time in Ethiopia is totally different. And I mean:
    - HOURS: Ethiopia follows a different time system, they start the day when the sun rises, so our 6am is their midnight, our 7am is their 1am and so on. Be careful when you ask for a schedule... and make sure you have aither occidental or ethiopian time. For instance, ALL the buses in ALL the country leave at 6am, just when the sun rises, so they make the most of daylight...
    - YEARS: As they follow a different calendar, they live now (2006) in 1998, still in the 20th century, and their year starts in our September.
    - MONTHS: The Ethiopian year has 13 months. Thus the touristic slogan "13 months of sunshine"- Though I can swear I had only 30% of days of sunshine when I was there in rainy season!!

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    The Nile in Ethiopia?
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  • Updated By SirRichard on September 4, 2006
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  • Tis Abay, the source of the Blue Nile - Ethiopia
    Tis Abay, the source of the
    Blue Nile
    by SirRichard, 1 more photos
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    Yes, though Nile sounds like Egypt and Sudan, the river has 2 main branches that join in Khartum to make the 'Great Nile'. The major branch, White Nile, starts in Lake Victoria ("discovered" by Speke, 1863) and the minor one, starts in Lake Tana, in Ethiopia.
    Since XVIIIth Century it was believed that the main source of the Nile was Ethiopia, as the other branch was unexplored. Sir Richard F. Burton and Speke searched the true sources of the Nile starting in Zanzibar and heading west till they arrived to Lake Victoria. There's a great movie about that ('The mountains of the Moon').

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    Tipping
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  • By leonik on November 30, 2005
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  • It's customary to tip 10% for services provided to you.

    If the service is exceptional, a 15% gratuity will be very much appreciated.

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    El valle de Omo, ver sus...
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  • Updated By maribelm on August 26, 2002
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  • El valle de Omo, ver sus tribus. Para llegar alli es imprescincible alquilar un coche en Addis Abbeba. En el año 1995 no habia hoteles, y es obligatorio acampar para dormir.
    El norte de Etiopia es imprensionante por sus paisajes verdes. Nada que ver con las imagenes de sequia y hambre que nos han mostrado tanto tiempo por television. Paisajes montañosos y verdes. Nada mejor que verlos que viajar en autobuses locales en algun trayecto, viaje incomodo por el estado de las carreteras pero sin duda inolvidable.

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    Ethiopia General Tips Tip (Untitled)
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  • By floss1 on August 26, 2002
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  • Ethiopia General Tips
    by floss1
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    The Simien mountains. We went up to about 3000 meters, and the view was spectacular! The most amazing view I have ever experienced. We camped the night and were treated to a beautiful sunset. If you camp in the Simien mountains, it is highly recommendable to have a very warm sleeping bag as temperatures drop to below freezing point. We had a guide who took us to an area where a troop of Gelada baboons were grazing. We sat for hours watching them.

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    In my view everyone has to...
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  • Updated By natytek on August 26, 2002
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  • Ethiopia General Tips
    by natytek
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    In my view everyone has to visit the churches, museums and historical sights. In addis you should definitely enjoy Ethiopia's culture in Hotels were foreigners can be accomodated best. Of course, for the real taste of Ethiopia you should go to the cheaper restaurants and cafe's.

    I grew up in an area called bole, near the airport. I remember playing football in the fields just outside of our neighborhood. That was the beauty of it. We had the advantages of a city but still enjoyed nature, space, a pollution free existence.

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    We begin in the Omo Valley, a...
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  • By Raffael on August 26, 2002
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  • Ethiopia General Tips
    by Raffael
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    We begin in the Omo Valley, a narration of Southern Ethiopia's ethnic diversity, where proud nations of Hamer, Karo, Mursi and Buni tribespeople still live the way they have for centuries.

    Trip Highlights:
    • Visit villages of the stone age Karo, Hamer, Mursi and Bume tribes.
    • Explore hand-carved rock churches of Lalibela & fairytale castles of Gondar.

    The Coffee and the poeple!!!!!!ETHIOPIA, will always be in my heart!! :)

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    One of the most isolated and...
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  • By inuit on August 25, 2002
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  • Ethiopia General Tips
    by inuit
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    One of the most isolated and interesting tribes of Ethiopia are the Mursi who live by the Omo river. They are not easy to find. They have a very interesting culture of 'Body Art' by painting and making scars on their body.

    The men usually draw beautiful patterns on each other body, using clay taken from the river. The women put round discs in their lips from a very young age. This is a tradition kept from time of slavery. The disc kept them 'ugly' and not good as slaves.

    Photo by: Benny First.

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    I am sure Ethiopia has changed...
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  • By hprior on August 24, 2002
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  • Ethiopia General Tips
    by hprior
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    I am sure Ethiopia has changed much since I was there in 1984. It was under Communist rule at the time.
    However, trips to any of the villages of Baha Dar or Gonder or to one of the wild life reserves are well worth the time. Also get to Lalibela if you can. I could not get there at the time and have been wanting to get back because of that.

    There were so many wonderful experiences. But one thing that sticks out in my mind was the morning the monkeys came to breakfast. People started throwing bread to them. 'oh aren't they darling,' the people said. I just moved back knowing what was coming.

    Eventually the tourists got tired of feeding this small army of monkeys and went back to their breakfast. What they didn't plan on was that the monekeys hadn't gotten tired of eating. What ensued was the 'Battle of Awash'. Monkey's everywhere. Bread fly, dishes crashing. It was a riot. Needless to say the monkeys won the day. I was quite proud of their tactical abilities.

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    Children of Ethiopia
  • By Saagar on June 5, 2004
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  • Ethiopia General Tips
    by Saagar
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    It is such a delight to meet children in Ethiopia off the main tourist track. They are proud and confident and rarely very shy. If you have somebody to interpret for you they will tell you much about themselves and what they do, and they will ask you questions, too. After all, you may be a rarity and they'd like to know what you do here and what you think.

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