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Return trip to Langano

I've just started what will be my final phase of language school, which will last about 7 weeks. For this phase, I'll be on my own with another new teacher, one to one teaching is new for me as far as language school goes. So far, though, I'm enjoying it and I get on well with this new teacher. So hopefully it will help me finish strong at all this language study!!
Last week, though, the language school took a one week break, so I took the opportunity to head down to Langano again to hang out with Brian and Laura, as well as spend some more time practising Amharic with the workers down there who I met on my last trip. I decided against using public transport, opting instead to use my small motorcycle as transportation. Brian suggested that I travel down by the back road to Langano, as it is much less busy and a much more relaxing journey. This definitely turned out to be the case, the road was fairly empty and very scenic, but involved a lot of hills which were a little frustrating when you only have a small 125cc engine. Needless to say I took the busier, but much flatter, main road back to Addis after my stay, which turned out to be much faster.
It was good fun to be back in Langano again, and spend time with everyone there, as well as helping them out a little with some computer questions that they had. After a couple of days at Langano, I went to a nearby town called Ziway with Brian and his family to meet up with my other old house mate Aaron and his wife Zide who are leaving Ethiopia to go to America. So it was an opportunity for one last reunion between the three of us. We enjoyed a couple of days staying at a hotel in the town, before Brian and his family headed back to Langano, while the rest of us returned to Addis.

Ziway is also beside a large lake, although it's not suitable for swimming like Langano.
This weekend, I joined another group of friends on a trip to the nearby Portuguese Bridge, about 2 hours north of Addis Ababa. This is an old bridge (about 400 years old) made out of stone and broken up ostrich eggs made into cement. Quite a fascinating place, but it also has a great view over the Blue Nile Gorge, Ethiopia's answer to the Grand Canyon.


The bridge, with the group crossing over.

With my good friends and language school classmates for the previous phase of classes. David and Diane will return to the states in the summer to have their first child.

More pics
Gotta run,
Niall

Posted at 2 June, 2015, 9:19pm

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