Bahar Dar
on Ed Haworth (Ethiopia), 22/Sep/2011 18:55, 34 days ago
Today I said goodbye to the red cross centre that has been my home for the last 11 days. It's been useful and fun, I've met a lot of great people but I was starting to feel institutionalised and am glad to move on. Addis is an exciting town but I was also keen to leave the dust and smog behind.After getting up at the unreasonable hour of 4:30am we were driven to the airport with a ludicrous amount of luggage. To add to me 2 large bags I had acquired a huge box from VSO full of vital equipment such as water filters, electric cooking plate and a paraffin burner. After manhandling everything to check in I was a mere 40kg over my limit, no Ryanair like excess fees though - an entirely reasonable 240birr (just under£10).Bahar Dar is set on the southern shore of Lake Tana, a vast freshwater lake in the north of the country and is one of Ethiopia's most pleasant cities. We were met at the airport by the vice-dean of the medical school and given a quick tour. We stopped for coffee in a lovely hotel on the lake and were surrounded by weaver birds and parrots in the trees.I have a huge house all to myself with an entirely empty spare room (perfect for visiting guests) and a small garden complete with banana and papaya bushes. It could do with a spring clean and the plumbing needs some TLC but I'm happy and it's great to finally unpack. Tomorrow Ruth (a consultant obstetrician) and I visit the hospital...More photos - training in Addis and new house