So I've arrived in Addis Ababa and now have to start to work out exactly what I am meant to write in a blog. I suspect I am best to keep it short so as to make it more likely I will get around to doing it and that people may feel inclined to read it.
I managed a dignified farewell to Mark at Heathrow (we've not been apart for more than about ten days in 18 years) and he waved me off over a prolonged period as I waited whilst they squeezed an impossibly large child's buggy through the xray machine ahead of me.
Bole airport was a surprise as it is bright, modern and apparently lacking the chaos that is typical of most African airports. It was all very efficient immigration, baggage (all arrived safe and sound), customs (a short discussion about the nature of a sonicaid required), bank (fortunate to get a wad of newish birr notes that have not yet been handled by half the population of Addis) and hotel transport located in under an hour without a single offer of a dodgy taxi.
I'm now checked into a hotel for a 24-hour stay before the 10 hour drive to Gimbi tomorrow and will do the boring Embassy registration and provision shopping today with hopefully time for a swim later. I think I need to make the most of these last moments of the creature comforts I am used to as for the next few week it will be back to basics.
Well that seems about enough for the first addition and besides it is starting to feel like breakfast time (currently 06.45 in the UK and I have been up for 3 hours).
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