Trevor's Travels

ALERT medical facility, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

2 Comments »18th April, 2012; Category: Ethiopia, Exotic Destinations, Holidays

Patients doing craft work at ALERT medical facility, Ethiopia

During our visit to the ALERT medical facility in Addis Ababa late last year my wife and daughter we fascinated and very impressed with the craft work being done by inmates of the facility. Many of the patients in this medical work are sufferers of leprosy, now called Hansen’s disease. It’s something we don’t think about much here in Australia as the condition is almost non-existent with only about 60 known current cases Australia wide, mostly in Aboriginal communities.

The ALERT facility in Addis Ababa is more than a place of refuge and treatment. It also helps in rehabilitation, training and financial support. All the craft work – which is absolutely beautiful – is sold through their little shop on-site with all proceeds going back to the patients. We bought so much we even sent home some of their work as unaccompanied luggage.

In each of the photos today you can see my wife and daughter admiring their craft as they worked at it.

Patients doing craft work at ALERT medical facility, Ethiopia

ALERT Medical facility, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

6 Comments »14th April, 2012; Category: Africa, Ethiopia, Exotic Destinations, Holidays

Leprosy patient at the ALERT Medical Facility, Addis Ababa

During our stay in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia last December, colleagues of our daughter took us to the ALERT Medical facility. The acronym stands for African Leprosy Rehabilitation Training Medical Centre. Most of the patients are involved in craft and art work as a part of their rehabilitation. This art work is then sold through their shop on site, the proceeds returning to the artists.

It was our intention of just to visit the shop and to purchase some of the items, which we did because they were so good. We actually went back again a few days later because we didn’t have enough cash the first time. And we would have bought more items but for the fact that this was the first week of a seven week holiday in Ethiopia, Morocco and Spain. Our luggage allowance on the plane was going to be a challenge. [Postscript: we managed to keep within limits, but only because we sent quite a few items in our daughter’s unaccompanied luggage.]

One of the fascinating workers at ALERT was the man shown above. It amazed me how he could deftly weave the mat shown in front of him – despite having only a few stubs left where his fingers once were. He did this with a wonderful smile. A lesson to me in attitude, I think.

Leprosy patient at the ALERT Medical Facility, Addis Ababa

Travelling by car in Addis Ababa

No Comments »10th March, 2012; Category: Africa, Animals, Ethiopia

Ring route in Addis Ababa

One of the interesting – and challenging – aspects of visiting a city like Addis Ababa in Ethiopia is travelling by car in the streets of the city. Because I was only staying for a few weeks last December I never applied for an international licence. Consequently I never had the opportunity to actually take the wheel of a car while there. I did, however, travel many times in cars with other drivers. Like most developing countries, driving in the traffic conditions in Addis Ababa is quite an experience.

In the photo above I have shown a part of the major ring route around the city. At the time this photo was taken the traffic was very light. All seems very organised and safe. All is not what it seems.

You will observe lanes marked on the road. This is not only misleading, it is totally inconsequential. Few drivers, if any, actually drive in the marked lanes. I quickly figured out that the markings were suggestions only; no-one actually drove within the lane markings. It is quite amazing that they don’t have far more serious accidents.

Cars, trucks, buses and other vehicles do not seem to be the major hazards when driving in Ethiopia. Two hazards stood out for me: pedestrians and donkeys – see the photo below. Pedestrians tend to use the road as a footpath. Not surprising – footpaths are so poorly maintained that no-one would want to walk on them. Or are they are totally non-existent.

And there seemed to be random donkeys crossing roads everywhere.

Donkey crossing the street in Addis Ababa

Animal market in the streets of Addis Ababa

No Comments »20th February, 2012; Category: Africa, Animals, Ethiopia, Holidays

Animal market in the streets of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

One of the features of travelling around the city of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia is seeing animals everywhere. Donkeys are common beast of burden and drivers have to be especially wary of them. Cattle are found in various parts of the city and we passed several markets where they were for sale.

By far the most common animals would have to be sheep and goats. They all looked the same to me, but my daughter assures me, after talking to the locals while she was teaching there, that the tails of goats stick up and the tails of sheep hang down. I never had the opportunity to really put this to the definitive test. Had I shown more than a passing interest in the animals I would have found myself having to buy one. Not sure what I would have done with it had this occurred.

Animal market in the streets of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Scenes in the streets of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

No Comments »19th February, 2012; Category: Africa, Ethiopia, Holidays, Trip report

Street scene in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, is much like many large cities in Africa, Asia and anywhere in the developing world.

Chaotic.

Somehow in all that chaos people move around, do their jobs, raise their families and eke out a living. Traffic congestion can seem overwhelming to a first time visitor and no rules seem to apply anywhere. I’d experienced Bangkok and Kathmandu previously so it was no real surprise to me though the occasional sight like the van in the picture above was noteworthy.

Street scene in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

In many places as we travelled along we could see craftsmen making a range of items for sale, from tailors with their sewing machines on the footpath, to carpenters making furniture though to mechanics repairing all sorts of vehicles.

Street scene in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia