Arba Minch to Konso

The trip from Arba Minch to Konso is indescribably gorgeous.  It’s only about two hours and a distance of 90km.  You are right in the Rift Valley and everything is green, green, green.  It’s amazing!  You could be in New Zealand, it’s that green!

We spent the previous night in Arba Minch and met Tuti, a friend who works as a tour guide, at Friendship Cafe for breakfast in the morning.  Friendship was only a short walk from where we were staying.  Because we arrived into Arba Minch dark at night we had no idea how beautiful the town was!!  This is what we woke up to:

Good Morning!  When we stepped outside we were greeted with the most perfect day and an amazing view.  Seeing such a green mountain felt like I was home!

The only way to get to Konso is by minibus or car from Arba Minch.  You can fly to Arba Minch three times a week from Addis (we bussed) but as there is no airport in Konso, you have to make the last 1.5-2 hours by vehicle.  Most ferangis hire 4WDs but Chus and I were using public transport on our trip so we mini-bussed (vans).  Minibusses around Ethiopia are inexpensive and we paid Birr50 from Arba Minch to Konso.  On the way home we only paid Birr31.  You can only use mini busses for this trip, no big busses make that short of a distance, so the experience can raise your blood pressure, depending on the driver you get.  (Don’t go for the ones that reek of alcohol or are furiously chewing chat).  Our driver was a cool guy.  His English was limited, but he was unimpressed when a guy grabbed Chus’ leg and he offered us coffee-flavoured lollies and chewing gum when we sat up front with him in the van.

The trip is beautiful and the landscape is amazing.  Being the only two white people for miles, we attracted a lot of attention so at every village we passed through and at every child we passed, we were met with screams of “YOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOU!!!!”, “HIGHLAND! HIGHLAND! HIIIIIIIIIILAND!!”, “FERANGI!!! FERANGI!” and “ONE BIRR, ONE BIRR!!!”  The first means “Give me money”, the second means “give me your water bottle” (Highland = water) and the last two mean “Give me money”.  Give me, give me, give me.  In the South, it just doesn’t stop.  Millions upon millions of outstretched hands!  Every time a foreigner gives them money or a drink bottle they learn to keep asking.  I guess their way of thinking is: ask one hundred people and one might say yes.  And this is more profitable than going to school.  So for these kids, it just isn’t going to get any better, and it’s totally the fault of the tourists and foreigners, who think they are being “nice”.

We arrived mid-afternoon from Arba Minch and pulled up outside Strawberry Fields, an ecologically friendly accommodation lodge owed by a Zimbabwean man featuring several traditional Konso-style huts.  We intended to stay here but as we pulled up, half a dozen of the men from the back of our minivan (we were sitting up front) spilled out onto the side of the road in a scuffle and started raging at each other.  When one reached for a rock to hiff at another man, it was time to wind up the window and duck.  There was all manner of shouting, yelling and scuffling going on, not to mention the punches being thrown – and all in Amharic of course. (no one could translate as no one spoke English – surprise, surprise, it’s a town with a population of 4500 people).  After more yelling, two of the men separated from the rest and one menacingly yelled “HIDU” to the minivan.  (This means “GO!”)  The driver didn’t hesitate, and we didn’t get out – we opted to instead stay in town (Strawberry fields in about 1.5km from town and we were on foot).  This was probably the most excitement we had all day!

Here are some snaps of the trip:

Leaving Arba Minch for Konso – view over Lake Chamo and the valley.  Arba Minch has fantastic views over the Rift Valley from the eastern side of town.  As you leave Arba Minch to get to Konso, you drive along the edge of the city looking down at the lake (as seen above) before dropping down.

Gojo in amongst the banana trees

Green, green for miles!

On the road again

The river: a place for washing and giving livestock a drink……and also for some frolicking 🙂

These guys waved at us as we drove past