Today was a day of varied scenery and temperature. At one point we were 3535 metres high, cold and windy. At another point we were staring into the deep gorges of the mountainside, dusty and damp from the long stretches of road construction.
We passed a couple of tanks on the side of a cliff, a sobering reminder of the war that wasn't so long ago.
We drove deep into the Lasta Mountains, known as "Africa's Petra", and the last 14 km into Lalibela were the most awe-inspiring with stunning mountainous scenery and smooth uninterrupted tarmac road, all paid for by UNESCO.
We arrived at the Roha Hotel just in time to see a wedding party dancing and singing in the parking lot. They were all just getting into cars and heading out. The bride looked absolutely stunning, and totally subdued for some reason or other.
After not having had a shower in a few days, if you don't count the cold drip shower last night in the insect-infested 'shower room', I was desperate to scrub the dirt and dust off my body.
The receptionist told us the electricity (for hot water) was only on tonight from 6-8pm and that "tomorrow there may be no power at all because well, you know, it is Lalibela and very unpredictable, so you better shower tonight." He didn't need to tell me twice.
Although we are camping in their garden, we got given a hotel room to use the shower and toilet. What an impressive hotel it is, with a sit-down toilet that actually flushes (we all cheered when water came gushing out!) and a bathtub and shower head that spouts hot hot hot water at full force!
Why does a hot shower feel so good? I don't know, but it certainly does.
Start: Harego Lodge, Kombolcha, ETH. 09:30
End: Roha Hotel, Lalibela, ETH. 17:30
Distance Traveled: 310 km
Road Conditions: lots of detours, traffic, construction, but for the last 14 km, it was smooth tarmac.
Average Speed: 39.9 km/hr
Max Speed: 82.8 km/hr
Temperature: warm, dry and dusty, drizzle, cool at night
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