Let's take the bus!

Somehow, we get this idea in our head, that taking a luxury coach from Addis to Gondar is a good idea. A great way to see the countryside in relative comfort - at least that's what our guide book suggests.

First Step, buy ticket, lucky for us we get the last 2 seats. The ticket agent informs us to arrive at the departure point by 5:00 AM for a 5:30 AM departure. Oh yeah that would be 1:00 PM Ethiopian time.

We arrive to a large parking lot where there are about 20 buses all departing at 5:30 AM. Our driver scurries from one bus to the next until we find the right one. At first I think we can sit where we like then I realize, right, we bought the last two seats. That would be the very last bench seat at the back with 5 other people.

The bus driver revs the engine, honks the horn, and we are off! What can I say, it was 14 hours of narrow winding highway, near misses, fogged up windows, loud music, bad movies, motion sickness, and falling asleep. Oh yeah, and the bus lavatory was used for garbage storage. So guess what, one pee break in the morning on the side of the road, one during the half hour lunch break, and then one more on the side of the road in the bushes - yup - gotta love relative comfort!

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