On the road again…and against the clock with South Omo transport

Meetings were complete and my work was done here for now. I have the partner projects and schools organised and a house to rent. I needed to get back to Jinka where all the federal tourism and wildlife representatives were having a conference because they’d arranged for me to meet them and present all my findings and suggestions. So I was looking for a truck heading that way. There weren’t any buses that day as they are pretty far and few between. I was told there was a truck coming from Omerate by the cops so I waited at the junction. For 5 bloody hours! And then it didn’t come at all. A bit concerned I was going to miss my meeting with all the tourism guys in Jinka. In the end luckily I found a pick up that was leaving at 6am the next morning and going to Key Afar which was in the direction of Jinka.

So very sadly I checked in to the basic ‘Our Grocery Hotel’ so I was ready to go early doors. I wandered to the drivers hotel in the dark before sunrise and they eventually emerged and we hit the road, there was also an israeli hitcher there so we both parked up in the back of the pick up and ventured out of Turmi. I lay out my sleeping bag and created a luxury little area, put my music in the ears and watch the world go by. 

We were cruising along the bumpy road for about half and hour and I was feeling very pleased with myself with my very luxury ride. Then going up one hill the engine stopped. They fiddled around and we were on our way again, for about 5 minutes, and then it stopped again. We were definitely broken down this time. Damn! We were in the middle of the bush and various people came up to have stare at me and the Israeli. The car wasn’t going to be fixed soon and my meeting was getting more and more unlikely to happen so when another pick up came past I managed to persuade them to let us jump in because they were also travelling to Key Afar. This one was even more luxury, a double cab pick up so we even got to sit inside. 

They dropped us at a bus stop over hotel in Key Afar and I asked around for transport to Jinka. A truck came in heading to Arba Minch so the Israeli jumped in that and eventually a lovely 4WD tourist car pulled in with only one farangi in it. I asked if they were heading towards Jinka and did they have space. Not a great reaction from the German tourist but they eventually came and told me I could have a lift. Yay! They dropped me right back at the Jinka Resort and I dashed out to my meeting.