#1: [01-Jan-05]

20-Dec-2008 -- This is the 51^st of a series of 83 confluence visits during our voyage from Nigeria to Europe and back to Nigeria around the entire African continent. It all started on 28 January at 11N 5E.

Story continues from 14N 35E.

We are already nine days in Ethiopia driving from the Sudanese border to Gonder, to the Simēn Mountains and to Bahir Dar. We did not get the opportunity to visit one Confluence.

Now we are in Lalībela about 5 km from a Confluence. Lalībela, a World Heritage site, ranks among the greatest religious-historical sites in the Christian world. An ancient world, including 11 magnificent, rock-hewn churches carved into the red volcanic rock. We spent three days in this area and have very fond memories for the people we met, in this short time. Several times a day we visited the always smiling Cisco at her little "Unique Restaurant" where we always were invited to coffee ceremonies.

Lalībela is very hilly and neither of us felt energetic enough to tackle the 5 km up and down the hill to the Confluence. We left Lalībela very early in the morning and drove the same way we came towards Gashena. In this direction is also the airport of Lalībela, 21 km from the town but 2.8 km from the Confluence.

We bypassed the airport and drove through the nearby village and got onto the old road to Lalībela, which is 10 km away. We were told that this road is too difficult for a 4x4 and it is only used by the pedestrians. Nevertheless we tried the path and found it was not so difficult after all and managed to drive as close as 250 meters to the Confluence; the rest we walked.

Continued at 5N 38E.