Varnished Vacation (Part Three – Back to Dessie)

I’m thirsty. So thirsty. If I stop and take water, I’ll lose my

momentum. The backs of my hands are sizzling like bacon. The front of

one hand is still burning and numbed from the plant I accidentally

touched on the way down. When I touched it, it felt like a bee had

stung me 20 times at once. How did I get a sunburn on the backs of my

hands? I readjust the scarf that either shades my face or neck. My

face and neck are continually in contest as to the winner of

protection. The flies coat the faces of scabby-faced children and

beasts of burden in what seems like the hundreds. If I stand still,

they’ll place a flag on me and claim me as the West Indies. I don’t

want to be discovered. I want to be my own island away from the flies.

Now that Ras Dashen is accomplished, the wind has been taken out of my

sails. I’m paddling back to the camp where we can get a ride out of

the Simen Mountains. An imaginary carrot is being waved in front of my

eyes as I stumble forward. I promised that we’d have tacos at my house

in Dessie after we’d climbed Ras Dashen.



By the grace of God, Allah, Vishnu, or Buddha we finally made it out

of the Simen Mountains. We all licked our wounds on the ride back to

Debarq from a town called Shiro Leyba (meaning thief of Shiro – a type

of sauce served with injera). Then Libby, Janelle, and I made our way

back to Dessie to enjoy a little bit of relaxation and tacos.



Unfortunately, Libby had to leave to go back to the states a couple

days after that, so we came back to Addis Abeba to drop her off. As

the time was approaching Thanksgiving, Janelle and I headed to Wolkite

to enjoy some of Ericka’s hospitality. There was more food at her

house than you could shake a stick at. I couldn’t even force down

desert I was so full. After Thanksgiving, I had to drop of Janelle at

the airport for her new adventures in Luxembourg. It was sad to see my

friends leave, but they are of course not to far away in my heart.

Cheesiness aside, it was brilliant to be able to commiserate with my

amazing friends. The time then called to go back to home - to Dessie.

Comments

[libby!]

dear lord those tacos and pancakes were heaven sent!! <3!!

[libby!]

ps! miss you like mad!!!