Standing on a cliff edge looking at where the Blue Nile is just a trickle, watched by a gelada baboon on a distant rock and staring over miles upon miles of some of the most beautiful countryside I’d ever seen, one thought struck me: why is there hardly anyone else here? Ethiopia is stunning to look at, once you get out of the capital, Addis Ababa. It offers history, culture, architecture, religion and everything in between. Yet when you tell anyone you’re going there the most common response is: ‘Really? Why?’
In a country twice the size of France and with a population of 120 million, there were times when I felt I was the only tourist in town
In a country twice the size of France and with a population of 120 million, there were times when I felt I was the only tourist in town. Perhaps it’s the hangover of nearly 40 years ago when the images of starving children dominated the headlines around the world and led to the unprecedented international effort of Live Aid.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in