Connecting to Kenya.

Connecting to Kenya!

July 24^th, 2013. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Waiting for 5 hours at the Jijiga Airport. One step closer to Kenya.

I sit here at the Bole International airport, celebrating what has to have been the craziest 48 hours of contrast I have experienced in all my travels to date.

I awoke the morning of the 22^nd of July in Hargeisa, Somaliland, and it is from this city that I embarked on 48 hours trajectory that will land me in Kenya tonight!

Shared Taxi from Hargeisa to the Ethiopian border.

That morning, I boarded a taxi, rushed over crushed dirt tracks, along a wide open savannah to arrive at the border with Ethiopia. I checked in, haggled for a bus and made my way to the city of Jijiga, the capital of the Somali province of Ethiopia. I spent a night at a hotel, owned and operated by a man from Seattle, and with our forged Pacific North West connection, he gave me a solid discount and directed me to where in town I could grab and ice cold brew to celebrate the incredible experience in Somaliland.

OK, so sometimes there can be road trouble on the way.

After having a nice ice cold Harar beer, I went to the Ethiopian airways office to arrange my ticket back to Addis Ababa, as I had already booked and paid for an open ticket, this was a mere formality. I got to the office, where the attendant informed me that the system was down, but there was space on the flight that was due to leave Jijiga at 10:15 am the next day. I was a bit skeptical, but what could I do, I had to trust that it would work out. And this is where it all gets a little crazy!

Jijiga centre, the capital of the Somali region of Ethiopia.

I found a small Christian run eatery in Jijiga, lovely folks in Eastern Ethiopia.

 The next morning I arrived at the airport at 8:30am, as instructed by the attendant, from here I began a solid 5 hour wait for the flight to arrive. Now, things in Africa are not known to always be punctual, but this is apparently the continents flag ship carrier (Although I disagree, in favour of South African Airways). I took 4 flights in total in Ethiopia, including the one I am about to board, and none have been on time, but the 3 hour delay was a new record, even by African standards. Even the locals were outraged, lol, which made me feel a little more at ease, since at times I feel I am the only one who ever has places to be, but they were with me all the way on this one.

Checking in at Jijiga airport, and the wait begins.

I find it kind of hilarious, if a flight in North American, Europe, Brazil, China, Japan were 3 hours late they would at least offer a complimentary beverage or something, and Ethiopian airlines, which flies to all the above destinations, and is directly competing with the airlines of these countries said not even a word of apology, lol. All I could do was laugh it off and say, T.I.A (This is Africa).

One step closer to Addis.

Still the best domestic flight network in Africa.

I did eventually get to Addis, with the intention of taking a bus to Kenya, but since we arrived so late, all ticket offices were closed, and I would have to get up at 4am, to try and hope to get a bus, after of course being extorted by a Taxi driver, it sounded so unappealing, but what were my options?

Then, whilst having a few brews with some awesome New Zealanders I met at the hostel, I met an American woman named Katheryn, whom was flying to Kenya the following evening. I thought to myself, why don’t I just hitch on, and give it a go! What do I have to lose?

Back to Addis, one step closer.

Well needless to say, between the Kiwis, the Americans, the Ethiopians and the lone Canadian, we had quite the night, and I got to have my first gin and tonic in over a month, at one of the coolest little bars down the street from our hotel.

I paid for it the next day, waking up on the couch of my room, shared with the two Kiwis.

I set about jogging over to the Hilton hotel to get a ticket to fly to Kenya, ASAP. And this is where the adventure gets interesting. I went to the Kenya Airways office, they responded, all flights are full for the next 4 days, and on the 5^th day, July 30^th, it is only business class, charging upwards of 1500 US dollars. I tried Ethiopian airways, and after 45 minutes of waiting to be seen by an attendant I was sorely informed that all flights were booked for the next week, except business class, which again was between 1300-1500 USD. I was devasted! I went to the bus station, all the buses headed south were full for the next week, and on top of that, the idea of being extorted by the sluggishly slow mini buses was only adding to my demoralized state.

I did what I often do, I stopped what I was doing, and I said a prayer. I prayed that if there was a way to get to Kenya that I would find it. I got up and I started walking down the streets of central Addis, then I remembered! The attendants had only looked at the flights for the coming days! Not TODAY! Or TONIGHT! There may be a chance!

Running around Addis, trying to find some transportation. What a day!

I ran back to the Hilton office, checked with the secretary, and wouldn’t ya know it! There was a flight TONIGHT at 5pm, for 300 USD! They told me to go to the airport right away, as it was now 2pm, and buy the ticket there. I sprinted out! Grabbed a taxi, went back to the hostel, grabbed my bag, and ONWARDS I went to the airport.

I arrived, and there was no one at the ticket office! Why? I kept asking for explanations? It is 2pm, this is an international airport, housing one of the largest international carriers in the world….. And yet there is no one selling tickets? I asked around, finally got through to a supervisor, a lovely woman who instructed someone at Ethiopian airlines to issue me a ticket, and FINALLY I got it! I had been told by a few lesser staff members just to sit and wait for the ticket attendant to come back, which according to them was to be at 6pm! I guess being persistent worked this time.

WE MADE IT! Kenya Bound!

I made it through customs, I managed to meet up with Katheryn, grab a quick macchiato, celebrate having got the ticket and the opportunity to go to Kenya. We parted ways at the terminal, and here I sit waiting to go to Nairobi!

In 48, I will have gone from Somaliland, through Eastern Ethiopia, had a whirlwind of adventure in Addis Ababa, met some incredible folks and be in Nairobi, Kenya!

All I can say now is… WHEEEEEWWWW! I did it!

Let’s go climb Kilimanjaro!

Cheers to all and thanks so much to all those that helped make this connections possible throughout the last 48 hours! Katheryn, YOU ROCK!

William Delaney