Adventures on the Ethiopian Plains

If you peruse a map of Ethiopia, you might notice that a string of lakes runs from central Ethiopia all the way to the country's southwestern border.  These lakes, which were formed at the time of the Ice Age, sit in the depression of the East African Rift Valley, which stretches from Eritrea/Djibouti, through Ethiopia, then southward to Mozambique.

 cliff overlooking Lake Langano

It was at one of these lakes, Lake Langano, that we stopped for a breather en route from Project Mercy to the town of Shashemane, about three hours southeast.  The instant we stepped into the bathrooms at the Sabana Beach Resort overlooking the lake, I knew we were in a different part of Ethiopia.  These bathrooms, far from the smelly, unkempt holes in the ground that served as restrooms in some other parts, had actual toilets and boasted facilities that rivaled those of higher-end hotels in the US.  After dining on steak sandwiches, tilapia, and spaghetti, we headed out to a nearby wildlife preserve.

It seems looks can be deceiving- the water of Lake Langano was as clear as mud, yet it is (one of the) only lakes free of the parasites which cause schistosomiasis

In what was the closest I will probably ever come to an African safari, we strode straight into the grazing fields of such fauna as ostriches, gazelles, and warthogs.  Pumbaa from The Lion King these warthogs were not, as everytime they heard one of us within 30 feet of them, they would dart clear across the field and out of sight.

ostriches, warthogs, and gazelles... oh my

As tempted as we were to turn in for the night at the Solana Beach Resort at Lake Langano, we figured we had better make our entry into the town of Shashemane- a town known for its dangerous streets and criminals.  Lucky for us, we had a mission in this den of thieves- to find a young blind woman named Bantu and bring her home safely.