I had a fair distance to cover to reach Lalibela, so got an early start, driving in the most glorious sunshine back towards Gondar. No cars, no people, no animals.

After 2 days in Ethiopia I realized that you are unlikely to cover a distance of more than 30-40 km per hour, giving you 200+ km in a 6-7 hour day. Ethiopia is a fairly “long” country, and it was clear that I would have to change my plans. On entry, I had been given 7 days in Ethiopia, and although I was told it could be extended the whole administration involved was just too cumbersome. My original plan was to travel further north from the Simien mountains via Axum, Adigrat and Maychew to Lalibela and onwards to Lake Tana, south to Addis Ababa and into Kenya.

Now heading south I passed through Gondar and soon reached mighty Lake Tana, source of the Blue Nile, where I spent very little time. Turning east, I still had 200 km to go to reach the turnoff to the final 50 km to the UNESCO site of Lalibela. Immediately after the turnoff to Lalibela, the road changed to the worst I had been on so far on the whole trip. I could not figure out how it was possible to have this type of access road to a UNESCO World Heritage site, and one of Ethiopia’s top attractions. Incomprehensible. I was down to walking pace on the bike. The day was getting short. After about 20 km I finally hit the tar road, and was soon at Lalibela. I needed to find a place to sleep. As I stopped at the turnoff to the churches a young guy approached me, and asked if he could help. His name was Richard and he was a certified guide. I thought it best to visit the churches with a guide, and after some negotiating we ended on 400 Birr, about half the going rate. I told him I didn’t need a 5 hour tour of all eleven churches, and that a tour of 2 hours and 3 churches would be fine. We agreed to meet the following morning at 08.00, at whichever hotel I would book into. He said he would easily find me in the morning!

I drove the remaining few kilometers to the hotel area, and stopped at Lalibela Lodge. Sounded fancy, and the price was also way out of my budget. Anyhow, they were fully booked the receptionist said. Parking the bike at the lodge, I had noticed a small patch of lovely green grass at the far end of the grounds. “Would you allow me to pitch my tent there”, I asked. Sure he said. 10 $ and you can use the public toilets. Tomorrow morning when the first guests leave, you can take a shower in that room. Couldn’t say no to that. Quickly got the tent up, and the noodles going on the stove. Turned out to be a fantastic little spot, with a view to the churches, that I would be visiting the next day.