The trip to Hawzen

My project manager Yanis Ben Amor from Earth Institute at Columbia University had arrived Tuesday night and togetehr Wednesday morning we checked out and headed to the airport for the flight to Mekele. Enetring the aiprort an dterminal involved itinerary and identification check, baggage search and pad down. Lining up involved another intinerary and identification check before actual check in. This went reasonably smoothly as after that we just walked through to the general terminal area. Another hand luggage check brought us into the gate area. The terminal was simple and as found in most buildings very few lights on as power was conserved.

Our flight was delayed about 45 min for unknown reasons  but we got off the ground in a turbo prop 50 seater and had a smooth flight through some specatacular cloud formations to Mekele. Landing at the airport we then picked up our luggage and exited through another group of Ashende girls singing and asking for money. We were met by Millenium driver Brook. We piled into the truck and began the drive (ultimately 2.5 hrs) to Hawzen.

The drive through some spectacular countryside  and passing through a number of rural towns. I saw many groves of eucalypts. Along and on the roads were donkeys, sheep and goats as well as groups of people and again the ashende girls dancing and singing blocking our truck. The road north was mostly paved and it was only the last 45 min that was gravel road. We arrived in Hawzen, the third oldest town in Ethiopia. It was also the site of a government air raid in 1997 on the market that killed over 2500 people.

Wednesday was market day in the region and so driving through 2 of the towns we were greeted by people around open air markets, bartering and buying and some taking delivery of food aid.

Hawzen is a typical rural town with only one modern 6 storey building that I saw - a hotel. The MVP office was opposite. The MVP office was a cluster of 3 long building around a courtyard, in which offices were base. I met Dr Aregawe who heads up the MVP in Koraro region. A brief introduction with others and fellow Pulse volunteer Delphine Charles.

We were then driven to Gheralta Lodge, about 5 min drive (20-25 min walk to office) to the west of the town. It is a cluster of building or lodges from which you walk to the main building for dinner, drinks and general relaxtion like reading and chatting. Many tourists stay in this lodge as they pass through the region. It  was developed by an Italian couple, Erica and Silvio Rizzotti (http://www.gheraltalodgetigrai.com/).

The sights, sounds and aromas in the villages will need some exploration in future weeks.