Day 65: Saturday 5th April: Axum to Bush Camp #6 on the way to Gondar.

We get an early start as we have been warned that the road is under construction so we are not sure how far we will get. We are also unsure whether we are going to visit the Simien National Park on the way to Gondar or not. The first half of the road is perfect - newly tarred and no potholes, but it is Saturday so it is market day which slows us down in the towns. Spectacular scenery but still a lot of dust around. We start seeing camels being used to take goods to market as well as the poor donkeys and horses. The original road builders must have been Italian - absolutely incredible roads carved into the sides of these impressive mountains - up and down and up and down. Then we reach the roadworks and for the next 60km it is like driving through one huge construction site. Their safety regulations are non-existent so you just have to find your way through all the dust and sand and dodge the plant and equipment which is doing everything from grading to drilling to blast rock. Added to that the endless stream of buses and trucks approaching from the other side and it is certainly a taxing way of getting anywhere. Unfortunately the tough road gets the better of us and we have a flat - fortunately on a wide and kind of flat part of the 'road'. We have just stopped when the next passing truck stops as well to help us. Then our fellow travelers pitch up and it's all hands on deck. It does not take long to get the spare wheel fitted and then Simon offers the 'helpers' from the truck some money in thanks and his offer is declined! They wish us safe travels and jump back in their truck - Impressive!!

We eventually reach Debark and decide we will have a look at the Simien National Park so we go to the park office to pay the entrance fee. Simon is told that we have to take a 'scout' with us into the Park and the conversation goes something like this: "You have to take a Scout with you." "No I don't need one!" "No, by law, you are required to take a Scout." "There is no room in our vehicles - all the seats are being used and the rest is full of our luggage etc." "By law you have to have a Scout with you otherwise you will not be allowed in." Sigh - okay so it is. Now from outside where I am sitting (I'm the guard-dog in the car) all I can see is about 12 dodgy looking men (who look like bergies) with rifles eyeing the car (and pee'ing in the bushes in front of me!) Okay so now one of these bergies, with his (maybe) loaded rifle, is going to travel with us. He shoves in his 'bag' with his overnight stuff. I'm cool as I still think we are going to stay at the Simien Lodge.

Then I discover that Simon and our fellow traveller have decided that the Lodge is not happening (US$170) and we are camping (with the bergie). Yayyyy!! Anyway, fortunately the scenery is spectacular and we are distracted on our way to the campsite. They then decide that the campsite is too busy so we will head for the second one. The second campsite offers only a dusty square next to the road so that is rejected after an argument (discussion) with the parks board officials there. We travel 50m further and camp in the bush - so there! Okay, so now we don't even have the smelly long-drop or water or a place to make a fire - so there!! We sort ourselves out, open the tents (much to the amusement of the on-lookers of which there are always many) and cook supper. It is freezing (no fire) so we try to drink our stash of red wine and whiskey (we are heading into Sudan in two days time). We just get into our stride when Scout (never knew his name) decides it is bed time and starts to insist (he does not speak one word of English) that we pack up and go to bed! Oh wow - you've never seen five adults pack up so meekly before, but after all he does have the gun. Chip chop and everything is packed away and we go to bed - by 9pm! We have insisted (through an interpreter) that he goes and sleeps with the other 'scouts' in a hut at the official campsite so off he goes - phew! He was very concerned as his role is to 'guard' us - from what we asked and were told from the wild animals. We strongly suspect it was the two-legged animals that he was worried about!

It is a freezing night with only a little wind so we are fortunate and I hear lots of noises in the night which sound like dogs but could be wolves. When we get up at sunrise Scout is firmly in his spot with his gun and watching everything we do. We have breakfast and pack up and head off to look for the wolves. I am thoroughly amused when I check on him on his 'seat' because he has the rifle between his feet and the muzzle pointing firmly at his own chin. I sincerely trust it is not loaded.

We spot the Walia Ibex which is highly endangered and actually manage to see quite a few together as well. We also see many Gelada Baboon which only occur in this area and have a large, red heart on their chests. The shaggy coats on all the animals is a good indicator of how blooming cold it gets up here. The highest peak we reach is at 4565m and soon after that we hear and then manage to spot three Simien Wolves. I am only able to photograph one, but our mission has been accomplished and we head out of the park and back to Debark to get rid of Scout before he shoots himself. Actually, he was a very pleasant fella and I just wish he could speak English. He was delighted to pose, proudly, with his gun and with us for a group photo before we left our bush camp.

We have an uneventful trip to the next city, Gondar, where we meet up with our tour leader and our passports and visa's for Sudan and Egypt. Two nights in the Goha Hotel in Gondar beckon so at least we can shower again tonight.