Day 9 Simien Mountains National Park

Sankaber to Geech (approx 6 hours walk).
We followed the nature trail along the top of the escarpment at approximately 3600 m where we had excellent views of the Simien Mountain valleys. The mule handlers and cook followed our luggage and food stuff on the mules to the next camp. One mule also worked as an temporary ambulance for an American guy who was weak after throwing up all night. I took some photos of him to add his humiliation.
We had a long picnic lunch by Jinbar River before we proceeded. I took the lead, normally I don't bother about being the first, and it usually ruins the experience when you push you self to hard. But I had heard some unappreciated jokes about my beer-belly so I just wanted to show that some extra kilos of beer-experience could not slow down a Viking. It all went well, I was far ahead the others until we were just a few hundred meters from hour resting place, then I realized that I had lost my sunglasses. I had to go for a long walk back. I was off course the last person to enter the cozy little Muslim village of Geech where we had a traditional coffee ceremony. I was running out camera battery so when I saw that they had an electric cable and a bulb I hoped that we could have a battery-charging ceremony as well, but f***i said that it was only used as decoration. It actually made sense when you say how basic (but thought though) they lived. The hut was only made of sticks and a roof of grass. They had no chimney so when they cook food the smoke goes through the grass-roof, it keeps the insects away. I also slows down the termites who are slowly eating on the walls. If you are fortunate the termites eats the wall-sticks evenly from below so that they only have to adjust the height of the door once in a while, before the house gets too low. In the lowlands where the termites are more aggressive they usually start with really high walls to avoid changing houses too often. They sleep on thin beds approx. 2 meters above the floor, in the evening bring the animals in the house, that keeps the livestock protected from wild animals, and it also keeps the house warm.
At Geech campsite we enjoyed hot drinks and a beautiful sunset while we waited for the evening meal. A bonfire kept us warm until it was time to sleep. Fortunately a cloud covered the camp so we did not get the subzero temperatures that was expected. An irritating group of English upper-class people where drinking loads of whiskey and kept me awake for a while.