Overlooking Dire Dawa

Overlooking Dire Dawa.

Finally, I scaled one of the hills surrounding Dire Dawa.

And not bad after a Saturday night out, yeah.


So, last night, before we parted ways, after Andy's Send-Off Shindig, I decided to join Claude and Tiphane and the rest of the group on a trek to Pork Epic, a cave painting site just a few kilometers away from the Dire Dawa city center. In spite of some good amount of drinking everyone was determined to take the trek, although negotiating for a mid-morning start.

 Sunday at 9:30 in the morning, the agreed upon assembly time, I was still hailing a bajaj to towards the meeting place Ani Cafe. Thinking that the French could be antsy about time, I sent an apologetic text to Claude, saying I'm running late but I was on my way.

Twenty minutes later, in Ani Cafe. No ferenji sighting. "Hmmm... Have they left?"

"Where are you guys now? Have you left?" I texted Claude.

But very shortly after I arrived, and just as the cappuccino I ordered arrived on my table, Jara called. They're here, almost. I sighed in relief. And indeed, they arrived very shortly after the call.

"Where's Claude then?" Our collective question. Receiving no text reply from him, I finally called him up and was answered by a groggy voice. Claude, who was supposed to be our guide, couldn't come. Hangover.

But Tiphane can come. She'll be our guide. Not to Pork Epic but in the nearby hills overlooking the city.

Good enough.

Merci, Tiphane!

Always posing for the camera.

Spain and France, represent! Marina and Jara are from Madrid. Tiphane is French, teaching the language at Haramaya University.

Tiphane and our unsolicited guide...

We rested a bit on top.

That's my city!!!

Always, the jump shot!