Caution: Wide load.
Day 7, Day 8
I’m combining the day 7 and day 8 entries into one piece for the sake of the reader and also for my sake, mostly because I don’t want to describe every minuscule detail of these two rather low-key days and I’m also positive that my five readers (four of whom bear my surname) would like a more exciting entry. So here goes.
My seventh and eight days at the camp were similar in many ways: rain, rain, and more rain. However, I should be the last one to complain about the weather since I’m coming from such an unforgiving and brutal climate. Actually, one of the reactions I got when I told friends or family that I was going to Ethiopia was “Oh, it’s going to be so hot there!” Contrary to popular belief, the temperature in Ethiopia rarely gets above 80 degrees Fahrenheit. And since it’s currently the rainy season here, it is usually in the 50-60 degree range for the majority of my runs.
So on the morning of my seventh day, I took advantage of the crisp weather and headed out for a quick six miles in the forest. This time, I bettered the pace from my previous forest run and I whittled the total number of falls from two to one. The latter could be result of my extra vigilance but it is most likely the product of my increased agility over the rocky and undulating terrain that lies in the forest.
Day eight presented a similar run to the previous day’s venture. It was overcast with low lying clouds; rain was imminent, too. Gudisa also took us on a similar course that weaved in and out of the forest on the nearby mountains. This time, we channeled our inner mountain goat and went to the very top where we ran around the terraces created by the farmers. I’m not sure if one of the day’s macchiatos (coffee with steamed mile)made me extra perky, but the setting at the top of the mountain was truly spectacular, despite the fact that there was very limited visibility. It was like a land that time forgot which made sense since the only signs of civilization were the straw and mud huts perched on the slopes. Too bad this area was only accessible by a pretty long run or else I would have brought a camera to capture the amazing venue. Maybe rain isn’t such a bad thing after all.
Day 9
Day number nine found me back in the center of Addis Ababa; although, this time it wasn’t to pay a visit to Lucy. The agenda for the day was to take advantage of Addis’s many shopping opportunities (and Ethiopia’s good exchange rate) and to barter for the goods we needed. But first, I had to complete a demanding workout that would leave me in O2 debt for a while.
The day’s workout, although short, was very tough. It was a mere 3 x 5 minutes done at tempo effort, helping us flatlanders get used to the thin air. After a 20 minute warm up on the nearby dirt roads, it was time to embark on the first repeat. After two minutes of somewhat hard running, I was gasping heavily and turning a few of the locals’ heads. I was toast after one repeat and it wasn’t any help to have some little kids taunting this faranji as he keeled over and moaned. I miraculously completed the workout and hit a decent clip, too (6:11 pace for all three repeats). I don’t know if it was the injera that had some mercy on me or if it was the little kid chasing me with a whip that made me run faster, but I picked the right day to have my “good self” show up.
After washing and cleaning up, it was time to head into Addis. First up was the Mercato, which sprawls across downtown Addis and is believed to be the largest market in Africa. As always, Yared navigated the streets and alleyways like a pro, taking us only to the highly reputed shops. If only I had his expertise with navigating the crowded walkways because there were many times were I was almost run over by a mini bus or plowed by a donkey carry a large load. Needless to say, the Mercato was an absolute jungle and was consisted (surprisingly) of all locals. The latter made us stick out like sore thumbs, and even more when my mom’s bloodcurdling scream at the crack of a whip made some Ethiopian teenagers laugh while yelling “Tourist!”
After escaping the herd of the Mercato, we headed to the much more subdued shops and restaurants that occupied the Piazza. Yared said there were some shops that sold Team Ethiopia track gear, which was one of the few things I was looking to buy. Following some haggling, I came out with an Ethiopia warm-up jacket and two Ethiopia singlets (anyone who is interested in an Ethiopia singlet in a small, please contact me). All in all, some good bargaining goes a long way in Addis.
