As part of the perks of my contract, i
am issued with a 20+ year old red Toyota Corolla for my disposal. It's seriously crap and has a turning circle of an articulated truck. It can take up to 10 minutes to manoeuve it out of the cramped car-park at Sunshine Residence.
The roads of Addis are crammed packed
with other motorists, livestock and pedestrians unable to negotiate the limited
sidewalks. It´s currently wet season and potholes add a further hazardous
dimension.
As a very infrequent driver i am
seriously anxious about hitting the roads. Most of my driving has been on the
left hand side of the road, and Ethiopia has opted for the converse side of the
road. But i´m always up for an interesting challenge – that´s why i´m in
Ethiopia anyways.
Frank kindly agrees to be my navigator
for the day as i set off with full trepidation. I attempt to drive to school,
just a few blocks away, but the pot-holes are just too massive to negotiate and
we are forced to turn around and try another approach. Frank is keen to throw
me into the deep end and we head up to the Megananya interchange where six
roads convolute in a sea of anarchy.
It´s then into the central Meskel square
and the chaos continues. The car does not like 2nd gear and i manage
to stall twice. Frank appears calm but i´m shitting bricks. Mini-vans and large trucks cut up and
sandwich me between lanes and pedestrians do quality impressions of suicidal lemmings,
darting out at whim into my path.
We then do stop-overs at the Hilton and
Gion Hotels and up to Piazza in the far north of the city before it´s time for
Frank´s gym session and i can drop him off back at my apartment. Not made any
easier for several roads are closed for mourners of the late Prime Minister.
We´ve both survived – but only just.
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