We pulled in at dark - a well known taboo - but our driver is from the same Gabbra clan that live here and so he knows literally everyone along the way which increased our odds in providing us a modicum of security in what would be a region thrust into the international news arena with violence on the Somali border. For now though we drove quietly to the womens lodge where we would live for the next few days...
This would be Scott's first night in the field where he would come face to face with the humble conditions that people live in. We gave Scott the choice of 4 rooms, each with it's own kerosene lantern, brightly colored mattress and pealing painted walls and matching flojos at your bedside to wear out to the open trenched squatty pottty...with his delight being too great for words - oddly enough he was just kinda silent as he wandered from room to room seeking "the best room" in the house. Well, I've been "here" before so I knew I couldn't sleep in there so we hauled a vintage bed frame and it's equally vintage mattress out into the open dirt field - just like a Marriott - and up came the mosquito net for a nights sleep under the stars that were just without words - so bright and so full with stars and planets and shooting stars that I couldn't focus on the nights sky for all of the baubles twinkling away...
We pulled the cases out, circled a few chairs, put our headlamps on, Scott fired up the fuel tank on the hood of the truck for our evening tea ceremony and for a moment with the engine noise finally dying down, we became silent - humble and thought of days gone by...
My nights sleep was wonderful except for one small detail. As it were, hyenas, (yes hyenas) were moving closer to our camp with their characteristic call to one another and I have to say having seen one about 10 feet in front of me in Ethiopia, it's right out of "Sherlock Holmes Adventures" to see these creatures and a very creepy thing to know that these animals were just a stones throw away - not behind bars - out there in the dark eating things well beyond the odd big mac meal deal...and so as the lamps were put out I laid down and zipped in my net...I couldn't have felt more relaxed nor more vulnerable at the same time but sleep came quickly in the cool night air with the sound from the mosque calling the faithful to prayer...such are the textures of this land...such is Africa
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