Exploring Ethiopia: Novelties abound in the cradle of mankind on horn of Africa

Damien Enright recounts more tales from his travels in Ethiopia. 

There are 862 bird species in Ethiopia: we have approx 300 in Ireland and Britain. I’ve seen about 30 of them, but will see more when I go to Lake Tana in the mountains but will steer clear of bad-humoured hippos, the most dangerous animals in Africa.

My best snapshot was of a hornbill, a bird straight from a fantasy comic book with a horn bigger than that of a buffalo mounted on its formidable bill. I’d like to attach the photo to this column but internet in Ethiopia is on-off, mostly off, totally unreliable; it could spoil one’s holiday if one let it.