OMO
Imagine a spectacularly beautiful area with diverse ecosystems, variety of wildlife and colorful tribes. Omo Valley, in Southern Ethiopia, is undoubtedly one of the most unique places on earth. It is inhabited by a wide variety of fascinating tribes, having rich and distinct cultures and history. I visited Omo Valley the first time in 2009. You could only travel there with your own car or with local transport to limited places. It was a great adventure back then as I hitchhiked around in Omo and visited markets in several small town and villages. Last time I travelled there was with my husband, his friend and local missionaries. Spontaneously we hired a car, arranged a driver and drove together to this marvellous place. This time our base was the most remote town I reached in my previous trip, called Turmi. From Turmi we drove to the border of Kenya, and to South Sudan visiting the Dessanech, Hamer, Arbore and Karo tribe. The raw and un-contaminated culture of these people will hopefully remain one of the few authentic traditions of our time. Even with development and cultural shifts, some practices are there to enjoy and even keep the good ones. We slept under the stars, crossed rivers by foot and stayed with the people in their own houses. No words can describe this great adventure.