Across the Abyss
The Other Side of Langano (Part 1)
Local travel has always been an underrated delight for me growing up in Ethiopia. I tended to glorify international travel more, but the gems scattered in my vicinity will always remain priceless. Lake Langano was among the few places we visited frequently. It is ingrained in so many of my dear memories. We used to stay at a private bungalow by the shore on weekends or for up to a week. It is a family-friendly place where anyone can feel at ease, which made it a popular tourist destination over the years. For those unfamiliar with this destination, Langano is one of the Great East African Rift Valley lakes found beyond Ziway, just next to Lake Abjatta and Lake Shalla. It is roughly 205 kilometers from Addis Ababa and has a diameter of around 15 kilometers. The murky, brown hard water is surrounded by gray sand beaches. It is one of the cleanest lakes despite its possibly off-putting muddy color. What makes it so clean is what makes it brown, not soil but minerals. This mineral concentration makes the water pathogen-free and safe because crocodiles can’t live in it.
Gentle waves on the Lake Langano shore (2023)
Copyright © Kidus Assefa 2023
Several lodges and resorts have been built along the shores of lake Langano over the past couple of decades. We have paid visits to a few of them and always had a good time. I always used to look at the lake when I was taking in the place after I was done swimming. The vast lake wasn’t as endless as an ocean or big lakes. It wasn’t as daunting because you could see the other side, as distant as it was, and you could tell it was greener. I gazed into the distance, dreamy and curious for so long, wondering what it looked like. It was too inaccessible, so my fascination would lead me to hover over it on a map and not interact with the place any better. I helplessly stared at the abyss whenever I got the chance. I once heard about the government selling land across the lake for investment purposes. Very intriguing but still not promising. One day, as fortune would have it, my partner and I received an invitation from the other side to stay in a relatively unknown small eco-lodge. The invite was great news and somewhat of a personal wish fulfilled for me.
The eco-friendly ‘Tokku’ cabin at Bishangari Lodge (2023)
Copyright © Kidus Assefa 2023
We set a date and made our way there, leaving the soulless capital before the crack of dawn. Clear empty roads, a tough and comfortable car, privacy, and a gorgeous sunrise. Does it get any better than this? We reached the familiar side that I have secretly grown tired of. This was the first time making the crossing for all of us, so we had to ask around for directions. After a brief trial and error, we found our route and headed around the southernmost edge of the lake. The arid savanna was testing, and the entryway towards the new road was the dustiest area I had ever passed through. We found another paved road and followed it until we saw a sign by an off-road turn. We took that path too, and the climate started to shift. Bushes gave way to trees, and the beige-looking soil turned into fertile reddish clay soil. The bumpy road is the impression I always had of what the interior of D.R. Congo would look like. I can see the lake shore and now the gate.
The village children and our lovely guide with my lover (2023)
Copyright © Kidus Assefa 2023
The loudest part of this stay would be the first few minutes of us getting settled after our arrival. I would later realize that the place was quiet all along, and the loudness was all in my head before adjusting to the overwhelming serenity here. We were the only guests for the day and received warm reception amidst ear-deafening silence. Lunch would be ready at our command; we had to freshen up first after all the dust and sweat from the heat. The showers pump out pure spring water sourced nearby and heated by solar power. The housing structures were built out of ‘Kuyisa’ - the local name for termite mound soil which is durable and can last up to a few thousand years. Everything here is eco-friendly and sustainable – a righteous liberal’s dream. I like it for less pompous reasons. I think it is cost-effective and less wasteful too, and I would like to laud the effort put into the renovations. Yes, the whole place was rebuilt, following a fire that destroyed everything in sight. The incident was a deliberate offense carried out by local rebel groups a few years ago. It was very devastating, but the lodge bounced back. We had a great, full-course lunch and were treated like royalty.
The cabana restaurant at Bishangari Lodge (2023)
Copyright © Kidus Assefa 2023
…
Comments
Post a Comment