When traveling, doing things spontaneously is part of the journey & these things tend to be some of the most memorable. Sometimes you decide to do these things, other times these things are decided for you. This was one of the times when things were completely out of my control.
I was connecting through the airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia & I had a layover of just under 2 hours. Things started going downhill just before take-off of the flight going to Addis Ababa, bad weather closed the airport & we sat in the plane waiting to take-off for over an hour & a half. I thought we would make up some time en route & I would still make my connection – we didn’t & my next flight left without me.
The airline put me on the next available flight which was a good 20+ hours later; they also covered visa & accommodation costs for me in Addis. So there I was, someone who never did anything unless it was meticulously thought out & who never had any desire to visit Ethiopia, going through immigration & into Ethiopia. This was definitely the moment in my life when the travel bug really bit.

The taxi ride from the airport to the hotel was like a terrifying, death-defying, thrilling roller-coaster. I’ve been in some crazy traffic with some crazy driving in my life, but never have I experienced such chaos at such speeds. Traffic lights aren’t used, the side of the road driven on is followed loosely & driving with a door or two open is perfectly normal. All of this & it was an “expensive” taxi.

The hotel was quite nice, but I decided to leave my comfort zone & see as much of the city as I could. A quick call from the hotel front desk & a taxi arrived to take me to see the Lion of Judah statues. I don’t know why I expected anything else, but calling this taxi ‘beat up’ would have been an understatement. I pushed any thoughts aside & got into this rickety thing, being careful not to slam the door just in case it fell off.
A few minutes later, we were on a main road headed towards our first destination. I was too distracted by my surroundings to notice what actually happened, but suddenly the taxi driver braked harshly & we went into the back of another vehicle. It was nothing serious, merely a fender bender. However, because of the state the taxi was in before this, the front bumper came off & dozens of pieces & parts fell out of the engine. I gathered it wasn’t the first time this happened to the driver because he quickly phoned another taxi driver to come collect me & finish the trip. To my surprise, while I was waiting, the driver swiftly gets a few screw drivers & spanners out of the glove box & starts repairing his taxi.
I’m so grateful things played out the way they did & that my eyes were opened to spontaneity & new experiences. Although short & far from perfect, my time in Ethiopia was unforgettable. I’m not sure I will ever see any more of Ethiopia, but I wouldn’t change anything about my experience.

Haha..i’ve heard about the crazy driving in Addis. Going there later this month. Thanks for sharing your experience. Did you get to try their staple dish, Injera?
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Thanks for reading! What takes you to Addis, if I may ask?
And yes, I did try injera. Ethiopian food is so unique & delicious… I just struggle to remember the names of the dishes😂🤦🏻♂️
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Going for a wedding celebration. I’m pumped! 😄
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Sounds like it is going to be an experience to remember! Enjoy it!
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This was extremely funny
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My most memorable travelling taxi experience was in Paris around the peripherique. Rammed with traffic all travelling at breakneck speed and suddenly we realised the taxi driver had actually fallen asleep at the wheel! My husband suddenly became fluent in French and screamed at the driver, which probably saved all our lives. Maybe that’s why I prefer travelling under our own steam now in our motorhome. At least I know how much sleep the driver’s had the night before!
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Wow, what an interesting comment to read. I wonder how often this happens. One of my previous posts is about how my taxi driver fell asleep while driving in India! I’m glad you weren’t harmed in your incident. And, traveling around in a motorhome sounds like a brilliant experience.
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Yes, travelling in a motorhome is literally being on the road and taking your home with you! There’s quite a community of Motorhomers too, who share tips and experiences. We absolutely love it & feel like the world is literally our oyster now. Near or far, there’s always an adventure to be had in our ‘bus’ 🙂
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We were left behind by our tour in Columbia one time. We don’t speak a lick of Spanish. Finally found a security guard that speaks minimal English. He calls a cab for us to get us back to our cruise ship. We drive through this sketchy part of town and we get in a wreck, and I have a a very expensive camera, so i am paranoid we are now gonna get robbed, as he gets out of the car and starts yelling at the guy who hit it. Thankfully the cab driver (who does not speak english) calls another cab to take us to the cruise ship while he deals with his car.
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I can’t imagine how stressful that situation must have been! It was seemed to be one thing after another. Good to hear you weren’t harmed or robbed in the process.
Thanks for reading!
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Thanks for reading our blog, The Small World Family! You were our first subscriber ever!
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I’m happy to support😁
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Interesting and scary at the same time. I like the way you put things into perspective unadulterated.
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What a compliment to receive! Thank you for taking time to read my writing!
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Brilliant! I’m just finishing a year of travelling and being in taxis have been some of the most traumatic! 😱
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That’s crazy! Where have you been traveling?
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We’d been to Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Antarctica, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and now we’re in Malaysia. It’s been an experience 😊
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Jeepers! Sounds like a trip of a lifetime! The stories & memories you must have made from that.
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It’s been amazing! However, with 2 weeks left I’m starting to crave some order and a meal that doesn’t include rice! 😜
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I don’t blame you! Haha
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Taxiing through Cairo is scary!
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Indeed it is! When I was in Cairo I stuck to using Uber rather.
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I’ve never been to Addis. But this sounds scary but exciting. Does that makes sense?
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Yes, I totally understand what you mean!
Thank you for reading, Alisha
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We really need to do more things spontaneously. Every travel adventure we go on is a military operation (probably because I am ex military) with careful minute by minute planning and we spend more time looking at the list than the sites in front of us….
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I agree with you. Often things will happen that cause a change of plans & you’ll end up spending so much time trying to adjust your list rather than enjoying your trip. In the past, I have made very detailed itineraries & I’ve learnt that it is just not always worth it.
Thanks for taking the time to read, Nick🙂
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An intriguing destination. Thanks for sharing
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It was a very interesting place. Thank you for reading!
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Sounds like you had and adventure and a half. I cant wait to see what you are up to next. Thanks for sharing Dan
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I appreciate the support. I’ve still got quite a few adventures to write about.
Thank you for reading!
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I totally agree that unexpected things is more unforgettable especially on a trip! Nice blog!
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Thank you for taking the time to read it!🙂
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Would you recommend it?
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Hi Timothy, it would depend on whether you are an experienced traveler or not & if you have been to Africa before. If you are an experienced traveler or have been to Africa before then, yes. Such a vibrant culture & a great experience overall. However, it is a lot to take in & it might be overwhelming if you don’t know what to expect.
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Mmmm, I see. I have been to Africa. The most recent time was Ivory Coast in 2014. https://tripbytrip.org/2018/04/01/god-is-almighty-in-cote-divoire/
I don’t always feel comfortable there, tbh.
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Interesting. I can’t say I always feel safe or comfortable in some places in Africa & that is something you need to be aware of.
Otherwise, if you aren’t comfortable maybe look at joining a tour?
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You know what? I’ve never traveled with a tour. At 37 I’m too old for youth tours and too young for middle aged senior tours.
In Sub Saharan Africa I’ve been to Senegal, Benin, Ivory Coast, Kenya and Tanzania. I felt looked at targeted for being rich. I’m not. Obviously compared to average wealth there I am but I’m not…
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I understand what you mean about being in the age gap. I’ve never traveled with a tour either, but mainly because I don’t like limitations being places on travel the way they do.
You sound very experienced, unfortunately you might experience “being a target”, but if you don’t carry any valuables with you & stay vigilant, all will be fine🙂
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I am very lucky to be well-traveled. It started with parents liking to travel and I got the virus. I travel or with one friend or with a small group of friend or alone. The most ‘organised’ I’ve done recently is the cruise. https://tripbytrip.org/2018/07/24/first-cruise-experience-baltic-sea-with-serenade-of-the-seas-by-royal-caribbean-international/
It was very nice, but also had some drawbacks. https://tripbytrip.org/2018/08/19/lessons-learned-after-royal-caribbeans-northern-europe-cruise-with-serenade-of-the-seas/
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It sounds very interesting. I haven’t been on a cruise yet, but I’d be very keen to try it. Thanks for sharing.
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My “Travel Moment” happened in 2001. I was in Bermuda for a few days, and was on a local bus heading – I forget where. As I watched the beaches and pastel-colored houses go by, two girls were in the seat behind me discussing their homework. It was then that I realized that while we may think of places (like Bermuda) to be resorts whose only business is catering to tourists, people actually live and have regular jobs there. You are a guest in their home. Yes, they want you to feel welcome, but you still need to behave as a guest.
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These are very wise words, Richard. Very often people go somewhere & they haven’t researched the customs & culture & they offend the locals without realizing it – using the excuse “I’m a tourist.”
Thank you for reading & for sharing your thoughts.
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As an Ethiopian American who has been to Addis 3 times so far and its a real gem. Did you get to see Lucy the oldest skeleton? (if they haven’t found another by now lol)
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Haha for some reason, I always get a little nervous when someone says they are from the place I have written. I didn’t get to see Lucy. Maybe on my next trip?
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Oh my gosh — haha!! I love the image of the driver scooping up pieces of fender off the road and trying to put it all back together! No one offered to call AAA??! Lol
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Hahaha it was quite something to see. Unfortunately, I was too flustered to think of taking a photo of it. Haha next time I’ll think of AAA hahaha.
Thanks for reading, Kirstin
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My sincere apologies, a slip of the finger on the keyboard. Kristin.
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wow Dan, what a hell of experience eh? reading it like i was watching a comando kind of a movie.😄 Well, travelling can be sometimes thrilling. I would call your experience SUSPENSE THRILLER
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Hahaha definitely was thrilling! I had a good giggle at this comment. Thank you for reading🙂
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I’ve learned through traveling that most times nothing will go as planned – and you’ve just got to roll with it. It makes the experience that much more memorable, don’t ya think? Luckily no one got hurt and it was just a fender bender!
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It totally does make the experience more memorable, I agree. And yes, as long as it was nothing serious, it makes for a good story🙂
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I think people also forget how the rest of the world is… not as advanced or organized. Being in the US is easy, I admit. But it is what you get used to. Those people there would probably think we are nuts here 🙂
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You are right. As cliche as it sounds, everything is relative. What I know as normal is not necessarily what you think is normal. That’s one of my most favorite aspects of traveling & experiencing other cultures.
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Wow
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I love your description of the driving!
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Haha thank you! Have you ever been to Addis?
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Lovely Post, I enjoyed the insight and the visuals!
I look forward to reading more of your post, keep up the good work!
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Thank you for reading, Nicky!
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No problem, Dan! I thoroughly enjoyed your post.
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Interesting. We should travel more. Looking forward to more from you as we travel with you.
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Reblogged this on My Liked Blogs.
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Interesting experience indeed. I [Mariam] grew up in Addis so I could relate to some of the things you mentioned in the post. Too bad you didn’t get the chance to stay longer. You missed some amazing gems. Maybe another time. When you can actually plan it out and see what Ethiopia has to offer when it comes to history and culture. I’m sure you’ll love it.
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Hi there & thank you for reading. I keep hearing of more & more people going to Ethiopia & absolutely loving it. So maybe I will go back in the future🙂
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The taxi ride must of been expensive because he gave you the Indiana Jones special ( : In the end it was nice to see you enjoy a good meal. All these speed bumps crossing your mind. It must of been a good feeling to just relax.
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You are right, it was very relaxing to enjoy a meal.
Thank you for reading🙂
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Good on you! Seize the moment and whatever it offers, that way may lie great things. Your time in Addis sound hilarious and it got you a good story as well. Bet you dine out on this one all the time.
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Seize the moment, exactly what I live by! Thank you for reading.
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What an unforgettable adventure 😊 I have also learned when traveling NEVER ask what your eating if it taste good just enjoy it…
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