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Ethiopia is without a doubt one of the best places I have ever visited, it has everything – mountains in the form of the Simien range running right through the heart of the country, towering waterfalls at Bahir Dar and one of the oldest Christian settlements on earth at Axum which is reputed to be the resting place of the sacred Ark of the Covenant and home to the Palace of the Queen of Sheba.

But for me these incredible places all pale into insignificance when compared with the astonishing 12th century churches at Lalibela. The churches are carved out of the living rock, and it is not until you see them for yourself that you realise what an incredible task this must have been. Lalibela itself is little more than an oversize village and what the local people lack in the way of earthly goods, they more than make up for with their open friendliness and impeccable manners.

Ethiopia does have its down falls, tourists are only recently starting to make their way back to the country and as a result food can often be repetitive & bland and accommodation (outside of Addis Ababa) is best described as basic but the best available but these points withstanding and with an open mind, Ethiopia certainly makes for a fascinating and rewarding experience and one that I would not have missed for the World.