Road trip: Eldoret to Moyale, Ethiopia - Fourth leg, crossing the border

While waiting for our meal at Koket Borena (Moyale, Ethiopia), I hung out with these very cheerful groomsmen

At the border with Kenya and Ethiopia there are two towns called Moyale, one in each country. I was told I could walk across the border with no visa, so the girls and I made a plan to eat at Koket Borena restaurant - the best spot in town. Robai and Safia had never been in a foreign country and were very excited at the prospect. After arriving at Moyale on the Kenya side, we found a café to have some chai and mandazi. And then... we excitedly set off for the border crossing!

However, we discovered that it was not that easy to cross the border without a visa. Eventually though, after a lot of patient conversation, the official allowed me to cross - - but only if I left my passport with him and if we promised to not stay too long.

Along the way, at one of the many police roadblocks with barriers, this lorry had backed into a police truck.

Beautiful scenery and typical homes along the highway

After we walked across the border, we hopped on a tuk-tuk and headed to the restaurant.

The official language in Ethiopia is Amharic, a Semitic language spoken by 9 million people

Doro wat (Amharic: ዶሮ ወጥ)

This type of stewed meat, boiled eggs, vegetables, etc, is the traditional food in Ethiopia. It is typically eaten in a group sharing a communal platter of injera, a spongy flat bread made from fermented teff flour. When it was served, we ate it using our fingers.

Water fountain at the restaurant

Yummy Ethiopian Spris fruit drinks (pronounced spreece), made with avocado, mango, beets, papaya, and other fruit

A farewell sign at the border on the Ethiopia side

A friendly group of guys hanging out, and surprised to see a mzungu :)

The immigration official that reluctantly allowed me to enter Ethiopia without a visa. 

When we returned to Kenya, we found another vehicle and headed back to Marsabit for one last night.

Herds of camels nonchalantly cross the highway. It's actually quite a problem for the drivers. [See my two videos below.]

Marsabit to Moyale - 150 miles
(making a total of 700 miles one-way Eldoret to Moyale)

"Travel makes one modest; you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world."

   ~ Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880), French novelist