Addis Ababa: A name to conjure with

Kate and Michael met me at the airport with this beautiful bouquet of rose buds and we caught the shuttle to our hotel. 

Love that first drive through a city. First  impressions: dust - although an American resident of Addis told me that as it was the very end of the wet season, the city would become progressively more dusty - and activity, although not nearly as noisy, crowded or busy as an Indian city. No discernable driving rules but not a huge amount of traffic - no Yangon.

Like similar Indian hotels, this hotel had security gates, vehicle checks, x-ray machine for all belongings and security guards. Security was possibly extra vigilent because the Indian president, Kovind, was staying at our hotel with his rather large entourage. The city was bedecked with Indian and Ethiopian flags.

Check-in was not great. The man who checked me in obviously did not think that a woman travelling alone needed a room with a king-sized bed, which I'd reserved and for which I'd paid but I'm a veteran of standing my ground in hotels in Africa. The hotel was beautiful but there were lots of holes as far as service and communication - and making cocktails ;) - were concerned.