An Ethiopian Distraction

Well
It's August. Suddenly days are flying by and I realise I have to get myself into gear for preparations. So tomorrow I am sending off to the Russian Consulate for my visa for the country of the similar name. Somehow I have found myself thinking of my next trip rather than this one. Have I planned things too much and now I need to think of something else? Perhaps... But I am thinking of Ethiopia and the possibilities that lie therein. I was on my way there as part of my crazy 2004 trip before I changed me mind, not because I decided the place wasn't for me but because I'd been so sick through India and Pakistan I had decided to take it easy (the same reason I didn't go to other parts of Africa).
Anyways, despite all that I suddenly remembered why I wanted to go. Contrary to most people's preconceptions Ethiopia is a green country, not particularly hot with mountains and some of the oldest and most amazing Christian historic sites in the world. Travelling by plane is the most sensible way to do the country it seems as a 200-300km journey on the roads can take two days. Considering I know the quality of African buses already I don't fancy that at all.

And yet this post was supposed to be about Lithuania. I will be flying into Lithuania four days after my Stockholm arrival where I will spend some time in its capital Vilinius and perhaps a place called Klaipeda, out near the coast. There's an amazing area (apparently) called the Curonian Split which Klaipeda lives on and if the weather ain't too bad I might head out there. An old friend I met whilst travelling in Iran in 2004 is going to meet me in Vilnius (his name is Siggi) and we'll tramp around together from Vilinius to probably Riga. Should be a fun week, although I am really starting to think that trips should be started in hot climates on beaches. Well, that's just what i've generally done before. South East Asia is a wonderful stepping stone to Europe from Australia, and this is the first time I've taken a flight straight to Europe without a stop over. (Well, it's stops in Kuala Lumpur for an hour or two, but no proper stop over as it were.)
So it's late and I delayed my bedtime to bring any readers I may have (please is anyone out there?) this little update. Here's a link for Lithuania via my good friends at Lonely Planet. Not that they actually know me at all...

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/lithuania