Bahir Dar Part II - Piracy on the High Seas of Lake Tana?

[emo_snal]

Friday, December 5th 2014 - I woke up after the previous night's misadventure feeling fairly apprehensive about seeing the shady tour operator Dugu. I took comfort in the fact that at least there'd be another guy on this tour and that it was all paid already and I had no money at all in my wallet. Today I was to go on a tour of some of the

Comments

[found_world]

The tour guide sounds like a big jerk. I'm sorry you went through that.

[emo_snal]

Yeah, I wonder how many other people he'd treated like that, it seems like that kind of shenanigans would almost inevitably result in his client's becoming extremely irate.

[fbhjr]

Great photos, especially the tree!

[emo_snal]

It's a fine tree innit? I took a picture of that same tree in 2012:

[fbhjr]

Looks like it has more leaves there. Was it later in the season?

[emo_snal]

The 2012 visit was in April or so, and this time I was there in December, so yeah it could have been a seasonal thing.

[twicet]

Great photographs. I am glad you didn't have anymore contact with that guide.

[emo_snal]

Yeah really. Now if I ever go back I'm going to be paranoid he'll recognize and remember me and want revenge d:

[froganon]

If I ever go there I shall remember to "Beware of Dugu!"

[emo_snal]

haha yes!

It was funny before he came in to the lobby I was telling the front desk staff "you know that guy you saw me leave with this morning? if you ever see another guest talking with him PLEASE warn them away!"

[call_me_katya]

I'm so glad you didn't give him the extra money! I was actually sitting here rooting for your rage to come through. I'm a terribly stingy person though, I think I would have stopped as soon as he suggested paying the missing tourist's half. There's no negotiating with me ;)

[emo_snal]

Yeah I think a lot of people would have responded much more aggressively, I am usually extremely easygoing so it's really something that I got to the point of raising my voice and such. There's a number of guys I know who would have immediately threatened him with physical violence (I'm picturing my boss here, that would be pretty funny to be a fly on the wall for lol).

But also, I will not be cornered, I was seriously immediately evaluating my options of leaving the boat and swimming to shore if he was going to act like he had me over a barrel.

[call_me_katya]

Oh gosh, I wouldn't have responded aggressively. I most likely would have completely shut down. Perhaps even cried a little, nervously. Still though, wouldn't have given money!

[emo_snal]

Unfortunately you gotta be prepared for things like this when traveling. It's kind of like every tourist experience in Egypt, though there you just have to utter the magic words "tourist police" and that puts the fear o god into them. Or used to. I guess the tourist police are out there to protect Egypt's important tourism industry and really come down on scammers. But in Ethiopia everyone else I'd met was so nice that my radar wasn't as up for it as it'd have been if this had been Egypt.