1202_3257Jinka is the base for visiting the Mago National Park and the Mursi; there is no other reason to come here.

the Jinka airstrip

the Jinka airstrip

There is really no reason to come to Jinka, other than using it as a spring-board for visiting the Mursi and the Mago National Park. Jinka does have an airstrip, apparently there are even occasional flights, but they will need to clear the cattle off first. There are a few basic hotels, basic food, a small, very basic market, and a smatter of very basic, dusty streets. And it has an annoyingly large number of young men, members of the local guide association, who hang around at the hotels, and besiege you as soon as you get outside. And then get annoyingly rude and insulting if you decline their services – not very becoming, not a very good advertisement for this town.

a house in Jinka

a house in Jinka

tailor-made

tailor-made

But it is a nice enough drive to Jinka, first through hilly Konso country, then down to Weyto and into what the local people call the Weyto desert, indeed a pretty dry stretch of land, although still nothing compared to what was dry in the north and the east of this country. I think it is mostly the heat, what makes people refer to desert in this case, and hot it is! (claims of high 30’s, low 40’s oC – given how dry it is, this could well be true).

how do you advertise yourself in an analphabetic environment? the vet, in Jinka

how do you advertise yourself in an illiterate environment? the vet, in Jinka

minimalist market stall

minimalist market stall

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