I’ve just returned from a trip to Ethiopia where I was filming for a couple of NGOs – APA-CVM and SHA – more on them separately. Ethiopia was the first country I visited in Africa and as a result, it is a special place for me. This was my second trip there. Culturally it’s completely unlike anywhere else I’ve been – there’s a sense of ancientness as if nothing has really changed in the last couple of millennia except for the penetration of mobile phones. And the towns. The towns are not attractive, with litter strewn around the place, interspersed with mangy looking goats and the odd sheep or cow. The towns are generally dives, the driving appalling, the diesel fumes terrible but overall I still love the place. The countryside is stunning though, really beautiful in the early morning or late evening when the sun is low in the sky. This is where utter beauty lies …