Aba Hami Dave in the UK | Dave's Eritrean pages An adventure afoot This time it was Hugo who came up with the crazy scheme to trek up Eritrea's second highest mountain, located near segenetti about 70K south of Asmara. Using some new maps which actually bear some relation to the location of villages for a change and Hugo's mastery of Tigrinya then it might just work.... The plan was to begin from Decamhare and trek cross country to Hadida to visit Tom and Fliss, before making our way to Abi Hana via the virgins at Hiebo. After hitching to Decemhare, carrying enough food to feed an army, we set off for Hadida, via Adi Harim, Endadeqo, Zeban Zeraw and Tewro. Finding the way was relatively simple, a matter of asking in each village which path led to the next. In Tewro we were invited in for Sewa (Eritrean Homebrew) by Habtom and his family, turned out his son Semari was taught by Tom in Hadida. After a couple of cups of Sewa we set off - rather more unsteadily - for Hadida, bumping into Semari Habtom on the way. He was gobsmacked to see a digital camera with a picture of his family! Habtom and family in Tewro Tom was persuaded to accompany us on day two as we headed towards Segeneti and the mountain of Aba Hani. In Berequet Abey our route decision was modified after we spoke to Tesfasgi, a teacher who pointed out the mountain wasn't actually where we thought it was! We continued through Adi Whi Shmhi, Adi Whi Laeley to cross the main Segenti to Adi Keyh road at Degra. Here we'd planned on refilling our water supplies and treating ourselves to a slap up meal. Plans scuppered by the lack of a shop or even a tea shack. Luckily Ade Brie and Ade Miherat came to the rescue, taking us into there house and feeding us Tighta and Shiro, filling our bottles and giving us Embasha to sustain us on the journey. Our original intention had been to climb Aba Hani that day, but it looked as though we had rather underestimated the distance so we headed for Heibo and the virgins. The nunery/church/monastry at Heibo could be seen from miles distant, dwarfing the surrounding village. Global Catholacism seems to be going strong. Old ladies who fed us in Tewro Outside the Heibo monastry. The nuns directed us to the monastry where we were shown in by father Haile. Their hospitality did us proud as we were given a room with three beds, linen sheets, hot showers and flushing toilets! Five star luxury by Eritrean standards!. The only downside was being woken for mass at 5:30 where we also saw a local marriage ceromony and saw the relics of St Justin (who came to Eritrea from Italy in the 19th Century and was the first priest to spread catholicism in the country). His remains were enclosed in a glass box - as Hugo said "Justin Case" geddit! After taking breakfast with the Priests and leaving 50 Nakfa apiece "towards the upkeep of the school" we set off to Adi Qontsi - where we were invited in for tea at the home which was preparing for the evening's celebrations for the couple we had just seen married. Following custom we made a 30 Nakfa contribution to the wedding fund and were on our way - probably the most expensive cups of tea in Eritrea but good payment for all the free food we'd consumed in other places along the way. After the last village Mai Eila we headed for the mountain proper, though all the Eritreans were keen to dissuade us and definitely considered us not quite sane to be walking somewhere that didn't involve going to a market or leading a goat. After a bit of stumbling about trying to find the correct path some kids at a river watering hole pointed us in the right direction, after which we were guided for 15 minutes by an old guy until we were on the path proper. Hugo and tom Kids by the river Our guide "its up there mate" From here the going was tough, and as usual we were out in the midday heat. We took frequent rests, getting more frequent as the climb went on. Luckily the path was clear so navigation posed no problems and after four hours we reached the top, which was suprisingly wooded and contained remains of builders and a well used by the fighters who were stationed there as radio operators during the independence struggle The view from the top was amazing, ranges of hills stretching across the highlands to Ethiopia. We were able to look down on villages we had passed and on the tops of hills which the previous day had towered above us. Views from the top of Aba Hani At the top at last It was already 4 PM and having little food left we didn't fancy  getting stuck on the mountain in the dark, so after taking photos and being revived by the last of our (home made) flapjack and a frusili bar (thanks Sar) we headed off down, racing as fast as we could on our tired legs and blistered feet. We reached Mai Elia by dusk and did the last 40 minutes to Adi Quansa in the dark, spured on by the thought of the wedding celebration, coke beer and food. Just before the wedding we caught four old fellas stumbling along in the dark, we lit their way with torches and one of them (90 if he's a day) hoisted up my rucksack and carried it the rest of the way. At the wedding we were welcomed like guests of honour, typical Eritrean hospitality - although I think people were rather confused as to why we were there at their village in the middle of nowhere and why exactly it was we'd climbed Aba Hani. The wedding celebration So the rest of the night was spent drinking Sewa, eating tighta, getting fed and dancing the night away Eritrean stylee, which is best described as a cross between the conga and the funky chicken. We retired fairly early and left them to it, kipping on the floor of a village Hidmo made available for wedding guests. Monday saw an early start - a bus left at 4AM to take the wedding guests to the nearest town. The starlit ride along a dirt road was interesting. We arrived in Segenyti and hitched our way back, dropping Tom off at the turn to Hadida. Back in Asmara by 10:30 and in time to teach my first lesson of the day... And ready for a good kip.