Day 8 - "I'll be back..."

The original plan for the last day had been to go on some kind of excursion outside of Addis, but when it came down to it I realised I'd rather head of to the kitchen again and do one last stint at the kid's breakfast and say goodbye to the people there. I've never been much of a morning person, but it's been an absolute pleasure to get up at 5 in the morning and see these kids with there big brown eyes, wide smiles, and relentlessly snotty noses. After saying my goodbyes, I went for a coffee and a bit of a debrief with Dr Alemu and Dr Minas, where we had a chat about some of the core issues that the charity faces, and those upon which future teams could have the most impact. There were several areas which I'll stay personally involved with too. It's that kind of trip - you come for a week and end up with a lifetime commitment.

Afterwards, I wandered up into the area of Addis know as the Piazza (it dates from the Italian occupation in the 1930's). I was soon joined by a young "student" who engaged me in conversation. This is a traditional Addis scam - eventually the conversation will lead to an invitation to a coffee making ceremony at his sister's house which you're invited to attend, and at the end presented with a large bill for hundreds of dollars. So we cut to the chase. I could do with a local guide, and he could do with ten dollars. He turned out to be very good company for someone who learned most of his English from the movies.

All that remained was to have a last meal together at the hotel, get our bags packed, and head for the airport. At the time of writing, I have no idea whether the Ethiopiaid Team Challenge will run again in 2009, but I can only hope that it does. It has been a hugely satisfying experience - genuinely life-changing - and one of the greatest experiences of my life, right up there with raising my daughter and saving a penalty. I had the privilege of working with a great team of co-members (I can say that because I picked them, so it still makes me look good) as well as meeting some of the most inspiring people I'm ever likely to come across.