The ability to block out the unpalatable, however inevitable, is one of the more remarkable things about human psychology. So it was, after climbing up the rock face to get into Debre Damo Monastery. While I explored the hilltop and took in the views over the surrounding countryside, I put the descent out of my mind.
It was only when I got back to the entrance/exit point that the inevitable dawned on me. The view down the sheer rock face was disconcerting at best. Like a child who has climbed a tree, only to find themselves regretting it when its time to come back down, I felt like calling the fire brigade. Unfortunately, there was only one way off this particular rock…time to descend.
The look on the man who supports your weight as you descend pretty much says it all…or at least, it seems to be saying, “this bloke’s an idiot.”
It is seriously vertical…and if I was those four men at the bottom, I’d consider relocating to somewhere less likely to result in death by falling tourist. If anyone was wondering, things like this are the reason for all the grey hair…
At the bottom of the climb were these men seated in the shadow of the cliff. They looked a bit like a panel of judges assessing the climbing abilities of tourists. I suspect they were fairly unimpressed with my efforts…
All but the last photo in this selection were taken by Boris Kester from the Netherlands, a fellow traveller who I met at Debre Damo.
Notes from Camelid Country 
Oh wow! Glad you made it down safely! That reminds me a little too much of my rock-climbing accident, though the distance I fell was further. Good for you!
I have the utmost respect for rock climbers, I don’t think I could bring myself to do it. Your accident must have been terrifying, I was being supported by a rope and it was still an uncomfortable experience.