I passed Djibouti in three days, took the south route to come to Ethiopia (via Ali Sabieh). Local people told me that it was a cooler way than the north route because of its higher altitude, although the road was not paved after the border.
They also advised me not to camp in a field at night, but to stay with others in a village. It wasn't because of wild animals but more of human beings.
The more I came inland, the less houses were or greens were. The land was dry. Trees or bushes were sparse. I hardly saw cultivated area. However, I was often surprised to see someone walking in such poor, vacant field. If I should hide from people, it would have been actually difficult to find a good place for camping.
Normal hotels were expensive. I stayed in a comunity center of a village and in a store "hut" in the yard of a hotel. 
The area after the border in Ethiopia was even more remote. The road was bad, but I enjoyed the deserted, lonesome atmosphere.
I heard at the border about wild animals in the area. Lion, hyena, baboon... Yes, that's Africa! I must be really lucky if I could see a lion though. All I saw that day were two apes who stopped me and mumbled "money, money" persistentely.
People still warned me not to camp alone.
22 Apr 2009, Aysha, Ethiopia, 17214km
