Stop two: Tsingy, we hope...

We really had no idea how and if we would make it out to Tsingy. Almost everyone who visits Madagascar rents a private car, driver, and translator.. BUT what fun is that..? Plus only the rich can really afford it, trust me it would have cost us hundreds possibly easily a thousand to do that and it wasn’t worth it considering I had no access to my money yet.

So we got our walking shoes on and made the 5K walk out to the main road in hopes to find someone wanting to enjoy the company of my sister and I. Lucky for us the trees covered the 5K walk as the heat was pounding down on us. An hour later, we made it out to the road and were ready to hitch. We take a brief rest and start the walk to Belo ( this is the town we need to head to by lunch to hope to catch a tourist car with 2 seats). One car heads our way, but shoot its going to Kirindy. We hear car 2 moments later AND its Locals heading to they first tell us not all the way to Belo, BUT truth be told they were going to the first stop we needed to make. Lucky for me, I didn’t have to conversate at all because I cant speak any Malagasy, so it up to my sister to smooze them over. The journey was easy, and quick, besides the 1 hour boat ride across the river with ‘4 cars on it and one motor. We made it safe and only 5000 Ariary (courtesy of us, since they didn’t ask). Next to figure out how to get to Tsingy. We get to the Bus station at 1230 and find out that its our lucky day. A Camino that only goes there twice a week is leaving in 2 hours. Hooray! We go and get lunch at the fanciest restaurant we have eaten at since I have arrived and head to the station. If only I can show you photos of what we ride on! You would be amazed. Maybe picture a open aired freight truck with it full almost to the top with beer, coke, rice, a sink, wheelbarrow, etc and people sitting in it, hanging on and hoping not to fall off! Lucky for us the guy who manages this truck is driving AND he offers us the front seat! We were soo lucky! I guess it helps we are paying more than the locals and were two girls. Unlucky for me I cant talk to the guy AT ALL.

So the journey begins only 30 minutes passed scheduled departure and we head off. You wont believe me when I say this but it takes 8 hours to go only 100 km. And we arrive at 11 pm at night fall where we are told we will sleep on the ground to cross the river in the morning..

That’s all for now.. TBC

The journey through Madagascar. First Stop Kirindy Forest

What a journey the past 5 days have been with my sister! Originally we woke up on Friday morning when my stomach was finally better and we were going to take a taxi brousse to the road into Kirindy Forest and walk 5K in. But after a rushed packing and to the bus station they lied to us telling us we could be in front so we decided to get our money back and go out the next day.

Next day… Up early and all set, we head to the place where we will take a 4 by 4 (private car) instead of a taxi brousse. Thank goodness!! When we arrive its said that the one we thought we were going in was booked with other people instead but lucky for us the man found us another one going exactly to where we were going so we did not need to walk the 5K in the heat. Everyone here works in Malagasy time which is island time as we would relate. So although we got there at 830 we didn’t leave till 11. But, lucky for us the ride only cost us each 5,000 Ariarys instead of the 10,000 the taxi brousse would have cost us. 1600 Ariary is 1 dollar.

Upon arrival in Kirindy it was nice to be able to sit down without the crazy bumpy roads of Madagascar. And trust me these are BY FAR the worst roads I have ever travelled on in my life, and apparently the worst in Madagascar. We decided on the night walk and took a nice nap and got ready for the journey. It was pretty awesome! We saw the night lemurs and snakes, sleeping birds and butterflies and chameleons! I really enjoyed it. We got back had a lovely dinner for the location we were in.. small forest bungalows, where you are pretty much sleeping on wood planks Toilet was a whole outside as well as the shower. ( by the way this is all typical of Madagascar) just gotta be careful of the mozzies that they don’t bite your butt while your squatting! We went to bed with the sounds of the crickets!

And awe woke up to the sound of the lemurs screeching.. Got breakfast and decided on heading to our next destination. Tsingy..

Morondava, Madagascar with my sis

95 degrees in the sunshine in the winter time, imagine this place in the summer. This is where my sister lives and enjoys each day. I landed in the scorching heat with my sister waiting for me. Small plane fits about 12. Ive been here a week now. So far Ive been to a local concert and been sick for 3 days, thanks to my sister whom encouraged me to eat the street food she does ' since its all natural here' as she says. I usually dont get sick at all when i travel so whatever i ate must have been pretty bad! The people here are nice, but unfortunately i cannot communicate with any of them. Good thing you can alwys play games with kids even if you dont speak the same language. The internet here is dial up speed, and the key board is french, so i will have to write more later;

good thing is, my sister loves where she lives for peace corps, and i am better now.

off to the toursit sites for the next few days