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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Dec 11, 2005 07:00 PM Madagascar - pirogue to Betanie...
If you want to go there from your bungalow in Nosy Kely there is no reason to ask for the directions... On the beach in front of you at any time of the day you will see local people - mostly ladies carrying baskets on their heads. They also go to take the pirogue crossing the channel to large fishing village of Betanie. Wait with them in the strong sun, once pirogue will come take your shoes off and jump to this large duout canoe. The passage in the crowd of locals will cost you 200 ariary - 10 US cents. On the opposite bank you will discover different world. Long and wide white-sand beach was completly empty when I was there. The long row of the fishing canoes lie on the beach. You must cross the dunes to get into the village.
Tatched houses under the palm trees... Old ladies cooking on the open air... Limited water suppluy from the well, no electric power... Barefoot kids are asking for the cadeau, stilo, bonbon, argent... Please, if you really want to help them do not give this gadgets to the children - give them to the teacher of the primitive school...
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Dec 10, 2005 07:00 PM Western Madagascar - no chance to see Tsingy!
I spent two days trying to organize the tour to Tsingy National Park - one of the wildest in Madagascar. Bad luck! The usual response from locals is: too late! Too late! It is already raining there and the roads are rard to pass! The cost of the rental of 4WD car with local driver and fuel for 3 days required to visit the park is like 300 USD. Is this worth to invest such a money and to go there anyway? To fight with mud in the rain? Sorry, next time - maybe...
But in Morondava we still have bright sun. This city has special microclimate: 10 months of sunny weather each year. I am enjoying sea and sun. Today we went by car to the nice and deserted Kimony Beach - surprisely there are luxury bungalows -five of them - 20 USD per night with breakfast included if you like to spend your vacations far from the noisy world...
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Dec 09, 2005 07:00 PM Avenue of Baobabs...
You can see baobab trees in many places... But there is only one such famous *Avenue* where they stay on the both sides of the red, dusty road... Avenue of Baobabs is located some 18 km notheast of Morondava in Madagascar. If you will be able to find companions to share taxi rental you will pay the fraction of 50000 ariary charged per half day car excursion. When I arrived there I found not only the alley but much more baobabs spayed-out inthe area. Thealley itself is some 200 m long and the best time to come here is late afternoon. Then - staying till the sunset you will have the chance to take interesting pictures. The lighting of the sky was just incredibile when I was there!
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Dec 08, 2005 07:00 PM Morondava - Madagascar - paradise on the sea...
If you want to reach this place by local transport from the capital city it is two days journey... Morondava lies on the West Coast of Madagascar. Try to imagine bumpy and sandy main street with some run-down colonial buildings. Stalls of mango - sellers, little, cramped bazaar... The main street will take you to the sea - there is little peninsula Nosy Kely filled up with hotels, guest-houses, bungalows, little open-air restaurants and tatched houses of the local people. All almost empty - the season is over... My bungalow is located 5 m from the wide beach - under picturesque palm trees. I have bathroom and fan - it cost 20000 ariary per night - like 10 USD. I am listening to the ocean day and night - the sunsets are spectacular... Strong sun, high humidity... take a swim and relax - why you didn`t want to come here with me?
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Dec 07, 2005 07:00 PM Sandy road to Madagascar Riviera
Toliara has no beaches! But some 22 km north of the town you will find two fishing villages: Ifaty and Mangily- this is the place to go for the swim. But before you must survive 22 km of sandy and bumpy road - no pavement at all. Reminds me Sahara... Ifaty - mentioned in the LP guidebook is closer but it is just picturesque fishing village where they offer sailings on authentic pirogues. Going north along sandy and coral-rock beach after 3 km you will surprisely find good, but deserted hotels /a/c bungalows from 30 euro/ and finally - in Mangily - all tourist bussines: palm trees, bars, bungalows for 10000 ariary, hords of children asking -Cadeau,cadeau!, souvenir sellers... Do you like it? I escaped after 1 hour!
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Dec 06, 2005 07:00 PM How I crossed the Tropic of Capricorn
I had a lot of bad experience dealing with taxi drivers so before departure we signed the contract: for 50000 ar he will drive me in his old-fashioned Renault 4 from Toliara to Saint Augustin and /after 3-hours stop/ back to Toliara. Country road took us south - along the picturesque mangrove coast. I was looking at the map: we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn... No sign... /It is important to me - I am Capricorn!/ When the road started to climb high coastal mountain we changed broken tyre and he sait: sorry, my R4 is not strong enough to climb this mountain! Ufff! No other transport here... I decided to climb on foot and after 5 km hike reached tiny fishing village of Saint Augustin. What a place! - Real outback! He was waiting with the car at the bottom of the mountain. After return to Toliara he wanted me to pay full amount of money, of course... Sorry!
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Dec 05, 2005 07:00 PM Toliara - the smellof the South Seas...
Toliara or Tulear is a provincial town located on the western coast of Madagascar. Fresh ocean breeze, but also hiugh humidity... I stay in l`Escapade hotel - just 200 m from busy taxi-brousse station. Escapade is worth to recommend: for 10 /old section/ or 12 USD /new one/ you will get fan room in the garden with hot shower. After night break electric power will be switched on at 7 am - OK - I brew my coffee at this time... Bring you fruits from the market by rickshaw - here is many of them! For 1 USD you will buy 4 papayas or 20 mangoes... Take your time, new adventure will be tomorrow!
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Dec 04, 2005 07:00 PM Saphire Kingdom in Madagascar
To get to the West Coast from Ranohira you must go first to Ilakaka. In the past there was nothing. Then they discovered saphires... Now Ilakaka reminds the town from the Wild West movies: bars, small wooden houses, gem dealers, dust, crowd... Watch your bag and your pockets! Ask the dealer to show you some gemstones - they have different colors, shapes and value... Take your crowded bush-taxi to Toliara - it cost just 9000 ariary...
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Dec 03, 2005 07:00 PM Parc National l`Isalo
Tiny village of Ranohira has just two hotels and couple of bungalow camps on the outskirts. No power till 10 am daily! Heat, mosquitos... But it is the main gateway to Isalo NP - one of the most picturesques in Madagascar. It is obligatory to have a guide on the trail - you will pay him 20000-60000 ariary per day of hiking depends on the route chosen. Park entry will cost you 25000 per day or 37000 per 2 days. I spent full day - almost 10 hours hiking among some unusual mountain and canyon scenery. It was big effort but I wanted to make both main trails in one day. Lemurs... After hours in the sun and heat swimming in the Natural Pool - like little oasis was just lovely... What a day!
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Dec 03, 2005 07:00 PM Parc National l`Isalo
Tiny village of Ranohira has just two hotels and couple of bungalow camps on the outskirts. No power till 10 am daily! Heat, mosquitos... But it is the main gateway to Isalo NP - one of the most picturesques in Madagascar. It is obligatory to have a guide on the trail - you will pay him 20000-60000 ariary per day of hiking depends on the route chosen. Park entry will cost you 25000 per day or 37000 per 2 days. I spent full day - almost 10 hours hiking among some unusual mountain and canyon scenery. It was big effort but I wanted to make both main trails in one day. Lemurs... After hours in the sun and heat swimming in the Natural Pool - like little oasis was just lovely... What a day!
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