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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 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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Dec 02, 2005 07:00 PM Fianarantsoa - most picturesque in Madagascar?
The names of the cities in Madagascar are long and very difficult to remember... Fiana-rant-soa - university town in Central Madagascar les on three levels. Upper lelel is most interesting with the cathedral /but churches are open here in the mornings only/ cobble-stoned streets and nice views. You will see also rice fields in the valley! Recently open Zomotel hotel offers special rates /20000 ariary for the brand-new room/. Internet access is not easily available: try CHEZ LAURENT in the New Town /mid-level/ - they charge 3000 ariary per hour of slow connection. The bottle of local beer costs 1200 ariary...
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Dec 01, 2005 07:00 PM Madagascar - Ranomafana National Park
Do you like adventure in the rainforest? - This is a place to go! The access is difficult - it is not far from Fianarantsoa city
by the 25 km of the road is horrible! Bumps, dust will give you hard 2 or 3 hours before you will reach the lodge at the park gate. Yes, there is crowded and slow local transport I used - the ticket costs 6000 ariary.
Dorm bed in the lodge costs 7000. Park entry - hefty 25000... and the guide /you are not allowed alone/ - from 22000 for 3-h walk. I saw three species of lemurs, many exotic flowers and waterfalls on the river... Wet, with bugs on my legs I was happy to be back in Fianarantsoa...
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Nov 30, 2005 07:00 PM Ambositra - the cheese from Benedictine Monastery
I am in Ambositra - dirty and colorfull village in the central Madagascar. Beautifull hills around... French baguettes are the only kind of bread you can eat - the small ones costs 200 ariary /1 USD=2060 ariary/.
I have a currency problem: there are two curriencies in use here: new ariary and old malgasy francs 1 ariary is worth 5 old francs. Why? People in the market often use old francs if you ask the price... horrible missunderstandings...
The jewel of Ambositra is Benedictine Monastery famous of the probuction of cheese... During my visit they said - no cheese on sale because limited supply of the milk before rainy season. Then when they recognized that I am from Poland - the countru of John Paul II they found a piece of the cheese for me - very tasty! JPII was our best ambassador!
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Nov 29, 2005 07:00 PM Madagascar - by rickshaw in Antsirabe
I decided to stay longer in Antananarivo at the end of my Madadascar circuit. Today I am in Antsirabe in the central part of the island. It is nice town - the capital of the prowince. No buses in the city! The main means of the city transport are red push rickshaws - you will find here hundereds of them. Longer ride costs 0.50 USD, shorter even less. The rickshaw men are barefoot. Few of them is alway waiting in front of my budget hotel Ville d'Eau were I pay 10000 ariary per room with comunal bath /like 5 USD/. Madagascar people are calm and friendly, most of them know French so it is worth to learn at least basic words before arrival.
In the morning I went to the two picturesque lakes - 7 +18 km - throgh the nice countryside. I found it very poor but also very colorful. Yes, this is one of the most interesting corners of Africa!
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