After our domestic flight was simply cancelled and the new flight was delayed by half a day plus an unplanned stopover, we finally arrived late in Madagascar's capital Antananarivo. We went quickly and directly to our hotel, because assaults are not only common, they are almost guaranteed. But our SUV convoy of five vehicles driving in close succession reminded us of FBI convoys in action movies. And you don't want to attack that sort of convoy!
The next morning we were confronted with the poverty of Madagascar: opposite the hotel people had spent the cold night under cardboard boxes at the roadside and were “freshening” themselves up in the gutter, while the children lay in the dirt. We found some food and gave it all away to some women and children. Not exactly sustainable help, but the grateful and happy faces of the children spoke volumes!
From Antananarivo to the national parks around Andasibe it was only 160 km, but it took more than two hours just to leave the city of Antananarivo. Compared to that our European traffic jams are a joke. From inside the car we got an intensive impression of the capital. Our drivers strictly forbade us to open the windows, since thieves are specialized in stealing objects out of vehicles.
The second part was a report on the coral reefs near Madagascar: JBL Expedition Indian Ocean: part 2 - the coral reefs near Madagascar
The fourth part is about searching for chameleons in the jungle: JBL Indian Ocean Expedition: part 4 - searching for chameleons in the jungle
