That river crossing does indeed look scary, well done

Hey Tiffany,

Your photos are brilliant at showing the difficulties that can be had with adventure motorcycling. While you may be 'having an adventure' and 'living the dream' I (and hopefully everyone else) really appreciate that you take the time to show the emotion and hardship that can be part of this lifestyle.

It also proves that you are one tough cookie and even after all your years of travelling you're prepared to still get your hands (and clothes) dirty (and muddy).

Great Ride Tale, great photos. Thanks so much.

PN

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BLOG: paulnomad.blogspot.com.au

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Hi Paul
Thanks for the kind comments, and yes this is a very challenging trip and at times downright scary, especially as I'm on my own and if anything goes wrong...
Cheers
Tiffany

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Tiffany
On the road from...I'm not sure any more
http://www.tiffanystravels.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAUhV1r-kUo

I scramble up some rocks to get a better view





And then the rain started pouring down with a vengeance, I huddled against the base of the rock expecting the storm to blow over fairly quickly and desperately trying to keep my camera dry. The ground rapidly became saturated and had a several inches of water running over it, which isn't a good sign. Not wanting to ride in the heavy rain but equally not wanting to get bogged down and stuck in such an exposed location I took to the trail once more.
The muddy tracks were now torrents of water, disguising the gullies and rocks that are liberally dotted along it. I rode very, very carefully, up and down hill for several more miles.
The only sign of "life" was this grave



the sole decoration being a zebu skull



Almost identical to the Giant Loop logo on my t-shirt.

The rain was clearing as I approached yet another river, this one was big enough to warrant a ferry- the first people I'd encountered in several hours.



I was the only passenger and the crew were keen for a photo shoot and a chat!






As soon as a camera appears, the faces change from wide grins to solemn features - Yes, they do want a photo, but it must be a cultural thing about not smiling in pictures.

Coming off the ferry (again the no diesel story and a contribution to fuel costs requested) I wasn't sure exactly where I was, things weren't looking great as it had been another long day of riding, I was soggy and tired and had expected to arrive at the small town of Manantenina some time ago.

I realised I must have missed the town, but having ridden onwards, I wasn't keen to turn around and re-trace my route. The sun was starting to set and so turning off the track I found a spot to put up my tent



I got it up just in time as the slight drizzle became a downpour, it wasn't a comfortable night as my bike gear was drenched and inside the tent with me, but I was just grateful to have finished riding for the day and with all my limbs intact!

I had company in the night. I became aware of movement and looked up to see this orange blob on the side of the tent inner.



Closer inspection revealed...Kermit, catching insects attracted by my torchlight. Hope he's not a poisonous one I thought as I turned over and went to sleep.


I just hope he doesn't snore.

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Tiffany
On the road from...I'm not sure any more
http://www.tiffanystravels.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAUhV1r-kUo

I'm not a natural with computers (incidentally after 4 weeks of not being able to shutdown my pc it has now suddenly started to let me do it again).
However as several people have asked me where I am and what am I doing, mainly my parents (!), I have managed to do a map/picture thing to give you all an idea.

The first part of this trip I did a loop through the west and east coasts, part of that was the three week section with my sister, the Loud Librarian.

I then made a plan (something that is a bit alien to me) and this is what I'm up to

Tiffany's Plan




My current location on this ride (where I'm sharing my tent with Kermit) is about three quarters of the way down that purple line on the east coast

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Tiffany
On the road from...I'm not sure any more
http://www.tiffanystravels.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAUhV1r-kUo

A quick google reveals that it may be "Boophis" variety frog which have a sticky secretion known to cause allergic reaction. Even if you do believe in fairy tales, best don't go kissing that frog !

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Regards Tim

Learning my craft for the big stuff, it won't be long now and it's not that far anyway

Thanks for that information, and I may be single but I'm not THAT desperate!!

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Tiffany
On the road from...I'm not sure any more
http://www.tiffanystravels.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAUhV1r-kUo

A short pause in this tale of riding in Madagascar as I wish you all a happy and healthy festive season wherever you are and however you celebrate

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Tiffany
On the road from...I'm not sure any more
http://www.tiffanystravels.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAUhV1r-kUo

It was a great Christmas with my brothers, sisters, extended family and friends at my parents' house.
The day after Christmas, I was out in the garden with my Dad helping him to replenish his log pile - no I didn't get the chainsaw for Christmas (I got mine two years ago and it's kept at my house but if I had known we'd be sawing wood I would have brought it over and had a chainsaw duel with my Dad), however I AM wearing my Secret Santa hat



Many thanks for the Christmas wishes, I hope you all had a good one.
And now on with the story of my ride around Madagascar - as you know I'm safely home, so you'll know it all ended well....sort of!!

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Tiffany
On the road from...I'm not sure any more
http://www.tiffanystravels.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAUhV1r-kUo

So, where was I?



that's right, wild camping in the middle of nowhere with this little fellow for company inside my tent (I've been warned not to lick them)

It poured with rain for half the night, but luckily it was dry when I got up

Time to savour the morning



Then take the tent down, pack up, do my hair...



and head south



I 'd only had minimal breakfast, so stopped at the first village I saw - maybe 10 miles of trails from my start point, I asked around who was serving tea and was introduced to this old lady



She's sat on her verandah dispensing tea to the villagers in chipped enamel mugs for the princely sum of 2 pence. A neighbour supplied the "doughnuts". The mud, sheet rock and pouring rain from yesterday was but a faint memory as I enjoyed the food, drink and some company.

__________________
Tiffany
On the road from...I'm not sure any more
http://www.tiffanystravels.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAUhV1r-kUo

The rum bottle of engine oil strapped on the bike I said goodbye to the villagers, who waved me off as I left,




I wasn’t surprised to find that just down the road was another ferry. There was a line of Lorries waiting on the far bank and I could see why, the regular barge ferry was obviously damaged and being repaired. In the meantime, any vehicle less than a ton (Suzi and I just about fit that category) was being taken across on a makeshift barge powered by hand using a rope attached to both banks.



In the picture you can see a pirogue- this one is paddled by a woman, only the second time I’d seen a woman paddling.

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Tiffany
On the road from...I'm not sure any more
http://www.tiffanystravels.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAUhV1r-kUo

Back to tropical style vegetation, after the moorlands I'd been on for quite a while the previous day, I attempted a self-timed photo to cross this pipe and water obstacle

Then as I rode it, two lads turned up and one of them kindly agreed to take a picture- there is often a fair amount of wariness amongst people I'm meeting in this isolated area so it's not a given that they'll take a picture.


mountains had appeared on the horizon.


I'd paused as this was another river to cross with a ferry, while waiting, my erstwhile photographer and his mate arrived and as a thank you for taking the photo I let them sit on the bike

And in true teenage style, they took photos of each other posing


It's surprising how many people have got mobile phones, these have got cameras on them.

I could have done with their help a bit further on; the river was deep, with a sinking mud feel to it. To be on the safe side I carried the bags through on my shoulder- it was quite a walk




Which made me feel like an intrepid explorer making my way through the undergrowth with the water up to mid-thigh at times

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Tiffany
On the road from...I'm not sure any more
http://www.tiffanystravels.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAUhV1r-kUo

That's serious adventure! Did you meet Humphrey Bogart sailing the African Queen?

Charlie

Charlie, if I he'd been there, I would have put the bike on his boat in a shot!

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Tiffany
On the road from...I'm not sure any more
http://www.tiffanystravels.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAUhV1r-kUo

And yet another ferry, the first of the chain-powered barges, where a wheel is turned by hand to power the boat.



As you can see my legs and boots are pretty wet from the river crossings.
Water everywhere and a deceptive looking river crossing which caught me out, I had decided I'd get through it OK, but... Suzi’s back wheel bogged down.


Having removed the bags I returned to get her through, the following are a series of four pictures over 10 seconds which show how well I achieved my objective



Or NOT!!!


That’s correct the rear wheel has actually managed to sink further into the mud. Just as I was looking around for something solid to put under the wheel, a bloke appeared and gave me a hand, lifting the back end as I throttle the bike.
Suzi’s rear wheel was suitably decorated after this episode

That smile from when I was standing on the ferry- possibly the last time I smiled the rest of the day. It had begun to rain heavily, I was soggy and hungry, desperate for a rest, but the villages I was passing through were tiny with no facilities, and I began to regret not having asked “granny” for some of those home-made doughnuts at breakfast tea break in the morning.
I stopped at a village where a guy was driving through in a 4 wheel drive, he spoke some English and was able to tell me that no one in the village sold food (this was a surprise because in the remote areas, almost everyone sells the food that they’re cooking this helps to supplement their incomes)
The “shop” had one small packet of biscuits, three bottles of and a packet of noodles. I snapped up the biscuits and noodles, and hesitated over the - knowing that I needed calories but then realising that in the conditions I’m riding, the alcohol probably wouldn't help.
I paid the shop woman to cook the noodles for me, meanwhile, having heard me asking for anything to drink that wasn’t , her son ran cross country to the nearest village and returned with a small bottle of coke – which was like manna for me.
I sat in their hut, out of the rain and ate the noodles, feeling sorry for myself that there was only one packet and not wanting to waste any- as she had cooked them in a swimming sea of stock, I decanted the stock into my empty coke bottle before continuing. Apparently I was still 30 kms away from any village that would sell food. In these conditions 30 kms could take me a few hours the continuous rain slowing my progress as well as the stop start of removing the luggage when the rivers were too risky.
I rode on, buying boiled maniocs at the next village and washing it down with stock swigged from the coke bottle. More endless rivers and dirt, more rain so I didn’t dare to take my camera out as the lens was getting wet each time. The sun started setting, I was looking out for a place to stay, not really wanting to get into my very soggy tent, still wet from last night, but then I reached a village where they said I was just 30 minutes from Fort Dauphin – the major town on the south coast. My spirits lifted at the thought of somewhere dry to stay and also the end of this terrible road. But it did mean riding in the dark, something I avoid doing as it’s so dangerous out here. Desire for a proper place to stay won out and I rode the final stretch at a very cautious 15 km per hour using my headlights to pick out the people, zebu and vehicles with no lights in the road as well as the large potholes and water crossings.
What a relief when I saw tarmac once more and blimey, even streetlights. I stopped at the first hotel I could find, the cheapest rooms were up three flights of stairs, by which point I was almost weeping with weariness and a sense of having survived a tough undertaking.

__________________
Tiffany
On the road from...I'm not sure any more
http://www.tiffanystravels.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAUhV1r-kUo