It's a long journey to Madagascar.
And straight away everything looks and feels different


That was the view from the taxi. The taxis are easy to spot, they're all beige and almost every one is an old French classic complete with holes in the floor where I could see the ground passing by





Scenes from the local market






The view from my room



The dogs I was sharing the house with



As soon as possible I headed to the bike shop, they're selling me a Suzuki DR 350, which looks good - not that I'd know if it wasn't looking good! It's going to be ready on Monday so in the meantime they said I can borrow something else for the weekend. I've got this Suzuki 250cc (at least I think that's what it is!)

the guys at Motostore Madagsacar have been really helpful and friendly.
Here I am, getting ready to set off.

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

With the 250 loaded up, I had the weekend ahead of me and I needed to beat the rush hour traffic getting out of town, Madagascar is similar to Mongolia in that there is a decided lack of paved roads- just five roads lead out of the capital so it's not too hard to find your way. I was soon weaving and filtering through the various vehicles as I made my way west to the Highlands.



The roads pretty soon got much quieter which was nice, the tarmac isn't bad except for the occasional pot hole.
I stopped for a cold drink from this guy...


The rural villages have only dirt roads and zebu carts- zebu being the African cattle with humps on their backs and big horns, they're used more like oxen as they plough with them and get them to pull heavily laden carts often with wheels made of iron-clad wood.





A dirt track led me to a clearing amongst some citrus trees, the sun was setting fast so I put up my tent just before it got dark (stealth camping at its best).




By the morning half the village had wandered past to say hello...so much for my stealth!!




Moving on I found a lovely spot by Lake Itasy and decided on a room for the night and a meal on the terrace overlooking the lake



I was delighted to find that not only did they offer tea but that it was served in a large tea pot.



I went for a wander around the village and found a laundry line with a difference. the locals wash their clothes in the river, then climb up the river bank and arrange the laundry on the bride railings to dry.



Street food is something I always try. This was unlike anything I had ever seen - was it meat or fish??



The guy selling it assured me it's sweet and definitely vegetarian friendly so I bought a slice.



I liked the way he served it wrapped in a piece of paper torn from a school exercise book - complete with a lesson written on it.

__________________
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 next morning, the view from my window looked something like this...



A typical African scene.
I was on the shores of Lake Itasy, which is rumoured to have crocodiles in it, but this was the closest I got to seeing one



A photo in the hotel reception.

I headed off to find some local waterfalls, and was directed along a small track which got increasingly narrow and full of fesh fesh (bulldust).
I had assumed I was on the route that the bush taxis take, but there's no way that anything with four wheels used this track - and I'm sorry but I was having such a hard time riding that I didn't take any pictures at this stage. I had a couple of river crossings and then I was told I was heading the wrong way and had to go back again!
I found more people AND a proper bridge, I MUST be on the right track now



I finally got to the waterfalls, very dusty and sweaty



but still able to smile

It was like being at a smaller version of Victoria Falls, much smaller



I zoomed in with my camera at the white blob at the top to see this



A couple of ducks that looked like they're contemplating diving in!!

And yes, as I turned to go, here were the bush taxis arriving on the good road



I just had to try and follow this road out.

__________________
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 did come face to face with a crocodile


Luckily it was just in a bar, where I was having a well-earned cold .

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

Through couchsurfing.com, I'd been in touch with an American Peace Corps worker and went to visit her
Sarah is very blonde and from Michigan - two major contrasts to being in Madagascar



She's been out here for 18 months and had a lot of good information to share and advice to give. We had lunch at a market restaurant and she introduced me to the drink rano'apango - boiled burnt rice water. Which although it smelt pretty bad, it tasted alright, like a strong roibusch (redbush) tea from South Africa.

I managed to run out of fuel- schoolgirl error, I hadn't realised that the bike had been handed over with the reserve switched on. This meant I had a bit of a delay, when I pushed the bike to the nearest village and paid someone to cycle the 6kms to the next fuel stop and bring back a coke bottle of petrol. So I was unable to get to my destination that night- because there's no way I'm riding in the dark over here. I was a bit stuck for accommodation options, the only place in the small town had red light bulbs and also rented by the hour!!

However the owner was very nice and assured me I would be safe there rather than out on the road with the animals and the brigands!

As I rode in through the gates, I saw what looked like a familiar sight-




a van identical to one I had travelled through the 'Stans with a few years ago.


the next morning (after a very peaceful night's sleep) the owner of the establishment and his wife posed for a picture



I made it back to Tana, and stayed at the house of a friend of the bike shop owner (long story)
The house was full of Enduro trophies



And the only reading material were motocross and Enduro magazines...in French naturally.


Dinner that night was provided at the house by a couple of well...reprobates is the only word to describe them, they're originally from Reunion Island and have ended up in Madagasacar. They washed it down with lots of rum, which I managed to decline.



It was back to the bike shop in the morning, to give back the 250cc and pick up the DR 350.
And time to pack it

Here I am attempting to fill the Coyote Saddle Bag



And here is what I put in it



Time to head north



for some adventures,

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

Hola Tiffany,

hey long time no news from your side, and now I see that you made it Madagaskar ... I am envious, as I also sat on a beach in Mozambique in 2004 and after that tried to find a boat from Beira to Madagaskar with no luck. And you changed to a good bike this time a DR350, I am impressed.

I just made it back to Bogota and will have a weekend of sleep and fruit juices ... getting old and grey... as you know I have always been lazy.

Enjoy your time and keep up the ride reports, everybody here on the Hubbs enjoys reading them. Drop me a line if you find the time, maybe our path will cross again one day.

Un abrazo
mika

Hola Mika
Good to hear from you and how goes life in South America? I wasn't able to get to your part of the continent earlier this year, but it sounds like you're all over the place anyway. And yes, Madagascar is proving to be a very special place, I'm having a ball
hasta luego
Tiffany

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

Full marks for packing light Tiff

Those shoes look really light and compact, do you think they are available in my size?

Tiffany -I always have trouble deciding where to go on the next trip from a huge bucket-list of "places to visit" . Thanks for causing me to add another !

There's a rumour you have done trips like this before
So I was interested to see you "packing light" photo. Great I can get some insight into what experienced over landers take.............. bit surprised on the food choice? Is that little pile the result of 10's of 1000's of miles across many continents, over many years :confused1:


Deeply jealous to be quite honest, looks a great adventure .......... except m&m's, don't like m&m's


Tim

Fashion tips for Mark Manley
we're having a chuckle abut that - and yes they might well be in your size Mark- Karrimor LADIES ones.
Abi (loud librarian sister) says NO WAY Mark - you would look too girly in them!

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