Deadliest Roads Madagascar and other research mistakes

You all remember for Morocco I refused to do any research since I was going on a tour and I didn't have to know where I was going next, I would just arrive there and discover it as I went.  It worked somewhat.  But since I am bored and have nothing to do but wait, I have been watching some shows.  

I started with David Attenborough's Madagascar.  Lovely, nary a bad view to be had.  Lots of curious animals and beautiful birds.  Nothing bad to see here people, just look at the cute lemur dancing across the unspoiled landscape.  

But then my friend Joe suggested I watch Deadliest Roads Madagascar.  Not a lemur or a bird to be seen except for some very maltreated chickens.  I think I could watch the Friday the 13th movie franchise and be less sure someone was going to die than when I watched this show!  

So, remember when I said I was leaving two days between Nosy Bohara and my flight home so I would have time to get to boat/bus it to Antananarivo if my flight got cancelled.  Guess which road was the star of Deadliest Roads Madagascar.  The very road I would have to take!  Umm, no.  So, if my flight is cancelled, I will live in Madagascar forever.  

First of all, this is the name of the episode: Dicing with Death Madagascar.  

The trip over this very road (Note Nosy Bohara right there in the middle)

 

Here are some actual footage from the episode.  These are just a couple that I managed to grab between covering my eyes.  I didn't grab the ones of people puking in the back of the 'bus'.  The bus is a small pickup truck, licensed to carry 15 people but actually carrying 20. At one point, the 'bus' engine was fully underwater for several hours. The bridges look like they are made out of twigs and stir-sticks. The roads are just rutted paths of mud, rocks, rivers and potholes and the occasional beautiful view if you are not covering your eyes and have a window seat (that's extra!)

Those that stuck with it did manage to arrive at their destination, only 36 hours late.  And they were happy to just get there at all. 

The episode was also about the illegal rosewood industry.  They are cutting rosewood trees at an alarming rate.  And then transporting the logs for 10 days over some very precarious terrain.  Also many possible deaths.  And the sapphire industry.  Again, death defying (or not defied in some cases) for VERY little gain.  This is a very poor country. So, no rosewood or sapphire gifts for friends and family. 

If you want to see it (seriously, brace yourself): 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKrlsCVHwWA&t=767s

I am really really hoping the main road that the tour takes is considerably better than this one.  I'm not asking for TransCanada level, but mostly paved... hopefully?  

Oh, another bit of research.  I bought a Kindle and got free Kindle Unlimited.  The books on there are crap but they do have Lonely Planet Madagascar!  Excellent. I have been reading that.  Where I discovered that everyone calls Antananarivo 'Tana'.  So much for my pronunciation practice.  

I also have been googling.  Never google.  I found '8 reasons to go to Madagascar'.  Here is number 8

I was looking for a place without a plague epidemic so lucky me!  What were the chances?  (Sensible precautions will be taken!)

And I've paid for the tour now so I'm going, deadly roads and plagues be damned! 

End with a picture of a lemur

silky sifakas lemur