Antananarivo and Getting to Nosy Boraha (Ile St. Marie)

Everyone left the next day.  Chris and I were the only two still at the Belvedere, waiting for a flight the following day.  Others were off home, to Nosy Be or staying at other hotels for their last day. 

I still wanted to go to the bird park.  Chris wanted to come too so I adjusted my 6 am start time to 11.  I know, I'm not a good birder.  I also wanted to sleep in after our late night good-bye dinner. 

We organized a taxi to take us there and to wait and bring us back to the hotel.  The actual name of the park is: Parc Tsarasaotra

It is a park with a lake in the middle and a lovely path (for the most part) that circles the lake. There are a LOT of water birds, ducks and herons mostly.

Red-billed Teals everywhere!

White-faced Whistling ducks mixed in

A couple of these weird round houses.  
They looked abandoned but one can't be sure here

Fishing on the lake (legally?)

These two followed us for half the lake

We left the main path at one point and found the heronry.  Lots of nesting cattle egrets and some black crowned night-herons.  It was noisy! 

nests.  I think if you zoom in, you can see a baby but who can tell

fledgling night-heron and mother ignoring him

On the way to the park, we had passed a tourist market. Chris used her limited French to somehow get the taxi driver to stop there on our way back so we could have a quick looksie.  

I bought some little baskets from these women. 
I don't need little baskets! I am basically a crow. 
'look, something shiny!'

I bought Chris's remaining Malagasy Aviary thinking I can pawn it off on Paul who may come here one day in the near future.  

The next day, I was flying to Nosy Boraha and Chris was flying home.  Our flights weren't too far apart so we shared a taxi. She was departing from the nice International building. I was waiting in Domestic so once she left the taxi, we did not see each other again.   I assume she made it home without incident.  I, on the other hand, had incident.

I wrote a whole long tirade the day of.  I better check that, I'm not nearly so annoyed now that it's all worked out.  Oh, it's not too bad.  I'll leave it as is.

Chris and I had booked a taxi to the airport for 9:15.  My domestic flight to St. Marie was at 1 pm and her international flight was for around 2 pm.  All of the warnings said the traffic could be so bad it might take up to two hours to get to the airport so we gave lots of wiggle room.  Of course we got there in under 90 but better safe than sorry. 

Chris and I parted ways, she to the international terminal and me to domestic.  I took my extra time to finally post to the blog.  I ate my snack and then scrolled Facebook for a while.  1 pm came and went.  Some of the tour group were heading to Nosy Be for a 4:30 flight.  They arrived.  I swear, I said goodbye with hugs at least five times to that group, we kept running into each other!  Anyway, they said they had been told by the ticket agent that their 4:30 flight was going to be delayed until my 1 pm flight (it was now 2:30) got back from St. Marie.  Tsaradia Air (aka Madagascar Air) only had the one plane that day!  

Another hour passed.  There was an announcement which I could not understand but people started lining up.  This was the third time there was an announcement and people lined up so I was not exactly sure but I was optimistic enough to hit the loo before boarding.  When I got back 5 minutes later, everyone was gone!  Just the Nosy Be people were left.  I couldn't possibly have missing boarding!!!  

So, I went up to the one person who looked official and asked where everyone went.  She said something I didn't understand and then directed me out of the departure area and past the ticketing area, into a back room where there was total chaos!  As she was leading me, I was still thinking we were just boarding from another area of the airport.  But once I got to that room, I had an inkling things were not going well.  I finally found someone who spoke English.  Flight is cancelled.  No idea when it will be rebooked.  Stand in this line.

I was very late to the line so I had time to sort of glean what the plan was.  The airline was giving us a taxi to and from a free hotel room.  They would let us know when the flight would be rebooked.  How?  The hotel will let us know.

Now that I am less annoyed, respect to these two.  They
processed everyone on that plane, no matter the language, 
using manually filled out forms with old carbon paper, 
and stayed calm and pleasant the whole time.  

Then she told me to go to that window to get my luggage.  I stood in line for the next window.  No, this is not where you get your luggage.  Go back to that massive line that is taking forever.  Blasphemy may have been uttered.   Some French person said something sympathetic in French.  I knew they couldn't understand me but I muttered something about this line and that line and then back to this line.  Someone English overhead and told me that my luggage was actually just in the next room, circling the luggage carousel.  Excellent.  Luggage obtained.  

Now just to get the taxi.  Wait outside, we will call you.  How?  Don't worry.  People were milling around outside, comparing our little forms with hotel names on them.  We were being dispersed far and wide.  I knew there was at least a family of seven going to my hotel.  I just about despaired.  I was never getting to my hotel!   But eventually a van showed up and loaded all 12 plus babies into it, with luggage on top.  We finally arrived at the hotel after 6 pm.  

The hotel was pretty basic, shared bathroom
but it was clean and it did the job

We were to be provided with dinner and breakfast.  Around 6:45, I went up to the restaurant.  No one was there but the tables were set family style.  I guess we would be eating together.  I got a call at 7:15.  Dinner is ready.  I headed up and I was first to arrive.  There were three long tables, two with place settings for everyone.  I sat at the end.  People started to arrive.  No one would sit with me!  It was quite funny.  Me at one end of the long table, the only other single person way at the other end.  The couples and families all just moved the place settings to the other spots.  I ate one sausage and the carrot salad and then mercifully was released back to my room.

When I first sat down

10 minutes later.  

I got an email from  Tsaradia after dinner that my flight was rescheduled for 11 am the next morning.  We were served breakfast and then bundled back into the van and back to the airport, where we waited anxiously.  When the sign changed to Saint Marie - BOARDING, a great cheer went up from the room.  

And we were off!  Finally.  I had emailed my hotel on the island to let them know I would be arriving a day late.  I'm sure everyone on that island knows exactly when the planes are arriving.  As it turned out, they didn't change me for that first night, so that was nice.  I guess they could give my room to the people who couldn't leave! 

Boarding!

Terrible picture from the plane window.  That point to the left middle
is the pirate's graveyard!  The whole reason for this excursion
This view also really made me want to get to the east side 
of the island.  Look at that blue!

My hotel!  Hotel Lakana, easily identifiable even from the plane

Ok, a short one today.  I have to go have breakfast and finish packing for my flight home this afternoon.  I had thought that I had so much Aviary left and then I bought more from Chris.  But now I am in dire straights.  I only have enough local money for the taxi to the airport.  I have to pay for last night's hotel and meals with euros!  Saves me from visiting the funky gift shop I had hoped to go to today.  It's all blog I guess.  Maybe I will get this done before I get home!

Antisirabe and Fiandanana (Homestay)

My tour is over and I am at the airport waiting to go to Nosy Bohara.  My Wifi is still sketchy but I finally managed to sign onto Google so I can at least use the blogger app on my tablet while I'm offline.  That's what I'm using. Who knows when I will be able to actually update online. I really need new travel computer.

I believe when we last spoke, we were leaving Ramomafana NP.  

Road pictures!

We stopped for lunch and there was music and dancers

At some point we stopped at a lake.  Not sure why.  Clearly, I'm getting jaded.  It was pretty.  I also finally say a Madagascar Kingfisher here but I didn't get a picture until later.

Then we headed to the Homestay.  This is a G Adventure thing.  We stay with a local family.  I really did not like this part in Morocco so I didn't have high hopes but one does what one has to do.  So stoic! 

For some reason, Coco decided to tell us that G does not particularly like the leader of the local association and guesthouse owner.  Apparently, the association funds some elementary schools in the area but in many visits, G reps have never laid eyes on any teachers or actual children in the schools.  We visited the school on a Sunday so no kids.  We left on Monday and we did not see one child heading toward the school, we only say kids going in the opposite direction to the private school.  So, I think they are right to be suspicious.  But it is the only house in the area set up to accommodate a group for an overnight.  

Anyway, we aren't actually there yet. First, we had to hike through some rice paddies along very narrow paths to go up a hill to get to a local traditional healer/shaman.  Despite the issues, this was a very beautiful location. 

Path pictures:

We arrived at the shaman's house and all crammed into a tiny, hot room where he explained what he does, the herbs etc that he uses in his practice.  Apparently, he can cure appendicitis but not cancer.  Good to know.  He can predict the best time to marry, harvest, plant, build, bury the dead. Important info in this part of the world.

The shaman and his family:

Then we headed back to the path and up to a lookout.

And the we arrived at the homestay house.  This place is located in one of the most beautiful settings I have even seen!  And the view kept changing with the light so there are a lot of pictures.

The house

The view when we first arrived. 

First things first though, lunch!  The best meal I have eaten in Madagascar to date.  Zebu stew with homemade bread and all sorts of colourful veggies.

Our room was a six bed dorm.  Bathroom outside.

The kids found us endlessly fascinating 

After lunch, we took a walk to the empty school and then onto the village, which was FULL of more kids.  These kids loved having selfies taken.  They went bananas for the cameras.  Photo, photo, photo!

We stopped for a quick weaving demonstration

Back to the house to watch the sunset!  This is way too many pictures of the same sunset but I don't care.  It was spectacular.

The next morning we had breakfast, another excellent meal.  They have a great cook even if they don't have any teachers. And then we headed back to the van and onto our next destination.  

5 am welcome committee.  She said to say hi to Robynne.  
How do all of these dogs know Robynne?

waiting for breakfast

fresh bread, hot banana bread, zebu, 
rice, coffee, juice and thensome!

And then we headed back to the van and onto our next destination.

Let's finish up with some road pictures before the next post (lemurs to look forward to...)

 

selling casava

note the goat tied to the top of a bus

roadside bike repair shop.  

I finally broke down and bought a couple of scarves.  
The first though the van window.  The second from these
ladies while in line for the bathroom at a gas station.

Those are bricks on her head!

I will have to check the itinerary for our next stop so you will just have to wait.  I am going to board my plane soon so hopefully, I can get another post out in the next day or two from Nosy Bohara.