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!

Two days later, I'm in Madagascar!

 I am tucked in my little Madagascar bed eating airport Pringles, but I thought I should check in.

Arriving in Vancouver

Let's start at the beginning.  So many days ago (two?) I got up at 2:45 am to get ready to leave for the airport at 3:45am for my 6 am flight to Vancouver.  My saintly friend Valerie M. drove me.  You may remember that I booked a super early flight in case ANYthing went wrong and I had the ferry as a back up.  Well nothing went wrong so I had a several hour layover in Vancouver. I bought some Pringles and read my book.

By the time I bought my Pringles, 
I was the only bag left on the carosal.

Flight to Paris was equally uneventful.  The food was mediocre at best.  I was already scrambled for what day and time it was.  It was dark but it was daytime according to my internal clock.  I watched three movies and four 45 minute tv episodes, French with subtitles to keep me awake.

I had about two hours in Paris to get to M gates in Terminal 2E.  And the 2E train was not working so they has buses running.  No problem, I made it just as people were starting to line up to board.  I was looking for blue passports and quick dry pants to see if I could find another tour person.  Barely any and no one near me to talk to.  

When I got on the plane and to my seat, my seat mate was a Canadian, also heading to a tour but with a different company.  That was the extent of our initial conversation because I fell asleep before we even left the ground.  It was a long flight, over ten hours.  This time it was bright daylight outside but my internal clock was saying it is time to sleep.  So, I slept some, read my book some and chatted with Karen some. She is also solo traveling.  We had a lot in common but her trips involve rafting and biking and mountain climbing.  So, really nothing in common at all!  haha.  

Anyway, near the end of the flight I asked where she is staying in Antananarivo. The Belvedere!  Did she order an airport transfer?  Well, yes she did.  And that's how I scammed a free ride to the hotel.  I gave the guy a huge tip so not actually free, but technically free.  Whichever, it's a win for me!

Multilevel line ups to visa and border control.  I've got my passport sticker and stamp so I am good to go. 

Before we left the airport, I exchanged 400 euros.  I have a brick of cash now.  I don't even know what I got, she didn't give me a receipt.

my room is really dark, or I don't know how 
to use my camera, or both.

30 minute ride to the hotel.  Lots of clusters of men standing around the streets at 11:30 at night. No women I could see.  So, no walking around at night.  

It was hard to see what the hotel looked like in the dark but it seems to have lots of open to the outside areas.  My room is nice.  There is a second bed up on a loft. I'm going to have to take pictures in the day with better light. Or after I figure out my camera.  Or both.

This should be fun.  I am trying my water purifier for my water tonight.  So, we should know by tomorrow how well it works.  Fingers crossed! 

It starts as bacteria and turns it into nuclear waste

This is a terrible post but I am publishing anyway because I am too tired to care.  Good night all.  

Another new hotel. Sheesh!

August 9

Ok, I know Madagascar is a poor country and I am pretty much ready to go with the flow once I'm there but that isn't going to stop me from griping about trying to plan before I get there. 

It turns out the 'the Madagascar plan' has some Nazi history so no 
 Google image for that. No swastikas on my blog is a loose rule I have. 
 Instead you get this children's online geography course on Madagascar

Last post I mentioned that my hotel on Nosy Bohara sent a message that they had a family event in September and can't host me.  

I realized afterwards, that I was booked in October.  But I can't be bothered to email and clarify (in French) so I just found a different hotel (more expensive but hopefully better?).

Then yesterday I was checking my bookings and I noticed that my hotel in Antananarivo, in which I am booked three times, was asking me to upgrade my room (three times) to include a private bathroom for $12 a night.  Umm, the literal name of my room is "Twin room with Private Bathroom"!  I checked and here is the amenities now.  Note the CROSSED OUT toilet and shower!  Nope.  

I made this giant so you can see the crossing out.  

Again, I'm not invested enough to ask questions.  So, I went in and found another new hotel for my three stays in Antananarivo.  This time the hotel that the tour starts in has rooms but I found a different place nearby that had a suite (with a toilet, I'm 90% sure!) and included breakfast for not much more.  But again, they are getting more money out of me.  I will remind myself that dropping money there is not a bad thing, they need it more than me.  But expect more grumbling if this happens again.  

I am now booked at Sole Hotel.  It looks somewhat utilitarian.  Don't fall in love, we may lose this one too. 

the 'suite' 

The view of the outside is less than comforting.  

It ain't the Ritz... 

August 14. 

I got an email from my new hotel asking if I want a transfer from the airport for $22.  That's probably a good deal.  I'll have to think about that one.  The only other time I booked an airport transfer (Ecuador), it didn't show up.  

Once I land in Antananarivo, I have to go through immigration and get my visa which I hear can take some time (or not, who knows anything anymore...).  Maybe I should just grab a cab when I get through.  It will be late though.  Still mulling this one over. 

Non-hotel related topic.  I called my favourite money exchange place.  No, they and no one else will have Malagasy Ariary (MGA).  I will have to take USD or Euros and convert there. I don't love the double hit on exchange but it is what it is.  

Other than that, I haven't done much research/planning. I haven't even had a chance to read more of my Lonely Planet.  So, let's pull the plug on this post and start fresh later.  

A lemur:  This is an Aye-Aye. It is hard to find/see so it's a big 'get'.  But it looks to me like the stuff nightmares are made of so I will be fine if I don't 'get' an Aye-Aye, thank you very much 🕇🧄🧛

bye-bye aye-aye