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

I may be TOO organized! Now, I wait...

It's been a month since my last post.  After that flurry of trip planning and ticket booking, all I had left to do was find a place to stay in Antananarivo.  It's been so long, I forgot how to spell Antananarivo.  And since I had to relook that up, I also checked how to pronounce it!  Stress is on the RI. 

But I digress, so fast.  

As I was checking my phone for pictures, apparently I saved this (no idea why...)

Anyway, the hotel that is the starting point for the tour was showing as fully booked so I found a different place.  I am booked in three times.  When I arrive for one night, between the tour and my flight to Nosy Boraha, and two nights before my flight home.  Hôtel Restaurant La Ribaudière.  

They've got a lot of 'artsy' pictures in their gallery which are less helpful with the practical info but it does seem nice.  And there is a cat in there so...  

So, everything is booked.  Now I just watch the days tick down on my vacation countdown app

Oh, and shop.  I bought a little Madagascar guide book, mostly for the map insert.  And I bought a Madagascar Bird Book!!!  So exciting.

Mom's deck 

My deck

  

When I went to Morocco, Amy lent me her sister's Kindle.  It was Prime day a few days ago.  So, I bought a Kindle.  And I get three months of free Kindle Unlimited. Which expires two days before I get home.  I wonder what those two days are going to cost me?  So far, all I've downloaded is 'Kindle Unlimited - What to know before you SUBCRIBE AND PAY for Kindle Unlimited".  Italics and allcaps are in the title.  

And I bought a pair of shorts.  I hate shorts. Shorts hate me.  But I figure, if I can ever get away with shorts it's on a tiny island off a different island off the coast of Africa.  Who am I going to see? Who's going to see me.  Someone knock on wood immediately!  There will be no pictures of the shorts.  Ever. 

This reminds me of my very first crazy trip. It was with a girl named Amy (different Amy) and two guys from New Zealand.  We lived in a van for two months traveling from Victoria to Cabo San Lucas and Mazatlán in Mexico.  Amy and I made a pact.  No photos of us wearing shorts.  That was 34 years ago.  I wonder if she is still upholding her end of that pact too?  

End with a picture of a lemur (mouse lemur)

Flights? Extra days?

So, so far, all I've done is pay the deposit on my tour.  I have been researching flights.  I want my cake and to eat it too so I am making it too complicated.  There are two viable options for flights:  Air France or Air Ethiopia.  One connects in Paris and the other in Addis Ababa (I'll let you all figure out which is which).  Because I am me and super annoying, I thought, 'Hey, wouldn't a couple of days in Ethiopia be fun!".  I have an extra week of vacation approved already at the end of my tour.  Why not?  Well, I'll tell you why not.  

Air Ethiopia doesn't fly into Antananarivo every day.  I REALLY have to practice how to spell/say Antananarivo, it's the capital of Madagascar and the main airport.  But I digress (I think for the first time so everyone have a drink!).  Anyway, back to Antananarivo.  The only flight into Antananarivo from Vancouver (let's not even discuss Victoria which for some reason adds $2000 and an extra day to the itinerary - drink two!).  The only flight is three days and arrives the day of the tour start. AND there is a little warning on google flights about the connection in Addis Ababa often being late.  Umm, I don't have the stomach for that kind of risk.  

Air France, on the other hand, 22ish hours, one overnight, quick connect in Paris and then direct to Antananarivo.  Comparable price. Gets there a day before the tour starts (to allow me to go to the bird park!).  I tried every which way to Sunday to figure out how to land in Addis Ababa on the way back but it is too expensive for a whim (potential foreshadowing).  

vs 

I still haven't booked flights. I am doing this research in bits and bites because I am so busy at work right now and my evenings are all about social time. 

I was almost ready yesterday before I got invited to the pub.  But then I decided to wait one day because, even with points, this flight is going to cost me almost $1000 and if I waited that one extra day, it goes on my next visa bill.  Did I mention my travel budget is currently $0?  

But alas, that extra day...  Gave me time to think about what to do with that extra week of vacation days.  I looked at Atlas Obscura Madagascar.  Most of the 'cool, hidden and unusual things to do in Madagascar' are not in Antananarivo.  And you all remember my unhealthy obsession with dead people and my interest in the historical side of my vacation spots...?  Yea baby!, the PIRATES CEMETARY!

Where is this magical place you ask?  On an island off the east coast of Madagascar where I will be nowhere near.  

Is this possible?  Do I want to do this?  Yes, yes.  Is it worth it?  I have no idea.  Is it stupid and expensive?  Yes, yes.  Do I have to decide right away?  Kind of.  I have to book my return flight.  I can add a few days after the tour to allow for a trip to Ile St-Marie (where the graveyard is).  Of course, the airline that flies there, only flies there a couple of times a week.  So, I would have to plan my Air France return flight to work with my Air Madagascar (Tsardia) flights.  What could go wrong?  Oh, the return flight from Ila Sainte-Marie/Nosy Boraha gets cancelled and I miss my flight home from Antananarivo?  Ya, well, that could go wrong.  Hmmm.  More pondering required.  What did I say a mere three minutes ago about not having the stomach for risk?  

My brain hurts.  Here is a picture of a lemur to finish up.  (actually, not finished, more below the lemur)

Update.  So, I should know better but I discussed my plan with my friend Val who, as you all know, is my travel buddy.  She isn't coming on this trip but that doesn't stop her from wanting to live vicariously through me and also being a very bad influence.  She said - go to Pirate Cemetery.  You only live once (which is kind of a perfect reason to hang out in a cemetery I suppose). She did caution to check weather conditions because the only real danger (other than ghost pirates) is not getting back to Antananarivo on time for my flight home.  

I mean really!  Low wind, low rain, moderate temperatures.  Did I mention it is the end of whale migration season!  This is happening! 

As my friend Rita reminded me, plan backwards!  Excellent Advising Workshop advice!

So, first I booked a hotel on Ile Sainte-Marie (Nosy Boraha).  You know, just a little bungalow on the beach.  Nothing to see here.  Hotel Club Paradise.  That's the actual name!  Not just what it looks like! 

So, that important bit of business done.  Next I checked the dates of flights to get from Antananarivo to Sainte-Marie. They are only a couple of times a week.  My Madagascar tour ends on Oct 5.  A flight leaves on Oct 6.  So far so good.  Return flight on Oct 10.  Done and done.  Booked. 

Now that I have a non-refundable flight leaving from Antananarivo, I should probably get to Antananarivo.  Onto my RBC travel site.  I found an Air France flight with a connection in Paris going there. And a Delta/Air Kenya (but really Air France) flight on the way back with a layover in Nairobi and Paris.  It is that or a different flight with  tighter connections in Paris and Amsterdam.  This way I get one more hour in Paris to buy wine and cheese at the duty free.  I booked Oct 12 to come back, just in case there is any issue with the Sainte-Marie flight, I have one extra day to boat/car it back to Antananarivo.   

Next decisions.  Where to stay on those random extra days in Antananarivo.  But that will have to wait until I have some dinner.  

Here's a picture of Ile Sainte-Marie (north) and Ile aux Nattes (south).  

SCREAMS!!!  OH MY GOD!!!  FAINTS!

Madagascar - back to Africa!

Madagascar has been on my proverbial bucket list for a long time.  I still have 23 days of vacation to use up in 2023.  And as you all know, vacation days are not to be wasted on staying home (according to my vacation brain).  I don't have any vacation funds left for this year but that is a trifling (vacation brain overrides financial brain, once again!)

Scheduling brain is still functioning however and I needed to fit a three week vacation between important meetings, dance and opera tickets, and busy times at work.  So I searched for tours that fit into that very limited schedule.  Highlights of Madagascar! Watched that for a bit.  And then the very tour (with the exact dates) I could do went on sale for $1000 off!  Kismet!

I did do a bit of research to see if I could travel around Madagascar on my own.  Consensus - no, I cannot. 

Nomadic Matt 

Unreliable transportation, almost complete lack of English spoken, general not good tourism infrastructure.  I don't have time for missed buses and closed parks.  So, back to G Adventures.  Highlights of Madagascar 

So far, all I've done is pay the deposit.  And looked at the airfares (!) and then remembered my budget issues and stopped looking at airfares.  

I still have some days booked as vacation for after the trip.  Considering my options - maybe Ethiopia for a couple of days.  TBD for sure.  

Ok, I'm sure there will be lots more later once I have done something, anything, toward planning.  

Might as well get started on the lemur pictures early, stolen from the internet until I have my own.