Madagascar: The Spectacular South-East

Pineapple Flambé!

 Madagascar continued to amaze me throughout my journey in the south. I experienced the true meaning of the word 'rainforest' in Ranomafana where I searched for lemurs in the pouring rain. Most that I found were huddled up high in the trees trying to stay dry, but one sifaka climbed down nice and close to us so we had a great view. Although we'd taken our rain coats, they were no match for the amount of water we encountered. After becoming thoroughly soaked the first day, Mr. Elder and I fashioned ourselves a second rain layer out of garbage bags for Day Two. Check out how stylish we are!

Next, I took an extremely long (17 hour) train ride to get to the East Coast (only about 100 km away). Although lengthy, it was interesting to stop in the different stations and witness how the tiny village would all come out to welcome the train. Children would try jumping on to the cars excited for a wild ride hanging on to the side of the train through town. They would come through the cars trying to sell home-made snacks or jewellery, and beg for candy or empty water bottles while we were stopped. It was sad to see that they were 'working' instead of going to school. For many of the small villages we stopped in, the train is very important because you can't reach the town by roads!

In Manakara, on the East Coast, I took a tour in a pirogue, which is a dug-out canoe. I saw fisherman battling huge waves in these tiny boats; they would disappear from view as the sea swelled around them! Our guide told us they used to come home with boats filled with fish to sell in order to support their families. In recent years, they may catch only a handful, as huge international fishing boats illegally scoop up fish with their big nets not too far from shore. The community members have had to find different ways to try to provide for their families.

The tiny pirogues battling the waves!

Then back across the country I went, stopping in Ambalavao to see how they make their own paper and silk.

A typical bus called a "taxi brousse" or 'bush taxi' in English

Pounding the paper pulp.

Pressing the pulp, then decorating!

The difference between wild and farmed silk cocoons.

The incredibly long process of weaving the silk threads!

Ambalavao is also famous for hosting the country's largest zebu market. Farmers will walk from all over the country with their cattle to buy or sell them. They might walk up to 40 days one way with a herd! I had to watch out for all the horns!

From Ambalavao, I also took a day trip to the Anja Community Reserve. I was really excited to hike through this park because it's home to the most famous Malagasy lemur - the Ring-Tail! This species of lemurs is the only one to live in dry, rocky areas, and in this area, the lemurs are quite habituated (used to people). They jumped from tree to tree, ate leaves, and chased birds around for fun all within meters of us! The highlight was seeing the mother lemurs with their new babies (they were around a month old). One mother, in particular, caught my attention because she had twins!!!

I liked Anja for more than just the lemur-viewing. Unlike other protected areas we've visited, Anja is a community-run organization. The villagers themselves protect the park, and all of the entrance fee money goes right back to the village. My guide told me they build schools, take care of the elderly, pay guards to protect the park, and maintain the roads and bridges with the funds. I felt really good to be helping the people of the area and the animals!

Madagascar: Be Prepared!

So you're going on a journey...what do you take with you? If you could take ten things with you, what would they be? How about twenty things? Now what about a backpack full?

I had to make a lot of tough decisions when I packed my bag. I'm going to a huge variety of countries, so unfortunately, I have to take a bunch of different clothes. I tried to pack as lightly as I could (two pairs of pants that both zip off into shorts, three t-shirts, one tank top, six pairs of socks, etc), and really, I don't think I have very many clothes with me. You can tell from my photos that I'm wearing the same clothes over and over.

But then there's everything else. My bag is mostly made up of stuff. I've got cosmetics like toothpaste and shampoo, sunscreen and soap. Then I have a few games, like cards and a dice game.

And most importantly, I have medical supplies. I brought probably more than I really need. On one hand, you could get most of what you'd need wherever you are in the world. But I'm staying in lots of small towns and I've seen that their pharmacies are not very stocked. Then there's the issue that when you're sick or injured, you might not feel or be able to go out and buy what you need. A good example of this happened last night for us.

You probably know that malaria is a disease that's carried by mosquitoes and is found in most countries in the southern hemisphere. It is really serious and many people die each year from it. So it's important to take medication when you go to infected countries. Almost my entire trip is spent in malaria zones, so I brought enough for a year - 365 pills! This is how much space the pills take up (and I've already used two months worth of pills!)

My Malaria Pills!

Even if you're taking anti-malaria medication, you can still get malaria. But there is a better chance you'll survive, so it's worth it to carry these pills around. That means it's important to still protect yourself from mosquitoes. This is a bug coil:

The bug coils and metal stand.

It detracts insects and can kill them. You light it like an incense and it slowly burns and smokes. This one has a little metal stand that you put it on. For humans, it's not the best to breathe in the smoke, but we've used them from time to time if we're in a place with a lot of mosquitoes. 

So before going to sleep, I lit a coil. Since our bungalow was made almost entirely of dried bamboo, it seemed safest to leave it sitting on the concrete so we knew it wouldn't catch on fire. Throughout the night, it slowly burned 'til there was no coil left. At some point in the night, Mr. Elder got up in the dark. He headed to the bathroom and walked right over the metal stand for the coil! He got a huge cut in his foot, and was bleeding all over the bungalow. I had to wake up and help him. It was scary how much blood there was! 

We soon came to our senses, and got him to sit down, elevate his foot, and put pressure on the cut. It turned out to not be that bad, it just bled a lot since it was in his foot. We cleaned it, bandaged it up, and he was ok. But I couldn't help but feel very lucky! It could have been a much worse cut. As it was, there would've been no way to go get medical supplies at 3:30 am and leave him bleeding all over the place! I was thankful we were prepared.

So even though it's heavy, I know that everything I'm carrying is important in some way. In case you're curious, altogether my bag weighs 19 kilograms. I think I'll come back with some bigger muscles!

On a lighter note, I'll tell you that I did not pack any make-up. I thought that would be a waste of space! As it turns out, I didn't need to! To protect their faces from the sun, Malagasy women (women from Madagascar) use avocado paste as a shield. Then they paint over it in designs to make it pretty, like make-up. I couldn't resist giving it a try!

My friend Caroline who did my make-up.

Ready for the beach!

Madagascar: Lunar Landscape

My journey outlined in black

So far, my trip has taken me to the North: Sambava, Marjojey, Vohemar, L'Ankarana, Joffreville, and Diego Suarez. I've seen some incredible creatures like chameleons and lemurs. But I've also seen some really unusual landforms. Check it out!

In Marjojey National Park, I battled leeches and colourful millipedes in the rainforest. Trees were massive. The ground was covered with rocks, moss, and tree routes. Vines fit for Tarzan hung from branches and looped around creating swings! It was very green! Mixed in were bamboo forests. It was steep and difficult!

Hiking to the Park Entrance

Pineapple Plant!

The rainforest, of course, has many beautiful waterfalls.

Bamboo Forest

In Sambava, Vohemar, and Diego Suarez, I stayed in places right on the beach. The water was crystal clear and a beautiful turquoise. I visited the Emerald Sea, just outside of Diego on the Indian Ocean. It was one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to!

In L'Ankarana National Park, I saw a rock forest (called 'tsingys' in Malagasy) for the first time in my life. Volcanic activity and rainfall erode the limestone into peaks and gorges. It looks like something you'd find on the moon! I also explored a bat cave and Mr. Elder and I worked on our synchronized 'high five'!

Sitting in a tree of vines!

Two thumbs up for National Park #2!

The Tsingys

High Fivin' in the Bat Cave!

Then, again, I saw more Tsingys near Joffreville. These ones were red, therefore called the Tsingys Rouges. 

In Montagne d'Ambre, I explored another rain forest, but it was very different. It was originally planted by the French who wanted to see what types of trees would grow in Madagascar. So the forest looks very organized with rows and columns of big trees, and smaller trees and plants scattered beneath. The trees are of all different kinds (our guide pointed out ones from France, Japan, and Chile). It was the weirdest mix, but very beautiful! There are lemurs in this park, too, but we didn't see any. Most are nocturnal, and our guide told us it is the season for mother lemurs to be pregnant, so the lemurs stay high in the trees so they aren't disturbed).

Three thumbs up for National Park #3!

Side note...Montagne d'Ambre is also the home of one of the world's smallest chameleons! It's so cute!

Another tree that's famous here is the baobab. I've seen a few different types. Here's one of the largest in Madagascar!

Next, I'm heading South to the highlands, so I can't wait to see what it has in store!

Madagascar: Kids Around the World

Right now in Madagascar, kids have a break from school. It's beautiful weather, like our summer, and is the season for festivals and religious celebrations. So I've seen lots of kids around the towns and villages. I've seen them playing (lots of soccer games, foosball, jumping rope, and bocce). But I've also seen them working hard, too. And by working, I mean really working. Like, it's often girls roughly between the ages of 8 and 15 who sit on the side of the road with a pile of vegetables to sell for the family. Or, who work in the family food stall if they are fortunate enough to have a little shop. I've seen boys carrying tree trunks from forest areas back home to chop into firewood and burn down to charcoal to sell. Both boys and girls carry water to and from rivers or wells, and help take care of younger siblings without supervision from their parents. They also assist in washing clothes in the river.

Burying the Little Brother in the Sand!

I had the opportunity to talk with one boy I met about his daily life. It's recorded in French, the language we were speaking, then below in English. Test out your French skills and see how much you understand first!

Me: Comment t'appelles-tu?
Isaiah: Je m'appelle Isaiah.
M: Quel age as-tu?
I: J'ai treize ans.
M: Maintenant, tu as des vacances de l'école. Qu'est ce que tu fais pendant les journées?
I: Mon papa est chauffeur de taxi. Je vais avec lui partout au Madagascar pour conduire les touristes.
M: Qu'est-ce que tu fais à la maison pour aider tes parents?
I: Je fais beaucoup de choses! Chaque matin, je prends de l'eau. Je marche trente minutes aller simple et j'apporte cinq litres à ma maison. Après, je prépare le petit-dejuner pour moi et mes parents.  Après ça, j'aide à ma maman à faire la vaiselle. Chaque soir, je marche encore une heure (aller retour) pour prendre une autre cinq litres de l'eau.
M: Et tu fais ça quand même tu vas à l'ecole pendant la journée?
I: Oui!
M: Est-ce que tu as des soeurs ou des frères?
I: Oui, j'ai une soeur et un frère. Mais, ils ont plus agés et ils ont leurs propres familles.
M: Alors, qu'est-ce que tu fais pendant le temps libre?
I: Je joue au football avec mes amis!
M: Est-ce que tu aimes l'école?
I: Oui...
M: A l'école, quel est ton suject préféré?
I: Mon sujet préféré est les sciences. Je voudrais être docteur.
M: Est-ce que tu apprends l'anglais à l'école?
I: Oui, mais je peux parler seulement un petit peux!
M: Qu'est-ce que tu manges pour le petit-dejeuner et le dîner?
I: Pour le petit-dejeuner, on prend du the et du pain. Pour le dînerr, on mange la viande-Zébu, avec le riz, les pommes de terres, et les tomates.
M: Merci, Isiah! Est-ce que tu as une question pour les enfants du Canada?
I: Non...je ne peux pas penser à quelque chose.

This is the first photo Isaiah had ever taken in his life!

M: What is your name?
I: My name is Isiah.
M: How old are you?
I: I'm thirteen.
M: Now, you have a holiday from school. What do you do during the days?
I: My Dad is a taxi driver. I go with him all over Madagascar to drive around tourists.
M: What do you do at home to help out your parents?
I: I do lots of things? Each morning, I get water. I walk thirty minutes one way and I carry five liters to my house. After, I make breakfast for myself and my parents. After that, I help my mother with the dishes. Each evening I walk again for an hour (round trip) to get another five liters of water.
M: And you do that on days when you have school, too?
I: Yes!
M: Do you have sisters or brothers?
I: Yes, I have one sister and one brother. But they are older and have their own families.
M: So, what do you do in your free time?
I: I play soccer with my friends! (Big smile!)
M: Do you like school?
I: Yes... (hesitantly)
M: What is your favourite subject?
I: My favourite subject is Science. I want to be a doctor!
M: And do you learn English at school?
I: Yes, but I can only speak a little bit!
M: What do you eat for breakfast and dinner?
I: For breakfast, we have tea and bread. For dinner, we have meat-Zebu (an animal like a cow), with rice, potatoes, and tomatoes.
M: Thank you, Isiah! Do you have any questions for the kids of Canada?
I: No...(shyly), I can't think of anything.

Pretty interesting, eh? We know that in so many countries around the world, clean water is a big concern, and that many women and children walk long distances to get water each day. Can you imagine walking an hour each morning before school to get water, before you've even eaten breakfast! Then again, after a day of school?

Try filling a bucket with five liters of water. It's not very much! Now try imagining how you could get by with only ten liters of water in the entire day. To drink, cook your food, wash yourself, your dishes, your house...and it's not just you-it's for your entire family! It would take some big changes in the way we live to do that!

For a look into how Canada compares to Madagascar, click this link:
http://www.ifitweremyhome.com/compare/CA/MG

Madagascar: Leaping Lemurs

Snuggling Millipedes

You probably know a little bit about tectonic plates and how the land on Earth has shifted over time. You might have even seen this picture of what scientists think the Earth looked like 250 million years ago, which they call 'Pangea'.

In this picture you can see Madagascar in purple, squished between India and Africa. It was once a part of mainland Africa. But over time, the plates shifted and the land changed. Madagascar ended up on its own. Over thousands of years, plant and animal species started changing in order to adapt to their environment. Plants and animals in other parts of the world changed too, but the land was different so they adapted in different ways. Because Madagascar has been an island, on its own, for so long, the animals were kind of stuck out there, unable to roam around the other continents. The result was a huge difference in species from Madagascar and everywhere else in the world. Now it's famous for having some of the world's most unusual creatures!

 

I headed out on my fourth day in the country to try to see some examples for myself. Le Parc National de Marjojey is on the Northeast coast of Madagascar. 70% (so 7 out of 10) things in the park are endemic (only found in) Madagascar. So almost everything I saw when I looked around was something I'd never seen before! Pretty cool, eh? I hiked through the rainforest, a bamboo forest, and up a mountain in search of one of Madagascar's most famous animals-lemurs! Along the way, my guide helped me find another cool creature-the chameleon.

In my previous travels I have seen many monkeys, and I had expected lemurs to be similar. They both live in trees and have tails... it seemed simple. Although related (they're both primates), they are quite different.

White-Faced Brown Lemur

Lemurs have a longer snout and bushier tails. The thing I noticed first, though, was the difference in how they jump. When I've watched monkeys jump, I've noticed how they make an arch in the air. They reach out with their arms and jump towards a group of branches. Their tail usually flails up in the air. The types of lemurs I saw, however, spring off their hind legs and bounce up. Their tail hangs below them. They often jump to a specific tree trunk and are capable of landing and jumping again all in one motion. They also seem to be more confident climbing down backwards, more like a human and less like a monkey.

Eastern Grey Bamboo Lemur

Silky Sifaka

The trek I did was hard work-three days/two nights in the rainforest. It was really slippery after it rained! The campground had cabins on stilts so they wouldn't get wet when it rained and each cabin had two bunk beds. It's so humid in the rainforest that your clothes stay wet even if you hang them overnight. It was not a nice feeling to put on wet clothes the second and third day!

Here are a few other photos from the trip:

Peacock Day Gecko

Eastern Grey Bamboo Lemur

Pill Bug

Boa Above!

Silky Sifaka

Northern Ring-Tailed Mongoose

Neon Green Butterfly!

Zebu, a relative of the cow