The lemurs made a terrific noise during the night flinging mangoes at each other, the rain did not stop for 3 days and nights. This was most unexpected for January so we settled into a routine of reading, puzzles, and getting to know the delightful owners Jose and Isabella, Jacques and Sandra an international group…Italian,Portuguese Angolan, Dutch and South African

January 9: Antananarivo to Nosy Sakatia

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Up at 3 am for our flight only to discover on reaching the airport that it had been delayed by 12 hours. We spent a very pleasant morning lounging round the hotel pool until it was airport time.

The plane landed in the dark at Nosy Be at about 6.30 pm. After the usual wrestling match in the car through mud and potholes we arrived at a tiny beach where after some rudimentary flashing of lights an open dive boat appeared out of the blackness bucking violently in the waves rain and wind. We clambered through the surf and sat bemused as the crew tried valiantly to clear the beach through the waves and against the wind and then off we went snarling through the night lashing rain and sizeable waves. Much to our relief a small locker was opened up and we were handed not the expected life jackets, but some rain jackets. After what seemed like an eternity( but was no more than 20 mins ) we arrived soaking wet at Nosy Sakatia Lodge our home for the next 5 nights. We both had a stiff drink and a shower before supper and then to bed. 

January 8: Andasibe to Antananarivo

The next morning we girded our loins ready for the drive back to the capital. It was a slow journey due to flooding and landslides and not wanting to flog the motor. We enjoyed a typical Malagasy meal in Tana and then pressed onto our hotel via a central city bird wetlands sanctuary where we saw lots of herons. Our hotel Bois Vert was very pleasant set in landscaped mature trees and gardens. 

January 7: Andasibe

We have a road! Overnight most of the water on the road disappeared meaning more of the park would be accessible! After a good breakfast ( still cooked on a wood fire as the generator was not on yet and neither was the electricity) we set off for another locally managed park. The national park was to be closed for a week due to the cyclone but we were happy to go to this one as the income goes straight to the local community. 

We were treated to an array of wildlife - including more Indri who even came down to the ground to eat soil as they had upset tummies, paradise fly catchers in their nest, a Pygmy kingfisher and the elusive and large mossy bark gecko almost impossible to see (and has almost grabbed top spot from the satanic faced leaftail gecko). 

After lunch we visited the local village and church before embarking on our night walk (the electricity finally came on too!). There we finally saw a woolly lemur and got a great view of Goodman”s mouse lemur as he munched away on a cricket. We happened upon a rather unusual elephant ear chameleon plus many frogs and Morgan’s moth ( a rather drab little fellow!)

January 6: Andasibe underwater

We awoke to much quiet after all the wind and rain and plenty of sunshine. We got dressed and ready for exploring the rainforest to find ourselves marooned on our own island almost as the river had burst its banks and we were flooded in…. Unfortunately our 4x4 was flooded too as we had to park behind a broken down truck and it was now being cleaned and dried out….luckily no water got into the engine so God willing we were mobile or would be once the water cleared. However all roads were flooded so we were led by Maurice our guide to the village via the back cross country route through the woods and over several hills. The river was torrential and had risen some 4 metres, homes were flooded as were footpaths and fields. 

We walked to a locally managed conservation park where we were greeted by many critters enjoying the water - tree boas, frogs, Pygmy kingfishers and the indri - Madagascar’s largest sifaka with the sweetest snout, loudest call and shortest little tail. We also revelled in watching a couple of brown lemurs throughly enjoying themselves munching away on the fruit of a nearby tree - nothing was going to stop them! 

After a long and hot walk back to the guesthouse we spent the afternoon relaxing watching the river water drop and hoping we would get out the next day to be able to see more of the park….oh and waiting for the electricity to come back on!

January 5: Ifotaka to Andasibe

Well this was a day to remember and ended up driving Nick back to scotch whiskey. Major travel day. 

We started off with an “easy” 4 hour drive to cover 150 k back to Fort Dauphine  navigating through huge potholes, corroded and broken bridges, trucks, goats, cattle, people all sharing the road. We lunched at a delightful restaurant overlooking the surf beach which was quite stunning. Our flight to the capital was uneventful and we were met by the smiling and reassuring Nicky. Into the back of the almost new Toyota Land Cruiser and off we went for what we thought was a 3 hour drive…

Two hours into it Nicky proudly informed us we were travelling on Madagascar’s most dangerous road and that the US embassy would not let its citizens drive on it if possible. We wondered whether we were happy to be non-Americans at this stage. Some 4.5 hours later having battled torrential rain and winds on a road again full of massive holes and huge semi trailers coming from the seaport we arrived at our guesthouse in Andasibe-Mantadia National Park. Quivering with exhaustion we had to stumble through lashing rain and wild winds to get to the reception. It was dark, the power had blacked out due to the storm. Little did we know it was a Cat 2 Cyclone called Ava.

January 4: Mandrare River Camp

Another early start, this time to take a dawn walk around the camp surrounds and down to the river where the week before 3 Nile crocodiles had been spotted. Alas no creatures of any sort were seen but the light was lovely and soft and the grass covered in dew. Later in the morning we went to the weekly market which our guide had informed us was a “Meet Market” where young men and women advertise their availability for marriage by wearing a comb in their hair..

It was a colourful affair with the best retail principles being observed….fashion, produce,livestock, and even a food court and entertainment area in evidence. Zebu cattle,goats and chickens all for sale. It became quite crowded quite quickly and the heat of the day shortened our visit, there was very little for a tourist to buy despite our hope of injecting cash into the local economy. We rested by the plunge pool  during the afternoon which was a godsend as the temperature was a very dry 39c with no air con! At sunset we were taken to a most idyllic spot to enjoy sundowners amongst the Baobab trees. A surprise awaited us in the form of local villagers entertainment of singing and dancing and performing a musical play in the firelight. It was very special. 

January 3: Mandrare River Camp

We were up at vanga fart to revisit the spiny forest in the sunlight. What a feast of activity and creatures greeted us, a very sleepy sportive lemur (the elusive white-footed) looked down on us from his bedroom in an octopus tree, we saw the endangered radiated tortoise who was quite beautiful and protested loudly when we picked him up. The bird life was abundant and easy to spot due to the singular nature of the octopus trees and the lack of foliage -many different Vargas, the lesser vasa and fodies. It was soon very warm so back in time for breakfast by the plunge pool! 

The remainder of the day was a time of total inaction the temperature was in high 30’s with no air conditioning only the coolness of the plunge pool and the shade of the tamarind trees to offer relief. Luckily we had this blog to write to keep our minds off the heat ;). At 5pm we had a Madagascan biology lesson with Franklin our guide playing with warty chameleons and pill bugs. 6pm we set off in the safari vehicle to have gin and tonics and watch the African sun set in cooled by a lovely southerly breeze.

January 2: Mandrare River Camp

The next day took us via canoe to the gallery forest which sits on sacred land across the river. Sacred meant that you cannot point to anything using you finger or pee anywhere. So when we saw our first troop of ring- tailed lemurs there was much hand pointing but no peeing! They live in big troops led by the dominant female and many had little babies on their backs - always curious to interact with us as much as they would allow themselves. The trees themselves were tamarind trees - large climbing trees with lush canopies of broad shade giving leaves it was a quiet and spiritual setting with easy relaxed walking much to see including a harrier hawk, snow coloured sifakas (Verraux’s), crested kua and paradise fly catchers.  Reluctantly we left this shaded sanctuary and headed back across the river for our lunch under our own tamarind trees at the river camp. And the plunge pool as we sweated through a 40C day.

The evening tour was a cultural one during which we learnt all about the Tandory traditions and visited Analoalo a traditional village. The Tandory people live in huts made of octopus tree wood - just enough room for a few beds - and share kitchens and storage rooms. They work in the sisal fields cutting 3000 leaves a day for a salary of USD 1.5 a day and subsist with corn, cassava, sweet potato and wild fruits such as cactus fruit and mango. They have around 6 to 8 children and the husbands move to the clans of their wives but can have more than one if they can afford it. Wealth is counted in zebu and when you die 80% your wealth gets buried or sacrificed with you - bringing everyone still alive well and truly back down to earth….no need for an inheritance tax!

January 1: Antananarivo to Ifotaka

New Years Day started at 4am - probably around the time some people were coming home. We caught a flight to Tolagnaro (Fort Dauphin) in the south, where Madagascar’s tropical rainforest meets the desert. We had a delicious first coffee of the year at the airport - Melbourne standard. Met by our guide our hearts sank a little when we were told it was a 4 hour drive to camp through spiny forest and national park - some bumpy and some Tarmac road. It was a fascinating drive as you saw the climate and landscape change from lush palms and wet forest to spiny cacti and octopus trees…and later hectares and hectares of sisal plantations.

 Early in the 20th century many French companies had planted sisal replacing the indigenous spiny forests, home to hundreds of species of birds insects lemurs and reptiles. These rapacious companies farm the sisal, used mainly in the manufacture of  rope, employing cheap local labour and on the surface giving little back to the community - most of the villages we passed had little electricity and no ready water source _ the basics. But people were happy with wealth measured through zebu (cattle) and not dollars. However we thought that these companies still need a lot of work on their CSR. 

We arrived at our river camp on the Mandrare River just in time for a welcome cold beer and lunch. Our hosts Theo and Zizzi showed us around and to our comfortable tent - we discovered we were the penultimate guests before cyclone season shut down and were the only guests there for the next few days - heaven….the staff were eager to please with 90% of them locals.

Our first venture was a night walk through the spiny forest a seemingly inhospitable place with thin spiky trees and cacti. Led by a local village guide under a beautiful full moon we were fortunate enough to see night jar, kops owl, white footed sportive lemurs waking up, sifakas just going to sleep, warty chameleon and a tiny rather busy grey mouse lemur. 

Back for a sumptuous dinner and much needed sleep.

December 31: Ranomafana to Antananarivo

Travel day today back to the capital. We drove to Fianarantsoa which is an industrious little town - clean and busy surrounded by fruit orchards. On the way we passed through rich farming country with plump happy people with a smile on their faces and a spring in their step. 

From there a charter flight back to Tana where we relaxed, lunched and snored in the new year…..Tana is a bit of a hole so no venturing out for us.