Madagascar > Flight to Antananarivo

Madagascar - The hut on the beach in Ifaty

I wake up early and see the first rays of sunlight over the beach. Hotel staff are already busy cleaning the seaweed off the shore—a daily task. I pack my bag again. Today I leave Ifaty and fly back to Antananarivo. At exactly eight o’clock, Faly drives the bus out of the Hotel Belle Vue grounds. This is also the last time he will be my driver today. Tomorrow, he and Tahina will return to Antananarivo by bus, which takes them two days. The road back to Tulear is still dusty and bumpy, but it can’t be helped. The views in the various villages make up for it. After half an hour, I arrive at the Spiny Forest, a natural area with dry forest full of baobabs. The local guide leads me through the park. He explains the different trees and poisonous shrubs and shows the various types of baobabs. There are seven different species of baobabs, all found in Madagascar, with only one also present on mainland Africa. The guide’s helper spots animals among the bushes—but not in the most natural way. I happen to walk a little ahead of the group. I see the spotter approaching with a chameleon in his hands. “Put it down there,” the guide instructs. “Look, a chameleon,” he proudly says to the approaching group. Further on, he holds a young tenrec. The little creature looks frightened.

Madagascar - Ready for the flight to Antananarivo

From a tree stump, he uses twigs to reveal a scorpion, and finally, he crawls on his knees through the forest to flush a rare bird onto the path for me. I watch as the startled bird disappears back into the trees on the other side. It’s hot in the forest. Between the baobab trees, there’s no breeze at all. I try to stay in the shade as much as possible during the explanations. But even here, it’s warm. I can hardly imagine how people in the nearby village can live like this. Could one ever get used to it? Back at the bus, I prepare for the remaining stretch of sandy, bumpy road to Tulear. Perhaps it’s my imagination, but the bus seems to bounce much less than on the way there. Still, I am jostled around frequently. Around noon, I enter Tulear again. The bus stops at the same restaurant as on the way there, Le Jardin. To avoid the risk of a burnt pizza, I order tagliatelle pasta with fish. Afterward, Faly drives me the very last seven kilometers to the airport, just outside Tulear. I say goodbye to the driver, grab my luggage, and walk into the terminal. There are more people than I expected, all seemingly tourists. At half past five, precisely on time, the Air Madagascar flight departs for Antananarivo. On the plane, I strike up a conversation with two Belgian travelers. They are at the end of their tour and have already visited the north. They are very enthusiastic about it. In Antananarivo, I reach the city hotel in about forty-five minutes. It is dark, and there is heavy traffic. Street children try to push their homemade carts forward or sell items to drivers between the cars. The contrast between rich and poor in this city is striking. When I arrive at the hotel, it feels somewhat like coming home. I have almost the same room as two weeks ago, only one floor higher. I quickly put away my things and head to the hotel restaurant. I order a Malagasy specialty: chicken in coconut sauce.