Maromizaha

In the tropics, the sun often rises and sets relatively early. In Madagascar, it is also technically "winter" right now, so the sun sets around 6 pm every day. Thus, by the time we arrived at Maromizaha and set up camp, it was already getting dark, so I didn't really see anything that day.

Maromizaha (which literally means "a lot to see") is one of Madagascar's newest protected areas. It was established in 2008 as a habitat corridor connecting two other reserves and a national park. It is owned by a nonprofit conservation group known as as GERP, and because GERP is a non-government organization, it does not receive gov't aid and thereby relies heavily on researchers and the local community to keep it alive. It consists of 1800 hectares, and while most of this is protected forest, there are also some areas where logging is allowed.

Right now, the forest is divided into zones for sustainable use, research, reforestation, strict conservation, and eventually there will be an ecotourism zone. There are 13 species of lemur here- the most notable of which are the Diademed Sifaka and the Indri- the world's largest (and possibly the loudest) lemur.

In any case, we had a wonderful campsite and it was here that we would do hikes, camp, and learn about field methods for the next four days.

The Road to Maromizaha

After two nights and a full day in Madagascar's capital, it was time to move on and see some of the country's natural side. Upon leaving Antananarivo, we were soon surrounded on all sides by rice paddies, and in these rice paddies there were often various herons, Malagasy cattle (which are known as "zebu"), and the rice farmers themselves.

Traveling along the country's main road also revealed the sheer extent of deforestation in Madagascar. Less than 10% of Madagascar's original forest remains, and for almost the entirety of our three-hour drive, there wasn't a single native tree or animal in sight. Instead of lush jungles covering the hillsides, it was dried grass, exhausted topsoil, and forests of pine and eucalyptus. Yeah, pines are kind of cool and so are eucalyptus trees, but both are nonnative here, and there isn't a single Malagasy bird, mammal, or insect that benefits from their existence. Basically, the only reason they are even grown on the island is because they are cheap, easy to grow, and make good charcoal.

But in any case, we did have one exciting stop that broke up our otherwise monotonous bus ride. We visited a small zoo where we not only got to see a large number of endemic Malagasy reptiles but also got to hold and interact with them. I must say, I felt amazingly privileged to have a leaf-tailed gecko in my hands, a green tree boa around my neck, and a tiny Brookesia chameleon on my finger at various points during this visit. We even got to enter a large enclosure with several Parson's Chameleons (the largest known species of chameleon) and hand-feed them live insects! And in addition to geckos, chameleons, snakes, and crocodiles, the zoo also had friendly puppy and a family of adorable Tenrecs (a Malagasy mammal that bears some resemblance to a hedgehog).

Antananarivo

Last night, I finally arrived in the country's main airport at 11 PM and made it to the St. Laurent Hotel by 1. Though I was seriously exhausted, a combination of jet lag and some other inexplicable factors prevented me from falling asleep. At 5:30 AM, I went to the roof of the hotel to watch the sunrise, and though I felt absolutely shitty for not sleeping, it was a sight to behold.

Roosters crowed, dogs barked, and the din of various city noises filled the cool air. Before the sun was even up, people were running to work- whether that be the maintenance of a shop, cultivation of a rice paddy, or carrying of vegetables to a nearby market.

By mid-morning, the city was a hectic jumble of human beings going from place to place. Buses were backed up along roads, street-sides were crammed with vendors, and some of the mangiest-looking chickens I've ever seen could be seen hopping through yards and side-alleys.

Though the city is rife with poverty, sketchiness, and other things that an American tourist would find frightening or off-putting, it did have its own unique charm. As Wikitravel states:

"There are actually a number of things to do in Tana and, if you can see beyond the poverty, the city is really attractive and a photographers dream. The architecture is a mix of French Countryside and Indonesia. Rice paddies scattered all over the city add a brilliant green to the pastel terracotta of the buildings. The market is wonderful, offering many unique souvenirs"

Indeed, the strange-looking trees, cobblestone streets, and stacked houses covering the hills had a very unique charm to them.

Here are some other unique aspects of the city that I noticed while I was in it today:

-Despite having a population of nearly 2 million, there are NO streetlights or stop signs. Anywhere. Drivers constantly cut each other off, honk at pedestrians, change lanes without signaling, and come very close to running people over.

-Rice is grown within the city limits-- within every available space.

-The spoken languages are French and Malagasy. A small but significant portion of Tana also speaks English.

-The entire city becomes DEAD QUIET after 10 pm, but gets extremely busy as soon as the sun rises.

-Merchandise tends to be quite inexpensive.

-You can buy pineapple-flavored Fanta!

-You can smoke INSIDE buildings! (who cares about fire hazards?)

Arrival in Paris

After a 6-hour flight, I have finally arrived in the Eastern Hemisphere! Yes, I am in Paris, France- in the Charles deGaul Airport.

It's pretty nice here! There are comfy lounge chairs, ps3's, and plenty of nice french food and cool-looking bathrooms to keep weary travelers entertained. 

Now for the 11-hour flight to Madagascar!!!... in fact, my plane is actually boarding right now. I'll write a more complete blog post later!