Salama

Ranomafana

 

 

After 10 hours of nauseating-windy roads, we arrived in Ranamofanda National Park. The ride here, though it was nauseating, it was extremely beautiful and enlightening. I must say that Madagascar at first glance was not what I was expecting. I was expecting lush foliage in warm-moist-environment, you know, stereotypical rainforest situation. But it was none of that, at least at the start of this trip (Antananoriva) and still even now, in the rain forest. It is lush and filled with foliage but it’s still not the viviparous greens and nearly florescent colors I had imagined. Though I am not disappointed at all, just trying to take in this new vision.

            The 10- hour drive south through the mountainous roads that look like they were straight out of a mazda commercial “zoom zoom zoom” conveyed a great deal about the lifestyles of these people. The houses are primarily constructed from clay, red-earth matter and the complexity of their designed went from a clay-type house found in southern California to primitive shanty houses, with grain and straw roof tops. It was interesting to see the move from the “big city” Tana, with a high concentration of people and more complex housing, to the simplicity of the countryside.

            Unfortunately once we reached the most beautiful point of this trip, our new home for the next three months, a plague invaded our team. More then half of the people came down with one illness or another, including my self. Nausea, diarrhea, fevers, chills, vomit, you name all of the things you do not want to acquire while on vacation, especially in Madagascar, someone got it. I’d like to add, that feeling like you are going to vomit at any quick movement, makes living in a tent on top of a mountain in which you have a 10 min vertical hike pretty undesirable. As well as not being able to accompany the 15 or so people that saw not one, not two but four species of lemur on the first hike into the forest. a bit upsetting. But what will be will be.

            I’d like to add that it’s eleven days into this trip and yes I am still yet to see a lemur! I just may be the only one. But its ok I think I’m going to go out and look for microcebus (mouse lemur) adorable.  Or maybe even find an aye-aye, which seems to be very unlikely.  I’m not too worried about it. I am no longer sick, and my diagnosis, that I am allergic to the forest…Who would’ve thought that me being allergic to latex (condoms) would impact me in the rainforest? Oh rubber trees how I loath thee. It has been several days now and I haven’t taken a benadryl so I think I may just ignore that whole diagnosis. The forest is too beautiful to be allergic too. It seems all too ironic in some way.