We expected too much…A tough dose of reality…

After many months of relatively mindless, easy living, I glanced out the window of our Airlink plane yesterday afternoon. I realized we were entering yet another country we had never visited before in our almost 14 years of world travel: Madagascar.

Madagascar. Just saying the name seemed almost exotic to me. This remote island nation, located off the southeastern coast of Africa, has always intrigued us, with its unique wildlife and landscapes found nowhere else in the world. We had long looked forward to seeing some of those remarkable creatures, particularly the many species of lemurs, along with the chameleons, birds, and other wildlife that make Madagascar so different from anywhere else we’ve traveled.

But, as we have promised our readers for all these years, we will always “tell it like it is,” and today’s post is a pretty clear reflection of that promise.

Madagascar is a country of extreme poverty, and unfortunately, the effects of that poverty are impossible to ignore. Crime, homelessness, and people living in incredibly difficult circumstances are evident throughout the capital city of Antananarivo. Yet, amid all of the sadness and strife, there is also a world of wonder and amazement that we had hoped to explore.

Unfortunately, we’ve quickly realized that our sightseeing plans aren’t going to work out.

Much of the wildlife we had hoped to see is either in zoos or kept in enclosed areas where lemurs are sometimes tethered so tourists can get a closer look and take photos. Other options include two- or three-day treks through the jungle, which require considerable walking over uneven terrain. As much as I would love to do that, it simply isn’t possible for me. And Tom isn’t interested in going off on his own while I stay behind.

So, here we are in Antananarivo, where even a casual walk around the city isn’t considered safe for tourists.

On our way from the airport to the hotel, we were taking photos through the open windows of our taxi. There was no air conditioning, so naturally, we had the windows down. We were quickly warned to keep our phones inside because thieves could reach through the windows and grab them right out of our hands.

Oh, good grief.

That certainly wasn’t something we were accustomed to dealing with in our travels!

Once we arrived at the beautiful Delta by Marriott Hotel in downtown Antananarivo, we began to realize that even going out for dinner at night could prove challenging. We’d have to leave the hotel by taxi and then arrange another taxi to take us back, all while staying mindful of our surroundings. The power has gone out three times in the past 18 hours, and WiFi calling is impossible without power.

Few people here speak English. We accepted that reality as we’ve traveled the world.  Although I can read French menus and signs fairly well, hearing French spoken at such a rapid pace is a different matter entirely. To my ears, it sounds like gibberish!

And then there is the matter of transportation. The taxis don’t take credit cards and only accept cash. The few ATMs we passed along the way certainly didn’t look like places where we’d want to stop and withdraw money.

Thankfully, the hotel had an ATM, so we could get the cash we needed. Our taxi driver waited patiently while we went inside to take care of that little problem.

There is so much more to tell, including the absolutely nightmarish process we experienced at immigration when we arrived yesterday afternoon. We’ll share all those details in tomorrow’s post. Then, the following day, we’ll tell you about dining in the two restaurants here at the hotel, which has turned out to be quite an adventure in itself.

Let’s face it. We came to Madagascar primarily to obtain a visa stamp so we could return to South Africa for another 90 days. If we accomplish that, we’ll consider this trip a success.

No doubt, it’s heartbreaking to know that millions of people across this beautiful island nation are living in abject poverty, struggling each day to meet even their most basic needs. Yet, despite these hardships, the resilience, warmth, and spirit of the Malagasy people have been remarkable and deeply moving, from what we’ve experienced so far.

Sometimes, travel isn’t about seeing everything you hoped to see. Sometimes, it’s about experiencing a place for what it really is, even when that experience is very different from what you imagined.

And, as always, we’ll tell you exactly how it goes.

More will follow.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, September 8, 2016: