Why did I go on this trip? (I am trying to be philosophical.)
There is something romantic about the whole road trip thing. Something mythical and mystical.
You are also challenged to face your fears and doubts, well at least some of them. Can I do this? What if the bike breaks down? What if I crash? Do I have the skills to face the challenges? En n klomp ander vrae.
The 19th I had a million good reasons for cancelling, but I did not! haha!
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Packed and ready. The odometer read 19229.8km and I added 1807.5km by the time I got back here.
Day One I travelled from Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar to Ambondromamy to the west. Only 399.3 km. But it took me a while.
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The roads in Madagascar can be called many things, but not straight! Imagine the Oliviers Hoek Pass. Now imagine a much narrower road that is not nearly as straight, level or well maintained. DOnt forget to add the odd goat, zebu, chicken, duck or crazy pedestrian. But most of all, remembet that ALL other vehicles, two or four wheeled, will treat you like SA taxis treat someone from a warring taxi faction!
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In Madagascar roads only have one side, and that is the center! Everybody sticks to the center, straddling the white line (if it is actually painted) like a thief that got stuck on a barbed wire fence.
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If you approach a blind corner, you stay away from the centre, even if that is the best line, for the guy coming from the other side WILL be on your side of the line. And as far as I know, bikes tend to lose fights with four wheeled vehicles!
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First stop was in Ankazobe (At the Big Tree). Had a cup of Malagasy coffee. This coffee is used by to render nuclear waste inert. It is that strong. But after 5 years I'm getting used to it. Also I havent slept for the last 4.99 years.
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I have not been on this road before. The RN4, <i>Route Nationale 4</i> runs east west, from Tamatave to Mahajanga. And it is one of the busiest roads on the island. And by the time I got to Ankazobe, I have used up my quota of swear words for 2009.
Dodging trucks and taxis.
I stayed over in Ambondromamy for two nites, visiting a American missionary. It's hot. With a humidity of about 7 000 000% And from there on it got just worse. (I dont deal well with heat and humidity. Sweat like a pig in a rubber suit!)
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A picture of me and Daly. It was her birthday. Malagasy kids are either scared of big white people, or very scared of them. Daly and I became friends quite easily. Her grand-mother is a doctor in Ambondormamy, and my missionary friend lodges with them.
The next stretch was from Ambondromamy to Befotaka (Lots of Mud) about 340km to the north.
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I crossed quite a few single lane bridges.
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In Mampikony I had coffee and rice-cakes.
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The lady on the left works at the local hotel. She told me that they dont serve coffee and then led me acros the road to a coffee vendor. She kept me company and walked me back to the motorbike.
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This guy was fixing cell-phones. I do not know why he heated them over a coal fire. You know the expression "'n Boer maak 'n plan' (A Boer finds a solution), well let me tell you the Malagasy are light years ahead in that area. They can fix anything with a piece of wire, cracked wood and a brown banana. I kid you not. Poverty, and not neccesity, seems to be the mother of invention.
The road to the north has recently been re-tarred. It is wonderful now. The 80-something stretch between Mampikony and Port Berge could take anything from 10 hours to a week or more if you got stuck in the mud. (No this is not a story. I know of a truck that took four months from Ambondromamy to Diego in the north. Mud, mud mud.)
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Now there is only about 40km of bad road. And it was pretty muddy. I had only one aim: Don't fall! And that made me forget about the camera. The mud was not deep mud, but as slippery as can be. You lose traction just like that. This picture does not do the mud justice, but believe me it was slippery!
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You must always be on the look out for cattle. The zebu is actually a kind of water buffalo.
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Rice is the staple food in Madagascar. Rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And rice cakes with you coffee as a snack. Most people grow rice.
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Kids doing their best Ninja impressions. To impress me or scare me? You decide!
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At the Hotely Aleloia I had some coffee. This is also where I noticed that I lost my 5L jerry can! It just fell of!
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The bridge over the Sofia river is 800m long. Quite a long bridges, longest in Madagascar by far.
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A while after crossing the bridge, I spotted this gecko! Poor guy probably got onto the bike in Ambondromamy.
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In Befotaka I noticed my weird tan. I wore elbow guards all the way and not a jacket. And I forgot to put on sunscreen. Big mistake! Blisters!
Christmas Tree - Befotaka style
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<b>To be continued</b>
