Madagascar

[Golfinho]

What you saw is only repair work. There is a new highway planned. 260 km different to the existing road, to be build by an Egypt company. How fast? Who knows.

What I saw was what the Cotisse rode on. The stretch of the road nearest Tana -- dual carriage -- is at least finished eliminating a bottleneck. What you saw is a drawing board fantasy, the kind we believe when we ride on them.

[Neddy69]

What you saw is only repair work. There is a new highway planned. 260 km different to the existing road, to be build by an Egypt company. How fast? Who knows.

Yes. There's a multi lane highway under construction. When I was in Tana in 2019 I saw Earthworks under construction. Judging that probably 70% of the construction budget disappears in somebody's pocket. I'd say 30 years is a fair estimate.

La Buse.

[Neddy69]

I went from Antananarivo to Morondava and Ambositra by taxi brousse and was very positively surprised by the quality of the roads. The rest of thee country may be completely different though. The best thing about traveling by bus was making friends with locals.

I used the road from Antsirabe to Morondava in 2019. This one is fairly new. Only a couple of years old. Then it starts to deteriorate. In every rainy season parts of the road are washed away. Eventually it degrades until there's only potholes which the Taxi Brousse negotiates with Max speed of 30 kmpH. Arrive in Madagascar with plenty of time. 3 months. Time is irrelevant. The most important is to arrive alive. Not fall victim to Road traffic accidents or street robberies by Dahalo.

La Buse.

Who just booked a flight to isle rouge for 517€. Return that is.

[Amadeuss]

Two weeks ago, I had to go overland Tamatave to Tana as flight availability at the moment was extremely problematic. The road was in terrible condition; the route took nine hours. Chinese road construction work was in progress, with a long way to go. The thing is that when this road is eventually completed, parts of it will already be falling apart and need repairing. Just the way things are here.

What you saw is only repair work. There is a new highway planned. 260 km different to the existing road, to be build by an Egypt company. How fast? Who knows.

[Golfinho]

The lack of infrastructure seemed extreme to me. If you do decide on Mada, maybe do Nosy Be, fly to Antananarivo, the take a bus to Tamatave on mostly good roads. Also it might be fun to also visit Ansirabe by bus from Antaninarivo. I loved the highlands that I saw except for the capital which looks mostly like a dump.

Two weeks ago, I had to go overland Tamatave to Tana as flight availability at the moment was extremely problematic. The road was in terrible condition; the route took nine hours. Chinese road construction work was in progress, with a long way to go. The thing is that when this road is eventually completed, parts of it will already be falling apart and need repairing. Just the way things are here.

[Geo Explorer]

The lack of infrastructure seemed extreme to me. (...) take a bus to Tamatave on mostly good roads. Also it might be fun to also visit Ansirabe by bus from Antaninarivo.

I went from Antananarivo to Morondava and Ambositra by taxi brousse and was very positively surprised by the quality of the roads. The rest of thee country may be completely different though. The best thing about traveling by bus was making friends with locals.

[Taiwan Laowai]

Hi,

On different posts here I have read that Africa beginners should go to Kenya and more experienced Africa travelers should go to Madagascar.

What are the reasons for that? I get that in Kenya they speak English which makes the language barrier go away. But what are the reasons beyond that?

Some reason I could imagine of would be:

- Madagascar is larger, hence more difficult to travel around.

- much more expensive flights from Europe.

- less tourism, hence less infrastructure.

Stuff like corruption and safety I don't consider, as I don't believe that Kenya is safer than Madagascar.

What else am I missing? Is it the girls attitude?

The lack of infrastructure seemed extreme to me. I was lucky to have an experienced wingman with me from start to finish. But combine the very formidable language barrier with almost everyone unless you know French, lack of A / see on the coasts outside of the main cities of Tamatave and Nosy Be, extremely questionable roads on a lot of the island, etc. I went to Kenya 15 years ago and the infrastructure was much worse back then. But Madagascar in 2020 was a lot worse. If you do decide on Mada, maybe do Nosy Be, fly to Antananarivo, the take a bus to Tamatave on mostly good roads. Also it might be fun to also visit Ansirabe by bus from Antaninarivo. I loved the highlands that I saw except for the capital which looks mostly like a dump.

[Kalamaris87]

Hi,

On different posts here I have read that Africa beginners should go to Kenya and more experienced Africa travelers should go to Madagascar.

What are the reasons for that? I get that in Kenya they speak English which makes the language barrier go away. But what are the reasons beyond that?

Some reason I could imagine of would be:

- Madagascar is larger, hence more difficult to travel around.

- much more expensive flights from Europe.

- less tourism, hence less infrastructure.

Stuff like corruption and safety I don't consider, as I don't believe that Kenya is safer than Madagascar.

What else am I missing? Is it the girls attitude?

[Tinte]

Yes that lake is fady too, to swim in .

First of all in decency and respect of the culture. How ever strong they follow this rules them self nowadays can bee in question but does not matter. But one thing for sure, if you brake the rules they likely looking for cash.

[Tinte]

There are lots of videos of jumping and swimming in the lake. However, I asked the driver and the Guide as I was thinking about things like that. They said: No problem.

[Amadeuss]

Lake Tritriva is a volcanic lake, 15 km from Antsirabe. There's a strict Fady (= Malgache taboo) for this lake and swimming is not allowed. A story tells of foreign divers who took the risk; they never returned, and their bodies were never found. If you boast of your adventures swimming in that beautiful, green lake, disregarding their culture and get beaten up, then don't complain.

Bathing in the hot springs however is OK.

[Bienenstich]

I don't think they use any contraception simply bc too expensive. I did many single mums and they didn't seem to care so vasectomy recommended. No need to get vulnerable for nothing.

[Geo Explorer]

Cum inside her one more time and in morning she leaves.

Nice reports, Bienenstich! I'm curious if the girls in Mada use any contraception or are they willing to get pregnant from your seed? Do you happen to know anything about it?

[Tinte]

I hired a Tuktuk after some negotiation only one wanted the Jop for 60 k, aller et retour. At first I hade to give him 10 k for petrol. Got stooped by the police, they asked fore passport etc. - made me feel mot save as I told them our plans for the day. After that it was a very good daytrip to the vulkanolake with a nude bath. Children in abundance selling reckless. Needed a guide for the park too. Very scenic landscape he made stops and he had a lot to explain.

On the way back a stop for some beers, the driver an me.

[Bienenstich]

Road is very nice all the way to the geysir. Stuck in tana for 1.5 h bc traffic, no biggie.

Got harassed for well over half an hour the millisecond I exit the car. I don't want to buy anything. 5 k, to sit in a kind pavillon, 2 k massage or bag of dirt and 2.5 k for one picture. I know bc I was offered a million times. Just leave me in peace. After all I paid 8 k for something what should be free I'm not understanding. Swam in all of the three pools (1.2 /.45 / .2 m depth), two geysirs (with three squirtholes) and one river. Geysir most enjoyable. Two cold, one warm water. Rocks feel very nice, have decent geometry for multiple positions to bath in. Smell of sulfur a bit weird but not unpleasant. The warm one I like a little more cause the water streams more consistently. Sitting in there while girl serves me smokes, soft drinks and kisses felt like a fairytale. Cold ones more like squirt, pause and repeat. [Deleted by Admin]

Driver asked if I want chute de Lilly, 45 min more drive from geysir. Guide mandatory. 90 k still cursing me. I just can't. Driver said its unbathable there anyways bc people don't have toilets and thus lay their benos in the river. Return home it is. Horn concert while being stuck in tana. Driver sadly didn't do jingle bells melody but we made it to hotel after all.

Am excited for nosy be, trying to figure out if have taxi brousse from ambanja to ankify. Rest should be easy.

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