Festina Lente. Part Two

12-13 July Andasibe We settle the bill at the Sakamanga and set off at 8.30 for Andasibe (the camp is large). Along the way we visited the Peyrieras reserve, where we saw every possible species of chameleon, but also butterflies such as the Comète. The small reserve is home to frogs, including the microscopic red ones, various types of geckos, the usual crocodiles, bats and the porcupine. We set off and finally arrive at the Feon'ny Ala hotel (the cry of the forest), where we have lunch. We are in the Andasibe Reserve, about 140 kilometres from Antananarivo, in a vast region of hills covered by primary rainforest mixed with eucalyptus planted by man. But already in the hotel park we see the ravinala, the pandanus and some rosewood trees. The next day we take a guide and go looking for the Indri Indri, which is found only in this park and nowhere else in the world.

While the Tartan cry of the babakoto (the Indri) echoes through the forest, we spot in a tree a huddle of Havai Laniger, a nocturnal lemur. Later we will see two more, lovingly embraced in their sleep, in a hollow in a trunk at human height. Finally we see a family of Indri. The call of Babakoto, as the gigantic lemur is affectionately called in Malagasy, differs according to whether it is communication, an alarm cry or a display of love. In the latter case it resembles a soft kiss. The Indri stands out from the other lemurs for its massive size: an adult male can weigh up to 15 kilos and measure 75 cm in height. The specimens in front of us must weigh between 8 and 10 kilos, have a black head and a white back, and are almost tailless.

They leap nimbly from branch to branch and, seen through binoculars, when they open their jaws to emit the famous cry they look much more like a white bear than a koala: their teeth are quite sharp. An unforgettable experience. 14 July Canal des Pangalanes We set off for the Pangalanes. Having reached Lake Rasoabe, we wait with Leonardo, our driver, for the boat that will take us to the Ony hotel (lake), a hotel at the confluence of three lakes: Rasoabe, Laokangady and Filmo. Having reached the hotel, we have lunch. The owner, on request, recommends two walking itineraries, one leading to the mouth of the Pangalanes starting from Lake Rasoabe, and the other which should take us to see carnivorous plants, the nepentes, quite common in Madagascar. We follow the first itinerary, which should be crowned as a final reward by the sight of the makis, but D.

does not want to enter the forest and I manage to see, besides a few huts, only some small birds and a hawk that follows us, somewhat menacingly, for a good stretch of the road. We then rest in our bungalow. 15-16 July Tamatave In the morning it is still raining. The owner of the hotel would like us to travel on an open but fast motorboat. He tries to persuade us that two black raincoats, long as two priest's cassocks, will save us from colds and flu. In the end the pouring rain convinces even him and we use the covered boat that brought us to the hotel. During the trip we stop at the village of Niaouli (still). On arriving at the village, a girl limping on both legs and stammering presents herself as an official guide, but she can still speak French.

Another one, almost toothless, explains to me that the stills are used to work eucalyptus leaves and other essences, and that the women earn a good 1500 Ariary a day, and that today no one is at work because it is Sunday and at the weekend it is right to rest. The fact that these poor wretches earn a good 15 euros a month moves me and I buy some little flasks, leaving them the change. We continue the journey, arrive at Tamatave and a taxi takes us to the Joffre hotel, where we had booked. The next day, early in the morning, after a Spartan breakfast at the hotel, we walk the city up and down waiting for the shops and Air Madagascar to open, which we reach in the pouring rain, going back up Boulevard Joffre and turning left at the square, just after the big Store department stores.

The city does not offer much, except a beach with polluted sea, streets full of deep puddles, some impassable, a few shops. 17-18 July Sainte-Marie We take the plane from Tamatave to Sainte Marie. On arrival, the taxi from the Libertaria hotel is waiting for us. As soon as we arrive we visit Ambodifotatra, the island's main town. We spend the afternoon among the vegetation surrounding the hotel. The next morning we take a taxi to go to the Île aux Nattes. On arrival at the southern tip we rent a pirogue and land at Nosy Nanto, the Malagasy name of the island, which is simply splendid with its lush vegetation and numerous fishing villages.

On the beach we see a woman cracking oyster shells with a stone to extract the edible part, children bathing in turquoise, transparent waters, other women fishing on the shore of beaches untouched by man, by cursed concrete, giant shells and remnants of coral reef. At 12.20 we stop to eat "chez Tity", after covering a good stretch of the island's beaches and turning back. While waiting for the fish to cook, finally "la capitaine", we drink cold beer with the sea almost lapping our little table placed under a shelter of dried ravinala leaves. The capitaine is almost a kilo, very fresh fish and well cooked. We wander a little around "chez Tity", whose bungalows are named after philosophers. We then take a pirogue again and return by taxi to the hotel.

19-20 July Talatamaty In the morning we revisit the town on the island, then have a taxi take us to the airport, from where we take the plane to Tana. At the airport the usual taxi driver sent by the hotel waits for us with a sign bearing our name. We go to the Chez Jeanne hotel, where we will also stay the following day, apart from a morning trip to the Tana market. 21-22 July Tana-Milan-Home To be on time for check-in at 4.45 we get up at three in the morning. The flight is uneventful. This time Air Madagascar is punctual. The next day we run into the taxi strike and arrive home two hours later than expected.