Diterbitake: 28.06.2017
Wow, what a 4 weeks. These are definitely among the most impressive experiences I have had so far. The country is still so original due to the lack of tourism. But the people were always happy to see us and were always very friendly. After a while, you also get used to the Wasah calls, which always came from the children when passing through a village again. Wasah means something like 'Hello foreign wise one'. But it is polite and meant as a greeting. The people are so diverse and the cultural and historical influence on them is clearly recognizable. When you look at someone's face, you feel like you have an African in front of you, but when you look at the next face, the Asian influence is immediately recognizable.
Aside from the people, nature is also a pure spectacle. Due to the different climate zones on the island, there is slightly different vegetation everywhere. The plant and animal world is simply fascinating, and there is so much to see that you can only see in Madagascar and nowhere else in the world.
It is a fascinating feeling to walk through the rainforest and listen to the lamenting song of the Indri-Indri or to hike through rocky landscapes and look for other lemurs and chameleons. Every type of landscape has its small, sometimes slightly hidden, paradises to admire.
Also admirable is the skill and improvisation talent of the locals. I believe they can repair or use almost anything in a different way. Nothing is thrown away that could still be used somewhere. Cars, where you rub your eyes in amazement at how they can still function, are used daily and do their job. What we lacked in Madagascar is time. Nothing is rushed, and if you have a problem, someone definitely has time to at least look at the problem.
As far as I'm concerned and as far as I could tell from Berni, we really liked it. We had our desired adventure. Even if it was sometimes almost a bit too adventurous, when the brakes of our car failed again and we still had to continue driving, or when our car came to a halt with two flat tires after dark and we hitchhiked, we actually got a ride from a truck, to the next town. But these memories will also be stored in our minds forever.
Finally, I can only recommend Madagascar to everyone. It is a wonderful island that is definitely worth a visit.
I would also like to thank Berni for accompanying me for the past 6 weeks. Without him, this trip through Namibia and Madagascar in this scope would not have been possible. Thank you very much.
With these final impressions, it is definitely time to say goodbye. Until we meet again soon.