First Impressions

Litte town of Ranomafana - about 1 hour walk downhill from the park

Home Sweet Home - for the next 5.5 weeks

View of the station on my walk down from my tent

Week 1:

So, after two full days of traveling and 24 hours actually spent in the air, I finally arrive exhausted and disoriented in this new country. The welcome was not quite what I expected; our plane was delayed 45 minutes, but that made no difference since my ride from the airport confused the dates and came a day early. Then, low and behold, one of my bags never arrived. It only contained my backpack, shoes, clothing, first aid kit, cell phone, and just about everything else I might need besides my tent, tarps, and sleeping bag (luckily that bag came). I had been smart enough to wear my hiking boots and pack my rain gear in my carry-on! Currency changing crisis...I mistakenly told the guy at the booth that I was changing $2300, when I gave him $2500. He carefully counts what I give him and then gives me the lower amount in Ariary. Just lost $200 on a stupid mistake! Still, I'm wandering around with a large ziplock filled with stacks of bills - Quick lesson: $1 = 1800 Ariary. The biggest bill that exists is 10,000 Ar. I am a multimillionaire with wads of cash!


I make it to my hotel in the capital Antananarivo, was too afraid to eat anything sold in the stands on the streets, was too afraid of getting mugged or something to wander, but finally ran into the director of the organization I am working through (MICET) at dinner and felt better (plus the food was good). The next day, I spend most of my day at MICET, before starting the ten-hour drive down to Ranomafana National Park (for which we leave at 7pm)! We stopped at a Hotely (the food stalls that are found about everywhere) at 8:30pm, after I'd already been sleeping for an hour, and then again at 2:30 am for tea. Once we arrive at the research station at 5am, I spend the day settling in, setting up my tent, meeting the other researchers, and basking in the sun (a welcome present).


I start my research on Monday, but in the meantime I'm just bumming around. I've been wearing the same jeans for seven days straight, due to the lost luggage! Also, starting Sunday, I'm one of only two students here. Chaz is cool, my year from Virginia Tech, studying small predators, but he will be going on an expedition (our term for not staying at the research staying) soon and only be here on weekends...granted I'll be doing the same thing...Anyways, he's going to take me to the forest and then down to the village when he goes to take down his camera traps this weekend!


Tidbit of the Week:
Malagasy time - everything takes a long time here. For one, it's a developing country, so the infrastructure just isn't present; poor roads, no money, etc. But besides that, people are just not efficient or organized. The people's favorite saying is "Mora Mora" (o = oo), meaning easy, not too fast. If you're told a half hour, think 1 - 2 hours! This may be difficult to adapt to with my very regimented lifestyle.