We returned to the airport for a noon flight to Morondava. A turboprop ATR 42. It is a competitor to a Dash 8. 20 rows of 2+2. We have business class because of the larger luggage allowances. Economy only allows 10kg. Business is 30kg. We don’t need all that but our bags are ~15kg. The seats are the same but we did get lunch instead of peanuts. And yes actual local peanuts on your flight. Morondava is a coastal city of about
120 000. Looks more prosperous than some we’ve seen. It smells like fish most places near the beach because the locals are fisherman. They dry tiny shrimp on the sidewalk – it is disconcerting to see people sweeping up dried shrimp with a broom into piles right on the street (at least they sweep the dust off first). The catch of the day is displayed in the market stalls or on the side of the road. The fish are small (6″) silver slim types. Not much meat on one. Certainly not a fat tuna or salmon. At least they seem plentiful and we saw them fishing right off the beach and from dugout canoes not far from shore.
We checked into a very unique hotel – Chez Maggie. There are ‘windows’ but no glass panes, so the shutters just open to the outside. The place was fine, weird but fine. It just was way too noisy with hundreds of crickets right outside our door and a loud night club or bar close by.
Bit of a strange shower.
Baobob Alley is why we are here. These trees are many hundreds of years old. One of them is over 1000. Amazing to see how them up close. Especially at sunset.
We are likely going to be on Lithuanian TV. There was a film crew and two crazy guys taping a show. At one point we were close to them and one asked us to help them figure out the diameter of the tree was by hugging it. Took 5 adults to make it around the tree with each of us stretching. Here are Leo and the other guy in case you watch Lithuanian TV. They were hamming it up for TV and I can imagine quite the party boys at the bar.
Back at Chez Maggie Dave carried on the rum tasting expedition. This was more moonshine ish. After two Dave was done. Very very powerful stuff. Won’t be repeating that. This is why the blog is being typed as we drive to the Behopaka vs in the room the night before.
We are off to the Tsingy area. It’s a park that was formed to protect the very unique rock formations. It should be hot, tough and very worth it.
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