Madagascar, Antananarivo

Day 1:

Arrival to Antananarivo Airport. About 20 degrees celcius, pouring rain and wet, strong pressure.

When we got inside the airport, there were couple of fans on the roof, which didn't help the heat nor sweating at all. I had to go past passport security first. It was pretty fast. After that I went to a line where visa's are sold. There was no one, but after 1 hour someone showed up. I heard someone saying, that he was talking on a phone. People were getting frustrated.

Next to me there was the control booth where you can go through if you have a visa. When the guy appeared to the visa desk, one of the workers there told us that anyone who's taking a free 1 month visa can go to the security control without dealing with the guy at visa booth. What a waste of time. I got through the security control and they gave me a free 1 month visa.

When I got past the control, there were loads of locals waiting for tourists. The luggage drop-off was just next to it. The waiting time for the bags was ridiculous as well. It took another 1 hour. So, plane was about 2 hours late, and another 2 hours I had to stay at the airport.

When I got my bags and I was ready to go, I started moving towards the exit. The locals came to me and helped in any possible way they could, even showing MY passport to the officers. Well, that was strange. I've never experienced anything like that, but of course it had consequences as well, they begged for money and didn't leave until I gave them something, so I gave 5e to two guys and they let me move.

I met Adi, a Romanian friend who will be teaching me everything and giving me work. As we went out, new locals came to help us and even provided umbrellas. When we got to our 4x4 AMS firm vehicle, they started packing the car and as they packed everything inside, I sat down as well. Adi went to pay the parking ticket and as he was there, one local almost pushed in begging for money. Moments later Adi came in, closed the doors and we set off.

My first experience on the road was shocking. There were bumps everywhere. The roads were in a horrible condition, trash all over the place and VERY poor looking, as well as really beaten up houses. The rain got stronger and stronger, and the bumps were totally filled with water. Well, that was one kind of an experience as well. As we were driving, a guy went past us. He had this huge wagon kind of thingy totally filled with stuff and he was pulling it by himself. Probably, because he didn't have money for a vehicle.

The trip from Antananarivo Airport to our villa was only 10km, but with roads in that condition, it took over half an hour. When we were approaching towards the center, there was more trash on the roads and everything was junkier. There was no traffic whatsoever. As we got to our villa, the guards opened the gate and we got in.

There I met couple of new people. Adi and the security guy helped with the bags and Adi guided me to my room. As I walked inside, there was our housekeeper and she welcomed me to Madagascar.

In my room I have a double-bed, but that's pretty much it. In the hallway, just next to my room, there is a place where I keep my clothes. Downstairs we have a toilet, bathroom and an office. As you walk inside from the main door, the office is there straightaway in an open area. In the far left corner there's an access to the hallway. As you walk through the first door, you enter in a tiny hallway, it's only couple of metres in length, but made for midgets. There's a storage for all the cleaning stuff.Then comes another door, and as you open it, the small hallway turns to the right. Straight in front of you there's a toilet, left to you there's an access outside, the next door to the right is a bathroom and then there's two more rooms to the right. The one on the left is unused with a double-bed, and the one on right is mine. The hallway ends here, but at the end there's a small storage place for clothes or other stuff. Far right to the office room there's a staircase and a door to get outside.

Upstairs we have two more rooms, a toilet, a bathroom, kitchen, office space and a dining area in the same room, and two terraces. I'm not bothered to tell the exact details.

After Adi had shown me the room, he showed me around places. As we got upstairs, we went straight for a smoke. 15 hours of travelling without a single cig is pain in the ass. We talked about this and that, he told me some things we're gonna do and shizz like that. The housekeeper had prepared some homemade pizza for us, Adi made some coffee for both, we warmed up the pizza and ate in the dining area. I hooked up to internet straightaway and told my relatives that I've safely arrived in the villa. The rain still hadn't stopped. While after couple of more cigs and talking, we went to catch some sleep. I was used to Belgian weather, about 10 degrees with small occasional rains.

During night it was about 22 degrees, still pouring rain and same wet, strong pressure. I couldn't get sleep until about 5am. Good thing I had an internet connection and a book with me.