Day Twenty One - My last day in Madagascar

I made a nice cup of tea when I woke and lay in bed for a while, deciding how to spend my day.

My flight was not until late that night and I had hoped to meet up with Ingrid and take a look around in Tana. However Ingrid had problems getting through to me on the phone so we didn’t manage to get together. In the end I decided to have an easy day at the hotel – a good decision as it turned out because I found out later that there were major traffic problems in Tana and there had been gridlock for much of the day. I wondered if it had anything to do with the litchi traffic!
I spent a happy couple of hours going through my photographs and video. I was still feeling quite drained – probably from my dodgy tummy – and I fell asleep, waking in the early afternoon feeling much refreshed.
I sat in a shady spot in the hotel garden and enjoyed a light lunch, with two affectionate cats for company. The afternoon was spent reading and people-watching from my balcony. The day went all too quickly and soon it was time to shower and to pack my bag, ready for departure.
About an hour before the shuttle bus was due to take me to the airport it started to rain. Before long it was pouring hard and a spectacular storm was lighting up the sky. I hoped it was also raining at Ivoloina, to replenish the water tanks.
The storm was still raging when I arrived at the airport and the lights all went out several times while I was trying to fill in my exit visa form. Eventually all the paperwork was completed and I joined the other passengers in the departure lounge. Facilities here were limited and the seating was most uncomfortable but the lightning and torrential rain were spectacular and kept me entertained until my flight was called.
As I settled back into my seat I felt mixed emotions. I was looking forward very much to seeing my family again but I also felt a little sad to be leaving this magical land that had made me so welcome. Madagascar and her people had got under my skin and I hoped I would return one day.
The plane taxied out to the end of the runway and stopped momentarily, gathering itself for takeoff. Then with a surge of power and noise it accelerated down the runway. I felt the wheels leave the ground and, as we climbed rapidly through the darkness, I took one last look at this extraordinary and very special island.

 

Thank you very much for reading my blog and for accompanying me on my incredible journey.

The Isle of Wight Zoo is very proud to be a member of the MFG and to support the crucial conservation work carried out by the MFG team.

If you would like to know more about the MFG conservation programme please email me (Tracy) at education@isleofwightzoo.com or, better still, come and visit us at the Isle of Wight Zoo. Your entrance money will be put to very good use caring for the animals in the zoo, sponsoring the MFG ecoagriculture programme in Madagascar and funding tiger conservation in Karnataka, India.