FINALLY MADAGASCAR
I'm calling this Finally Madagascar, not really because I finally got there, but because but because I'm finally getting around to writing about it. I was there for the majority of December and have been too busy since to sit down and do this... so here goes! This was an exotic choice born out of a desire to shoot some new wildlife and experience a new culture - and it was all of that. If you think that Madagascar has much in common with Africa - aside from relative location - you'd be wrong. From the culture to the wildlife - nothing is the same. Every animal is endemic, and the culture is a crazy amalgam of Indonesian, Malay, Arab, Asian and French (I'm leaving a few out). The Englsh lanuage for those who speak it, is filtered through any and all of those cultures, mostly French and their native Malagasy, making it into something I've never heard before and at times impossible for me to decifer. I found it a relatively difficult but fascinating place to be. The people were really friendly and helpful (when I could understand what was happening) and made for a great experience. Some of my friends were struck by how long I spent over there, but the logistics are pretty nutty and it's very diffficult to just hop from one location to another. It's an enormous place, and all flights (government run) go through the capital - so any time you go to a new spot it's at least a two day project. To simplify things and not make a novel out of this, (which would be easy for me, but not too easy on you) I started at a camp in the south of Madagascar, moved to the west, then the east, then eventually to a lovely island in the northwest for some relaxation and diving. Each region had it's own personality, climate, and unique wildlife. The main stars of all of these places are of course, lemurs. The world's oldest living primates! Each region featured different species - with some being endangered, making them difficult but exciting to see. There are over 100 species of lemurs, and I think I saw about 10... which is actually not bad. The local guides in each area were great at spotting wildlife and helping to ID what I was seeing. So, lots of good photo opportunies, along with some decent workouts, trekking through deserts, and rainforests. I've made a quick video with a small taste of everything. Hope you enjoy it. I'll have more on Madagascar and the second leg of the trip in South Africa coming up soon.
