Madagascar Overland - Paradise for whom? Part one

      

As I ended my travel to Madagascar, reflecting on my anticipation of what I was expecting, and my inner feelings of the realities of my travels, I was left with mixed emotions. There was so much to see yet so little time, especially when visiting one of the largest islands in the world that has been a mystery, Madagascar. Thanks to Ethiopian Airlines new route it gave me an adventurous birthday trip, touring the breath taking scenery of Mada. Since the tourist infrastructure is not easily accessible, nor safe, as a Solo Woman traveler that spoke a little French I had to hire a rental car to travel within the cities, and most parts of my travel to Eastern, Western and Northern parts of Mada. Some of my highlights traveling in Mada were, hiking around tropical rain forests discovering endemic plants and animals, such as different types of lemurs in their natural habitat; island hoping in all modes of transportation, confirming that the Indian ocean is truly my favorite; walking through villages with locals , getting face paint and mesmerized by an amazing water fall in full capacity before I fell; Enjoying the scenery of a volcanic region with a 4star dinning opportunity in front of a crater lake; Rum tasting, Cacoa, essential oil and spice production while staying at a Cacoa plantation resort; Visiting a remote and poor fishing village right next to a 4star hotel on a small island which was a shocking contrast; noticing 70+year old white men buying young black woman (some teenagers) as a retirement option in nosy be, and the audacity of the father of the Airbnb owner who was a french grandfather in his 70s thinking it was his right to make several passes at me. 

I was grateful for the human connections I made with travelers of the global community, especially celebrating my day of my birth with strangers from all walks of life, getting gifts as well as giving gifts; Algerian and french thrill seekers that were smitten by Madagascar and their decision to make it home; Malagasy bajaj/taxi driver in Nosy be that didn't speak English but my limited french  was sufficient to communicate so he ended up being my driver on the island; Spending travel time with a couples from Myote, Reunion, the US and habeshas that took me under their wing; as well as discussing the issues of how the world misunderstands strong black woman with an eccentric rich strong plantation owner from Cameroon married to a french man, bringing the joy of the amazing Madagascar cacoa to the world, over cAcoa rum tasting and dinner in a mansion (I really felt like I was in a movie). 

Unfortunately while discovering Mada, I had more than $100 stolen from my bag by drivers, cleaners, tour guides etc, as well as scammed another $100 or more in one form or another by hotel owners, restaurant owners, and tour operators. It was disheartening to see no one caring enough to be outraged, and merely handle it with a passive aggressive approach towards the matter, like lying and cheating was part of Mada. At times I didn't feel safe as a Solo African woman traveler even with Airbnbs, tour guides, airline, drivers, cleaning & other staff; My Empathy was taken for granted at every instance, I didn't feel connected to the people even as fellow African. There were too many manipulations, lying, cheating, and a constant dishonesty by service providers within the tourism Industry that left me disheartened, and unsafe at time

This was my most adventurous travel, but traveling in Mada left me exhausting at times, even for a seasoned traveler like me, not by what Mada had to offer, but what the social interaction with locals and foreign tour operators didn't. This is my 12th African country I have visited so its not this amazing emerging continent, Africa, as most try to lump as a destination. It wasn't just the scamming that I encountered in Mada but shocked by the lifestyle choices of so many educated young black Malagasy  woman married to aged white men to support themselves and their existence as a second hand citizen in their own country; Hiring and chatting with a frustrated, young professional Malgash men from Antananarivo (Tana) hustling tourists amongst his 4 other odd jobs that he was rudely conducted on top of being my guide, tried to scum me several times, to the point of taking my kindness for granted, as well as ending up being verbally abusive, thus making me unsafe; And having the manager of my Airbnb whom I had taken pity & tipped generously, ended up stealing from me. I could have put my guard up, made a fuss or become distrusting as I had the social media tools to make a dent, but I chose to look beyond and see the bigger picture as a conscious traveler. Choosing to be kind than right, I had to give myself time to relax, unwind, try to tune in and feel the countrys spirit, and read up on its history & colonial past. As an Ethiopian American and a wise black woman its always challenging when traveling to countries that are economically & socially still controlled by their colonial past. Maybe I wasn't the disconnected exotic thrill seeker tourists that the Mada people had in mind, or maybe Mada wasn't the welcoming African country I was expecting, or is its colonial past still lingering that I felt? Thus its been a mixed emotion traveling in Mada, but I am grateful and wouldn't change the experience and learning moments for anything.

I will elaborate more on part two of my blog, as well as give tips for woman traveling Solo that I have picked up when travelling Solo to over 25countries since I was 12years old, when all you have is just your smile, and your intuition.❤🇲🇬

Melkam Guzo (Happy travels)

“Take only pictures, leave only footprints, kill nothing but time” ☆Conciouse Traveler

By Dutchess @Deldeyoch

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