September 29. We took an early morning flight from Antananarivo to Tolagnaro (formerly Fort Dauphin), a port on the southeastern edge of Madagascar, and then bused along a very bad road to Berenty, a private reserve that's one of the best wildlife places in the country. Here are some shots along the road. Click photos to enlarge them.
Mortuary monuments, examples of the strong Malagasy emphasis on honoring and caring for the dead.
Kids mobbed the bus wherever we stopped. Some were trying to sell things, some wanted a handout, some just were excited by the novelty of strangers.
Driving zebu - the major indicator of wealth among Malagasy - back from market.
Net fishing in the rice fields.
Passing a roadside village market.
Waiting for a bush taxi
We stopped for a while to admire the flora and fauna in the spiny bush, including this panther chameleon in a tree
and some pretty flowers.
Baobob tree
How the spiny forest gets its name
After besieging the bus for a while, kids return to their normal pursuits.
About to cross the Mandrare River, with the Berenty Private Reserve on the opposite bank.
