After the canoes, we took a ride on a sarety (wagon) pulled by zebu. My driver was fearless as we rode through mud, steep hills, and rivers while steering the galloping cows by the tail. At one point, we stopped so they could fix the back of the sarety as the wood was falling apart. We stopped another time so the driver could ask if I was married then tried to set me up with his son. I told him I already had a husband.
The sarety brought us to 4X4 SUVs that took us to the Tsingy forest. It was a necessity to take these cars because the road was so bumpy and muddy. Several cars got stuck in the mud that was at least a foot deep. At other times there was no road at all, just tire tracks through tall grass.
In one day we hiked both the great and little tsingy. Tsingy means 'tiptoe' as in walking on tiptoes because of the sharp limestone needles created by vertical and horizontal erosion patterns. We put on harnesses and hiked through steep rock formations, hooking carabiners from one thick rope to the next. At times we climbed almost completely vertically using the tip of the limestone to pull ourselves up. We also hiked through pitch black caves using either headlamps or the flash of camera to see. The caves became so narrow that we had to take off our backpack and walk sideways to fit through. At other times we crawled on hands and knees because the cave dipped so low. Finally we made it to the top of the tsingy and the view was ineffable. It was so amazing the see such a unique rock formation found in no other country in the world. We hiked along the top moving slowly, climbing up and down the mountains of limestone. My legs were shaking by the end of the four hour hike. In the afternoon we hiked the little tsingy which also required us to fit through small spaces of a labyrinth (as the Malagasy say) and climb the limestone again to the top. The tsingy was one of the coolest things I have ever done.
After camping another night, we hopped in the 4X4s and drove to Morondava-about a 12 hour drive. Along the way we stopped at baobab alley which is a road lined with baobab trees. Baobabs are the national tree of Madagascar and can reach heights of 98 ft and live for 1000s of years! We got there right at sunset and sat on the roof of the cars to see the widespread trees. It was amazing to stand next to a trunks larger than the width of my arms.
We finally made it to Morondava after taking six different modes of transportation (bus, canoe, sarety, 4X4, hiking, and ferry). We fripped, ate seafood on the beach, and swam in the Mozambique Channel. We missed our taxi-brousse on the day we meant to leave and just had to stay an extra day. What a tough life.
This trip was absolutely amazing and I saw sights that few people in the world have seen. It was so helpful to speak Malagasy as people's eyes immediately light up and we begin a conversation. Our many drivers of the canoe, car, or sarety were so friendly and helpful. The trip was truly a once in lifetime opportunity.
