Thanksgiving was a few weeks ago and I went down to a city
called Fianarantsoa to celebrate with some other volunteers. Afterwards, some
of us continued further south to hike in a national park called Andringitra.
The landscape changed immensely as we worked our way towards the park – the
entrance is located a several hour hike from where the taxi-brousse dropped us
off, which gives some indication of the level of isolation of the park, named
for the mountain range that runs through it, as well as of the surrounding
villages and people that live nearby. I have to admit; we didn’t really know
what we were getting ourselves into, which in hindsight was probably a good thing.
After staying at a campsite outside the park on our first day, we set out on a
three-day trek to climb the highest accessible peak in Madagascar, Pic Boby.
The different landscapes as we made our way up the mountain
were absolutely incredible. I think the pictures tell the story better than I
can. The hike ended up being a stair climb for the most part, literally
climbing up a mountain within a mountain range and then back down again which
hurt even more. It was exhausting, and my body still felt the effects days
later, but I can honestly say it was the most awe-inspiring hike I have ever
experienced. One of the things that amazed me the most was how variable the
landscape was, from what is called the “moonscape” to a green valley dotted
with grazing cows that somehow climbed the mountain to sheer rock cliffs, which
we zig-zagged our way up as we approached the peak. The climate got
considerably colder as we made our way up the mountain, and the cool breeze was
very welcome during the hot afternoons. We seemed to follow a mountain stream
all the way up that was chillingly cold but incredibly refreshing after a few
long days of hiking.
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| At the peak |
Once we reached the top, we were at over 2500 meters, well
above the clouds. Other than a few lizards, we were the only living creatures
in sight. Supposedly, on a clear day, you can see all the way to the Indian
Ocean. The way down was considerably quicker, and upon arrival at the base camp
we collapsed in accomplished exhaustion. A few days of travel later and I found
myself back in Ampefy, as if the whole thing had been a dream if it weren’t for
the stress that persisted in my knees.
I’ve now been back for almost a week and my mango addiction
has officially been reignited with a vengeance. Peaches are also in season, but
nothing quite compares to the lychee – they are everywhere, including in my
backyard, and are so sweet and absolutely delicious. I’m discovering the perks
of living in a tropical climate during the rainy season.
