Madagascar

The population is a mix of diverse ethnic groups, more from Malaysia and India than Africa. There are local religious regulations because of the so-called fadis. These are "taboos" usually related to the worship of the dead. There are countless of them. For example, in some areas it is forbidden to shake hands with people. However, it is assumed that the whites are not aware of all the applicable taboos, therefore any "missteps" are turned a blind eye. In fact, it is best to observe the local population and act as they do.

Frank: "The Malgache word for" white man "is" vazaha ", and I think I must have heard that horrible word at least ten million times. When the kids saw me, they all started screaming" white man ", usually of great fun, but sometimes also a few out of fear or completely in panic. The first day that is still cool: 'Look how friendly these children are here!', but the fun quickly ends and in the long run you will experience that constant shouting like nothing but a never-ending psychological torture! "

Others characterize the population slightly differently. Hans and Annemarie: "Friendly, enthusiastic and curious, especially if you are that yourself. However, they are not pushy, but rather wait until the ice is broken. There is no question of any animosity. People think it is great that world cyclists in their country can and want to travel such great distances."

Visa on arrival is free. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after returning to the Netherlands. Procedure is a bit chaotic at the airport but will be fine. Fill out the form on the plane before arrival. In overcrowded arrival hall to police office (3m x 3m), so not an office with visa on it. There, give your passport + form to the agent in front of the office as soon as he asks for it, not before. He hands it to someone in the office after tearing some off. Your passport then disappears in a big pile with 15 other people who want to enter the country. Then the first officer sternly points you to a place where you have to wait. There you wait 15 minutes. By now you wonder if you will ever see your passport again with all those people around you. But then suddenly you get your passport with visa stamps again and you are ready to go.

Madagascar is known as a safe country. But ... It is, of course, Africa. It is unwise to go down the street in cities in the dark, in villages you can handle this more relaxed. So plan well to be at your destination well before dark.

A "strange" area is the region of the opal mines in the south of the island, including between Tulear and Ilakaka. There is a lawless "wild west" atmosphere there. Not really pleasant to stay longer than necessary.

Markets and small shops can be found in the main villages. There are no supermarkets, with a few exceptions in the capital (Shoprite). On the other hand, there are many shops where you can buy enough food and drink, including baguette (very light in terms of weight, especially a lot of air).

Food and drinks are available at various places along the road. Above all, it is rice-rice-rice. Rice for breakfast, rice for lunch, rice for dinner and even boiled rice water as an accompanying drink. Sometimes also zebo meat. Few vegetables. For breakfast, the fried dough with some bananas do quite well. You can buy it fresh in most villages.

Restaurants

Restaurants (hotelys) are plentiful. But there is still a lot to learn in the field of hygiene. More variety can be found in hotels. Lots of fish and French cuisine is also known here. There are some tasty fish for sale. On the coast, the prawns are unsurpassed. The country is generally not very suitable for vegetarians. In the big cities you can go to the restaurant who run Indians.

Drinkable water

Tap water is only found in the cities and is usually chlorinated there. Sometimes it looks brown and dirty. Bottled water is available almost everywhere (approx. 0.50 euros per 1½ liter bottle).

It is recommended to bring a water filter or purification tablets. Sometimes the distances are too great, taking extra water bottles or jerry cans with you is highly recommended.

In addition to vaccinations against DTP, Abdominal Typhoid, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B, Malaria prophylaxis, a rabies vaccination is recommended. In the case of bite / lick / scratch from an animal infected by rabies, you do not need to receive MARIG within 24 hours. This is a blood product that is very difficult to obtain in these types of countries. A vaccination gives you much more time to find a doctor and start treatment. Vaccination for yellow fever should also be considered.

If you sleep in hotels, you must bring a mosquito net. Of course, the white man also needs a good sunscreen. Good cap that protects your face and neck from the sun helps against heat stroke.

Best time to cycle

Madagascar has a tropical climate that is largely determined by the southeast trade. The island is quite large and therefore has several climate zones. Some areas, especially the north and the east have a very wet rainy season. The south is the driest part. Good planning, taking into account the different climate zones is necessary!

During July and August it is winter in Madagascar. This is generally the best time to ride a bike. In the evenings it can be chilly, especially in the mountains where the temperature can drop to freezing point. Therefore, when taking your clothes with you, always take into account the chance of major differences: extreme heat, solar power, cold, drought, rain and wind.

Spare parts

In Madagascar, people cycle a lot, even in remote places or in areas with mountains. Cheap (Chinese) parts are easily available. The chance that you will find modern Shimano parts is extremely small, there are hardly any specialist tools. We have not seen 28 inch tires anywhere; 26 inch tires, on the other hand, are for sale in every village.

Wherever you cycle (and that is in many places) there are simple bicycle repairmen who are probably very good at improvising.