http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Africa , Madagascar , Antananarivo en-us Tue, 08 Dec 09 21:58:01 +0000 Tue, 08 Dec 09 21:58:01 +0000 Current residence AntananarivoJust returned from three weeks spent in Moramanga conducting field research on freetailed bats living in public buildings in Moramanga.here is a morseau des les choix que je faire durant ces temps http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-347728.html We arrived safely in Tana Madagascar yesterday afternoon. What a trip it has been already after over 24 hrs of flight time we were a bit jet lagged to say the least. In Tana we made it through customs only to be immediately bombarded by taxi drivers and tourist operators. After finding our airport shuttle was not there we found a new taxi he put a little bit of gas in the car and we were of http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-344637.html Tomorrow I leave Tana the big city for a the begining of my ISP period of which I previously posted.here lies a recap of the last few weeks since Oct. 23We have been staying in the hotel Raphia a lovely hotel with an Idian theme that serves delicious food occasionally smells of raw sewage and we hear the beautiful song of the call to prayer each day. Many people thus far have been terribly http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-340877.html Assessing conflict between synanthropic bats and people in Moramanga Bat Communities in Civil Service Buildings Population size frequency and Human Relations I will be studying the freetailed bats Molossidaethat roost in public buildings particularly schools and hospitals in the eastern town of Moramanga. The objective of the study is to determine what buildings are inhabited by bat coloni http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-340871.html ... http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-337122.html pictures i hope... http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-324285.html Well I'm back in Calgary but thought I better write an entry for my time in Madagascar...The landscapes flora and fauna of Madagascar really are out of a fairy tale land. Walking around the tsingy I couldn't believe that this was actually what the rock really looked like and lets not forget watching the lemurs jump from tree to tree decent distances too. Unfortunately Madagascar is also very http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-323921.html From Matt Just sent nana karl and assany to the airport. They should be back in the motherland in 24 hours. Vance Rush and I will fly to Joburg in the morn and will have a 22 hour layover before leaving for Kruger Nat. Park. We will be staying at a very plush photo safari resort called Manwana. Look it up on the internet. I feel certain they will have satellite internet but they may not. If we http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-300665.html From Matt As you will see below the rest of my family arrived in 'Tana last night. Very strange to be sitting around in Madagascar so far from home with all my brothers and my mother I really wish our wives were here too It's hard to even think about them without getting soggy eyes. I figure we are laying the groundwork for a future visit here with them included. We had to scoot out of Cai http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-298663.html Hey allVery sorry for the extended absence. I had a little while with nothing very exciting going on as well as being quite sick for the past few days. Here is a short update on what's been going on.Work has been interesting to say the least. I had been working on the website for the Ankoay and Carton Rouge projects and finally finished that up. I did run into a bit of a brick wall however. W http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-291513.html One word to describe what i felt is Wow Madagascar got me in my mind and heart. My trip was too short but it was what i could manage too many responsibilities I spent only ten days in Mada but already thinking of another trip there soon.So i started on the 8th June and landed in Tana the same day. Tana is short for Antananarivo the bustling capital of Madagascar. Weather was quite cool http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-289846.html Antananarivo 16 20 June 2008 Bang I was wrenched from a blissful sleep by a sudden pain in my knee which had slumped into the aisle and copped the full force of the air hostesses drinks cart. lsquoSo sorryrsquo she exclaimed blinking a hefty set of eyelashes at me. It could be worse I thought. I could be working rather than on a plane to Madagascar for 3 weeks. lsquoIts okayrs http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-286839.html What a weekend Friday night was a great time at Mojo the popular expat bar. I've started making friends beyond the couple people I knew before coming. I had a great conversation with two guys Patrick and Warwick both are 6'6 and people in the bar thought it was the funniest thing they'd seen in a while. Most Malagasys are quite a bit shorter than the three of us. Everyone I've met here has http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-285382.html Up until the last entry I had been getting my sea legs and adjusting to life in Madagascar. As of right now however no more I started work yesterday at the Ankoay project. They took no time in giving me plenty to do including a few hours of work I had to get done at home after I had left the office. All the people working on the project are as they say tres sympas. Dr. Fano is a really ent http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-283265.html Yesterday was quite the day. I decided that the one thing I wanted to do was to visit the school I attended when I was here. I only went to K3rd grade but my memories of the school are as strong as if I had just been there. I walked the two blocks from the house to the American School of Antananarivo and was immediately overwhelmed. The place had changed so much Many new buildings had been add http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-282114.html Tuesday I went to sleep in a plane after leaving DC. I woke up in Paris seven hours later. Last night I went to bed in Antananarivo Madagascar. After 22 hours of travel I am finally home. It's a very weird feeling being away from a place for so long but still feeling that it is home. I only lived here for four years of my life but those four years were very crucial to my socialization and deve http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-281504.html Day 28 Monday May 26 2008The original plan today was for me to go to the university to visit the veterinary school and then for all of us to go to a Rotary meeting in the evening. We waited around until 1130 before we finally found out that everything was cancelled and again we had nothing to do today. Kris wasn't feeling well so she stayed at Rontu's Josh went to visit a local Rotarian who http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-281310.html Day 25 Friday May 23 2008We were supposed to go to ANGAP the Madagascar version of the National Park Service today but the President of Rotary International is in town so our vocational day was once again postponed. We were supposed to go to his reception that evening but otherwise nothing was scheduled. So once again we were on our own in Ivato. We found that the TV gets BBC world news f http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-280250.html Day 22 Tuesday May 20 2008During our first three weeks in Madagascar we have suffered a series of illnesses including traveler's gastrointestinal upset a severe allergic reaction to bug spray and Liliane has had problems with anemia and low blood pressure. So this morning we had an appointment to see an English speaking doctor that was recommended by the embassy. The appointment was at 11AM http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-279302.html March 30 to April 1 So Kat Ralf and I were up at 5.30 getting ready for the transport which was supposed to be arriving at 6.00 am. Also at the guesthouse was Al the brand new just out of the box dive manager for the expedition. It was quite funny we were asking Al questions about Andava and his response was I don't know I just got here. Please let me wake up or something to that eff http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Madagascar/Antananarivo/blog-278664.html