Old Age Hiking

I knew that if I went all the way to Madagascar I wanted to see the famous land formation unique to the island. I learned that these areas are called 'Tsingy' which literally means 'walking on tiptoe'.  Tsingy is pronounced 'chingy'. Getting to one requires a long trip on a rutted, muddy, dirt road.  It took us 9 hours to go 250 km or 155 miles.  The glimpses of life in rural Madagascar that we passed along the way made the time zip by.

Now I had read that the hike to the top of the Bemaraha  Tsingy was 'strenuous' but I walk 4 miles every day so I wasn't a bit worried.

The harnesses that we each had to wear should have given me some clue that this was no ordinary hike.

This was a climb! 

 Up on narrow ledges 

 Clipping into steel supports for safety

 And then going down into deep labyrinths

Occasionally it was so narrow that we had to take our backpacks off to continue. 

I was tired!  At one point we came to a fork in the road.  One way took us directly to the top of the Tsingy while the other took us a longer way through a grotto.  Since I am one who doesn't like to miss anything, I said, "Oh let's go through the grotto."  I know our guides didn't think it was a good idea but they didn't argue with me.  More climbing up and down, more narrow passageways, then a fun crossing of a suspension bridge.  George would not have liked this at all!

And a bit more hiking

....and finally we got to the very top. 

We survived!

 And it was quite spectacular!  Now we just needed to hike out.  And remember it wasn't all downhill from here.  Again it was up and down and up and down!
Believe me when I say that I felt every one of my 64 years!  On the way out we passed a group of older (probably about my age) Italian women who were taking the easy hike to the bottom of the Tsingy.  With their limited English they pointed at me and asked, "You - Big Hike????".  When I told them that yes I had done the hike, I was applauded!  I didn't know how to explain that while technically yes I had done it, it wasn't pretty! Our local guide said that I was the oldest person he'd over taken on this hike!

Lemurs and Fossa

If you have seen the movie, "Madagascar" then you know about the dreaded fossa and the adorable lemurs!  Mary and I got to see both!

There was a fossa who occasionally comes to the lodge where we stayed in the Kirindy Forest and we got to see him.  Not my favorite animal for sure.  He looks like a giant rat head on a cat body.  And just like in the movie, they do eat the rather adorable lemurs!

Some lemurs are nocturnal like this cute giant mouse lemur. He was active on our night hike.

We managed to snap a photo of him the next day when he was just trying to take a little nap.

Most photographic of all were the Verreaux Sifakas. Seriously cute!

We also saw Red Fronted Brown Lemurs

And Red tailed sportive lemurs. 

Unforgettable moment - one group of lemurs, called a conspiracy of lemurs in case you were wondering, seemed friendly.

Our local guide said that occasionally they will come down and drink water offered to them.  Our other guide from Tana said that he had been to this place many, many times and had never seen that happen. 

Well, it did happen!  Slowly and cautiously they came down from the trees.

They even drank water from the shell we held out to them.

It was a moment that neither of us will ever forget! 

Mary

I have been blessed with great travel buddies!  Of course, George is my #1 greatest travel companion.  John and Katherine add a lot of fun to many of our trips.  The roommates I've had on my trips to Kenya have become good friends...Dr. Liz and Dr. Carolyn.  I'll never forget Joseph, the Kenya Keys director in Kenya, commenting to Rinda about her two friends, speaking of Dr. Liz and me.  "Your friends are very fine.  Dr. Liz is verrrry smart and Marilyn is most jovial"  We've laughed over that one for years as I try to be smart and Liz tries to be jovial!!!

For my Madagascar trip I had an absolutely perfect buddy - daughter Mary!  I can't express how much fun we had and what a trooper Mary was as we had adventure after adventure!

From attending a District Conference in Antsirabe, where we sat for multiple hours in church meetings in Malagasy, a language neither of us understood...

To flying across Madagascar on an 'Air Madagascar' propeller plane

 Mary was ready for anything! 

Even driving for 9 hours on this road... 

Yes, this is a road, not a river.  See the sticks that the locals used to show us the best place to drive!

Even the somewhat sketchy ferry crossing didn't phase her! 

Dug out canoes with no life jackets - bring it on! 

Long hot hikes in the Tsingy -  

Still smiling! 

Friendly and fun to all the cute little kids 

Chatting with interesting older gentlemen....yes, that is my girl! 

Posing for yet another photo....no complaints! 

And shopping buddy extraordinaire! Even if I did have to talk her into actually buying stuff!  Somehow that price tag of 50,000 ariary just sounded too expensive until I reminded her that was the equivalent of  $15.75!

Thanks to Mark for sharing her with me for 2 weeks!  How will we ever top this adventure??? 

Madagascar

I admit that I am somewhat embarrassed about all the traveling I have done over the last few months. Kenya in February, Adriatic cruise in March and a 2 week trip to Madagascar in May.  Yes I  admit that I most definitely have wanderlust! When my cousin Scott Boyle and his wife Cassie received their mission call to serve in Madagascar, I immediately started thinking of a trip there.  My plans were put on hold when all the missionaries were evacuated because of the plague!  Yes, the plague!!!  Luckily they were able to return a few months ago so my dreams of a trip to Madagascar were back in the plans.  Our daughter Mary agreed to be my travel buddy, tickets were purchased and we were off on a fantastic Mom-Daughter adventure.  

I have to talk about my cousins before I say anymore about the trip.  Scott Boyle is my 1st cousin.  His father was my mother's only brother.  Although raised in Monticello, Utah, he always felt connected to Arkansas and the family there.   We were at BYU at the same time, married at about the same time and have children who are about the same ages.  I have always admired him so much. And his wife Cassie is simply one of kindest, funnest, most loving and capable women I have ever known.  My mother adored her and Mary and I do too!

Staying with them was just perfect!  Comfortable apartment, a chauffeur, knowledgeable shopping buddy, plus fantastic food.  I could go on and on about Cassie's homemade bread, that in the words of one of the young missionaries, "has changed the face of the mission." 

They made us feel 'Tonga soa!" Welcome!

Thanks Elder and Sister Boyle!  You are simply the best and we love you!