DECEMBER 2011 - MADAGASCAR

5 DAYS IN NOSY BE

kwanza-God jul- Merry X mas 


 

"The traveller sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see." G.K.Cheslerton


Simplicity, dignity  and warmth hospitality of this mixed community coming from Africa and Asia, is a good omen for a stop rich of human memories. The route from the airport to reach Nosy Beach cross hellville a district which really wear his name ...

Wood Lodge in Nosy Be island 

View on the indian ocean from the private wood  lodge

The terrace of the lodge located on the heights of Nosy Be offers a splendid view of Mount using cultures and magnificent views of the beach Ambatoloaka overlooking the Indian Ocean

Time to reach that mountain front the private lodge

Climbing was easy but I admit the descent took place on the buttocks, with little destruction of some banana tree. One of farmers was angry after me but he understood my difficulty to go down without vertigo.

 

 A paddle, we leave at low tide the Nosy be furious at sunset,

 to visit " Lokobe reserve" with Sea Turtle Island and the island of jungle home 

Reaching the jungle island ,

 ..

 to lemurs, boas, chameleons endemic flowers with surprising shapes and bright colors

A friendly inhabitant of the jungle as a guide managed the feat of lemurs call by imitating their cries, and soon the rustling of leaves in treetops is heard  at the point of  one of them arrived on my shoulder to enjoy a fruit: a memorable face to face with Madagascan wildlife

The local guide let us know that this blue flower is called " Clitoridia flower" Ja why not !!!

End day on the sand after a bath in the hot cloudy water and not reassuring of the sea before enjoying and sharing a typical coco rice milk with some shrmps, fish and grilled meat, by watching shoals of sardines that think they are certainly flying fish fleeing a large predator that lurks maybe...

According to the local brunch of coco-rice and zebu, shrimp and fish's brochettes,the walk in the jungle was so exciting to forget the high tide that has given way to a  most dangerous return in our wood local canoe...a more risky adventure



 
Some dolphins jumps and follows our canoe for palying with us 

 

Back at the lodge 

Demantoid Green Garnet issue from the south of Mada or Namibia or Russia, the most  rare, refined and dazzling stone, i prefer gold as an invest. Diamond is not all girlies best friend.

Baobab trees with their roots on their peaks are famous but the mangrove " Banian Mahatsinjo" and mud crabs very popular offer some trees  

with enlisted roots out of field usually used as sacred places by local peoples.

Nosy be has a beautiful natural pool lake

 Time for a relaxing fresh moment in the lake to end the travel

 Transparent fish

Schrimp & crab on the rock near the lake

 Ylang Ylang close the lake with endemic spider

knowed as the cascade very valuable during a sunny afternoon and the route allow you to appreciate the nature and meet the malagasy

 with Colored birds, dragonflies and majestieux insects like praying mantises and butterfly difficult to shoot with the camera 

"Passot" sighseeing spot with a panoramic view over several lakes, Mada sun rocks hopes of his proud people...

arahaba tratry ny Krismasy

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD - LOUIS ARMSTRONG

Cheers...

Goby

NOVEMBER 2011 - AUSTRALIA

5 DAYS DARWIN-ARNHEM-MELBOURNE

" He who does not travel does not know the value of men." Moorish quote

Greetings,
Few days at Arnhem Land closed to mass tourism and open to a limited number of travelers, after many hours by car from Darwin and Katherine

Here we go the break allow to go further for an exotic environment. And during our walk we will taste some aints with lemon flavour and recongnised some trees used for boomerang or Didgeridoo.
The colonies of kangaroos, Walabies, brightly colored endemic birds embellish the trip on this bush route

Aboriginal children have a fascinating memory, above their hard life restrictions...

Bodeidei Camp 

And the matriarch of Wheemol show us the secret of red colour used to paint on the rock by her ancestor who belong of that community old than 50 000 years 

 

The splendid views similar to prehistoric landscapes made me forget the baking sun which burns my skin

Sublime tree bark, painted with the colors of the bush by an elderly Aboriginal woman " Yibwoin"
fire-breathing dragon,tiger snake and woombat, reminds me the existence of an  inhospitable wildlife

the hostile landscape of the outback is full of black and brown termite mounds

 an unconscious swim in a natural pool call "kikilmara" by aboriginal, but the danger of a face to face with a crocodile do not cross any mind.

we appreciate finally a barbecue buffalo before admiring the sunset by listening the heartbreaking story told by the Aboriginal people of the matriarch wheemol

Ready for a walk to find this secret small forest with natural & so pure spirit  making you cry due to trees and leaves effects

Bcak to the city 

 
Time is come to flight to Melbourne with his own time  for a walk at Healesville Sanctuary 22 $ the cost entrance and a dinner at BBQ House located Shop 5, 240 Victoria St Richmond, Vic 3121 before reaching the paradise of Pacifica Island.

 Finders station

 Post Office & Victorian Style Flat

THE DON'T CARE ABOUT US- MJ

Cheers...

Globy