Making Lemonade and Preparing to Go Home

I'm flying home tomorrow (via Johannesburg, Dakar, and New York) and, once again, not looking forward to hours on airplanes.

But I did want to say that I did a pretty good job of salvaging the end of the trip. The driver I'd had (who is an independent contractor and does not work for the evil rapacious Malagasy travel agency) came by the hotel early Saturday morning and asked if I would be interested in hiring him myself, at a far more reasonable cost than the agency's charges. He took me to Andasibe (often referred to by its colonial name of Perinet), where I saw indri, the largest lemur species. What is really amazing is not so much seeing them, cute as they are, but hearing them. They have a unique call and it is definitely a magical experience.

Anyway, I've had a very good couple of weeks in Madagascar. Too bad I was here nearly a month. But the bad side of things makes for good stories later on and, on the whole, I'm glad I made the trip. Realistically, I did accomplish everything I'd intended to.