Daily Archives: April 23, 2015

Flash back -

42 nautical miles
The last meal at Eden Rock with Hassna and Danz. Guillaumette was waiting with open arms as soon as we arrived in Majunga. This evening, once again she took the time to celebrate our meeting and Serge’s start, with a bottle of South African champagne. It was our final drink together and very pleasant. Guillaumette has pep and an energy which is catching. We are sorry not to have met our hosts, whom we saw photos this evening. To be welcomed so warmly by someone you don’t even know is very touching.
Since March 19th Danz has made a huge contribution to the « World tour of Madagascar » (he never does anything half way). He is beginning to relax and by 9 PM everyone was in bed. Hassina is ready for a new start on Saturday morning.
4H00 it’s time to rise. A quick glance at the website: good heading, I’m relieved and I leave Majunga rather reassured.
5H00: we head to the center of Majunga
5H30: We have a meeting with “First Class” transportation, we connect to website
5H50: Communication from Serge – « I rowed until 21H00 yesterday, I ate well, it’s rocky, I’m looking for ???? ». I asked him to repeat and after three tries I still don’t understand. Too bad, he will find whatever it is on his own! We agreed to talk again at 18H15 (Malagasy time which he will keep until he reaches Mozambique). In any case, he lives with the daylight, a common point with running, where he gets up at sunrise and goes to bed at sundown. While we camped we were in bed every evening at 18H30.
6 H00: Departure for Tana, which takes me farther from Serge and it was with a twinge of sorrow that I thought about a camp, about sitting down for a refueling or a sunset. René keeps his diary up to date and I wonder how he can write in a vehicle that bumps and jolts between a road under repair, pot holes and hairpin curves. It’s almost like being in an amusement park.
Hassina and Danz leave with the truck and trailer in the direction of Tana as well but in 2 stages. They will arrive in the capital tomorrow. I have trouble realizing that we are leaving now. Time never stands still and it’s a shame.

17H30: Arrival in Tana, city center, to find the same dense traffic which we had forgotten. We made only one stop, for an hour, and always with the same driver.
Momo and Bob were waiting for us. We went to Olivier and Nathalie’s Grill du Rouva, where we were again welcomed with open arms.
18H15: A quick call from Serge – All is well, slightly nauseous because of heavy seas. He is reassured because he is 30 miles from the coast but he is not very confident about his heading. I have to tell you that Serge did not watch the football game on Tuesday evening and he left Wednesday without asking about the score – in his bubble?