HELLO!!

The drive from Tana to Tulear was extraordinary. The country is just amazing! We travelled through the HAUT PLATEAUX high plateau: through savannahs and plains and mountains and villages. Up on that huge plateau feels so close to the magic sky that rolls overhead. The trip was gruelling but one of the most amazing ever. I wish I could do it over 2 weeks on one of the many zebu carts that we passed - the 2 days was much too fast. Since leaving Tana I have kept good journal notes and I’m looking forward to rewriting them as letters to you if I have time on camp. Tulear (TOLIARA) is a very different city to Tana... MUCH nicer, smaller and by the coast. It’s Hot like a dessert town, with palm trees and pink transparent geckos on whitewashed walls. People everywhere, but it operates at a slower and happier pace than Tana, and less obvious poverty, though people here still have nothing but coconut palm leaved shanties.

I love Madagascar, much more than touristy Mauritius. I have rescheduled my Madagascar to Mauritius flight to 27th June 16:45pm so I can stay here longer. I also heard that Anasuya’s boyfriend Matt found we can extend visas here, so I am thinking I’ll try and do that. [Yuki] please find out the cut off date I’d need to reschedule my Mauritius to Melbourne flight, and how long I can delay it.

Ace news about Miho and Neha. I’ll plan to be in Tana on 15th [or 16th] June and can meet Miho then (or Yuki!!!). I’d want to get out of the city soon after though.

This is my last www check till 15th June, so I’ll look forward to hearing from, you via post.

Yours Truly,

John