16 August 2025
We leave the rainforest and Andasibe behind this morning, travelling back through Antananarivo. Antananarivo is protected by Angave mountains from east. In east there are several cyclones a year, and they have wooden houses built on stilts to cope with floods. We really notice the difference as we head back over the mountains, it is so much drier. There is also much deforestation and erosion, providing fertile valleys where soil has washed down.
On the way, there is a great opportunity to watch daily farming life happening around us. I am impressed with the industriousness and entrepreneurialism: everyone seems to be busy doing something useful. Many are carrying loads – often on their heads or tied on their backs or balanced on bicycles. People are selling any extra fruit and vegetables from their farming enterprises; there are bags of charcoal and bundles of firewood for sale.
Everything is utilised: we see piles of rice husks that are used to fire bricks. We see lots of bricks being made and kilns with smoke pouring out as the bricks are fired. People even rent the outsides of their houses to be used as advertising billboards.
We often see thatched roof houses with black soot around first floor windows. We learn that fires are burned continuously to keep the roof dry and to deter any pests (insects or otherwise) from taking up residence in the thatch. Traditionally, houses had thatched roofs but tin corrugated roofs are becoming fashionable.
We also learn more about the people: there are several different ethnic groups across Madagascar with mixed origins. They are made up from the original settlers from Malaysia/ Indonesia, Africa Bantu tribe (west coast), and in the south, Arab spice traders. This blend became the Malagasy peoples. They are predominately Christian but a wide range of religious denominations and faiths incl animism. There are lots of churches everywhere.
At one stage we see a coffin on top of a bus – wrapped and indicated with a flag flying. We learn that each region/ethnic group have their own customs. For example, the Merina people just use the coffin for transport and bury body wrapped in white silk. We also see family tombs in the fields.
Taxi Brosy are local buses, usually laden to overflowing inside and out. Everything you could imagine is transported on top from coffins, bicycles, groceries, live chickens and ducks, and in one case what looked like a someone was moving a whole houseful of furniture.
Madagascar has had a turbulent political history including a monarchy, a French colony, followed by independence (and a period of stability) and then a coup in 2009. Since then there has been political instability and corruption, with little investment in the country. There has been investment in infrastructure by China, Japan, and the EU. For a period they followed communism and North Korea even built their presidential palace.
Roadworks (or lack thereof) are a major problem (especially since the 2009 coup). There are potholes you could lose a truck in. Everyone is weaving around to find the smoothest route through. There are piles of old tarmac that have been lifted for replacement (locals reuse as paving stones around their houses to help avoid the mud) and piles of new gravel blocking half the road causing more congestion. Although there is some heavy equipment, it is mainly a lot of manual labour and a lot of people standing around. All times to our destinations are very approximate: “-ish” becomes our favourite word.
There are two types of entrepreneurs around roadworks: those that bring dirt to fill some of the potholes and stand proudly beside them hoping that motorists will tip them, and those who make snacks and come to the windows of vehicles stopped for roadworks.
We continue south along Route Nationale 7, towards the town of Ambatolampy. Route Nationale 7, also known as RN7, is the primary highway running 980km through the centre of Madagascar going from the capital Antananarivo through to the south-west coast. On this route we see much more industry and factories – based on extraction and agricultural products.
There is a lot more mixed farming, with people keeping zebu, ducks and chickens. They have pigs too but keep these enclosed because they eat everything. Zebu are their cows with fatty hump on back and horns – some now being crossed with cows. Essentially zebu = beef, and it is used in many traditional Malagasy dishes; e.g. zebu and cassava leaf, zebu tongue and peas.
We stop in Ambatolampy, a small rural town in the Madagascar highlands. There is total chaos due to roadworks and it being market day. After a long while of gridlock, Hasina asks for a short cut to the place we are trying to visit and is helped across traffic and down some very narrow dodgy side road. However we do safely make it to a workshop where local villagers handmake traditional pots from recycled aluminium. They are friendly and show us the process of making the molds out of sand and pouring in the molten aluminium (a health & safety nightmare with no protective gear whatsoever). But we discover that they are very busy as they have received a big order for 60 cooking pots so they don’t talk as much as they normally would. There are lots of tourist items for sale as well.
We continue on towards Antsirabe, famous in Madagascar for its warm thermal waters and brightly coloured rickshaws. Antsirabe is surrounded by mountains – an ancient volcanic area. It is very fertile and an important agricultural region. It produces textiles such as sisal, cotton; tobacco, rice, corn, wheat, and many vegetables. The region is much drier but has good irrigation systems – even an aqueduct. There are a lot of terraces for growing crops. Many houses are built at foot of hills facing west for protection from easterly winds and to enjoy evening sun.
Each town we pass has its own craft speciality: wooden trucks, painted religious statues, pottery, raffia crafts baskets mats, sausages, musical instruments.
It has been a very long 13 hour travel day. We didn’t arrive at the hotel till nearly 7.30 after a 6.30am departure. I am almost tired to eat – had few mouthfuls and had early night. We don’t get to see any of Antsirabe as we have another early departure in the morning.
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