Accidental African Adventure a.k.a My Birthday Weekend

So much happened this trip....I don't even know where to start!

Click this link to see the post that I wrote about where we were going.

And, this is how we were getting there:
BUS #1:

BUS #2:

I was in the back of Bus #2. At first, it was the quieter of the two. But thanks to the stand-up comedic act in the back, it perked up pretty quickly. :) Some jokes, you just never get tired of hearing.

There's always so many amazing views along the way...its hard to choose what to take a picture of.

Um, tailgate much?

We were stopped a couple of times a long the way by the police (we are to carry notarized copies of our passport and visas at all times). But all went well. I was brave enough to take a picture (and lucky that I didn't get into any trouble - its illegal to take pictures of military or police).

Soon enough - we were ready for a bathroom break. We stopped at a roadside beer stand.

And yet again, I got to use "the hole".
The bucket is NOT to "go" it - its for washing. I chose to shake rather than wash. (Gross, I know...but my pee is cleaner than that water)

More scenic views...

That is....until it started to get dark. At one point, I asked our driver, Are you lost?
Yes, he replies.

I thanked him for his honesty....and poored myself a drink.

We drove and drove...got on the right road, and then....about a half an hour later - we had to make an important decision.

Take the bridge:

Or take the river. The last time I went - we took the river.

So...we took the river.

Uh oh......stuck in the mud!

Now we're in the middle of nowhere without any cell phone reception. In Madagascar.

Luckily, someone who was joining us late happened to pass by. With a tow rope, 11 expats pushing/pulling, and some luck - we got the van out of the water.

BUT - the van broke. I'm not sure how. Its MG. Sometimes...you just don't ask.

But we kept on goin on...

Half of the group and the 4x4 helped to tow the van through the rocky, rough, terrain. And the rest of us - walked.

And walked...

And walked some more.

This was certainly part of the adventure. Each time we would see a light in the distance, we would get so excited!! We're here!!! But no. We would be at a little tiny village. Luckily, this one sold pee-warm beer for the boys...for...fuel.

I'm not sure if I mentioned...the drive should take about an hour and half. Four hours later....we still weren't there. Finally - another group came to look for us.

While we were doing the walk...I just kept laughing. What an adventure. People pay for this kind of stuff. Just think....reading a pamphet in your travel agent's office:

"Your journey will begin with a rustic local ride through the untouched roads of Madagascar. Followed by a 5 km walk through the local villages where you can truly experience the real Malagasy lifestyle...." Hey - we got all that as a free bonus. Maybe I'm in the wrong occupation...

But...as time wore on.....reality set in (or the effect of my drink wore off)...How were we going to get home?

Once I finally arrived at the resort, I was escorted to my bungalow. I was DRENCHED in sweat. Its +32*C and 90% humidity...so really, it's like +39*C. My bungalow was up in the hills - and I had to climb these steep, steep stairs made out of...I don't know...chunks of wood and sand. And I'm weighted down because somehow I got stuck carrying some other people's luggage. After about five minutes of stair climbing and me starting to get a bit...pissy, we get to the bungalow and there is no key. Its pitch black, I'm worried that we won't get home tomorrow....URGH!!! I'm now frustrated. Times 30. And I can hear people at the restaurant...but I can't see them (its REALLY dark!!). So I climb down the stairs...with the luggage...and I just follow the noise.

I finally make it to the restaurant, luggage in hand(s), and everyone is already there waiting for me! They stand up and yell, Happy Birthday!!
Well....this was it. I...had a momentary....lapse of.....well, I lost it. What can I say....I may be 30...but I'm really a big baby.

Thank goodness I have friends with cameras who took 100 pictures of my tears (that are circulating via company email..urgh.).

Suddenly, all the bags were taken from me, I was handed a drink, and a chocolate (so now I'm crying with a drink in my hand and a handful of melted chocolate) and I'm hugged about ten times....

Friends rock. Nobody cared how we were getting home...they were just ready to party. It took me....about 19 seconds to just snap out of it. And then remember...oh, yah....I'm here to PARTY too!!!

See?!? Its REALLY HOT OUT!!!

I got the key to my bungalow, had a shower, and then came back for supper.

There was plenty of....flavored rum to try, but we brought our own. (Which I later got in trouble for...but how....appetizing does that look? Ick.)

And a marvelous birthday cake was brought out. The purple is the island of Madagascar. Earlier on in the week, I told someone that they hadn't even asked what shape of cake I wanted for my birthday. Apparently...this is a spoiled brat request???? I dissagree. :P

Blow out the candles!! Again!! and Again!!! Whoever invited those candles that never stop lighting up again is a genius. It was a good trick. :)

The rest of the night was divided between swimming:

Dancing (still in my bathing suit):

Shennangans:


Singing by candlelight:

Until the wee hours of the morning......

And - I woke up to this! Happy Birthday balloons in my room!

Climbing those stairs sure sucked....but the view was worth it!!

We went and ate breakfast. Some went for a walk...some sat on the beach. It was just a day to do...whatever.

I was lounging on the beach...kind of hungry. Thinking about lunch.

Then....lunch walked by:

Being the...special person I am, I really wanted to touch one of the zebus! But they were too scared of me and would run away. (????)

After lunch (which was of course, beef (or zebu)), I was ready for a nap. Must have eaten a bit too much at lunch....we broke the hammock...

The rest of the day was spent chatting, swimming, or laying in the sun.

All was set....other expats had arranged their drivers to come get a bunch of us, and the bus company had arranged a replacement to come pick us up.

But, storms were coming in...and everyone was ready to go. But we couldn't find one of the expats.
I was getting annoyed.

And it was getting stormy!

I asked the staff and the owner to help me look for the missing expat. After about half an hour, the owner came back to tell me that they had searched every room and he was gone. He must have gone back with one of the other groups. Okay. It was kind of weird he didn't let us know...but, whatever.

Off we went....
We made it all the way to about here:

...Until we see one of the bungalow staff madly riding his bike to catch up to us. The missing expat was asleep in his bungalow (recovering from the night before). Um...didn't the owner just say that they checked everywhere? This poor guy - it was his first outing with us, he didn't speak very good English (he's from France), he experienced the crazy Aussies (and Canadians...and American...and South Africans..) for the first time, and then we leave him in the jungle?

Ooops.
We went back and got him...and off we went again. (Don't know if he'll want to come to my 31st birthday....)

This time - we took the bridge (without any of us in the bus, of course....we aren't that stupid... most of the time...)

We made it! Yee haw!!

As we drove along, we came across this little shack. I had to get out and take a picture!

Too cool!!

And then the ride home continued...some...a little more tipsy than others. I napped most of the way.

And finally home.

I stopped by for a quick dip in the pool, only to need to go back to my room to take more pictures.

Two of my favorite expats (drunk) had decided to put on a syncronized swimming routine for us. You read that sentence correctly. Two grown men, with no grace whatsoever, put on a little dance for us.

As tired as I was....this I could not miss.



It was an amazing weekend - that I will never, ever forget. I have some amazing friends...and I can't even beleive how many people came out to celebrate. I can't beleive how many of them went out of their way to make my day (and week, and weekend) special - this includes my friends and family in Canada. I never once felt alone or lonely...and all those in Canada...I knew would be celebrating with me in spirit.

It's been a rough rotation...so much has happened....but...through it all, I still have so many amazing moments where I feel like I'm watching a movie. It is so incredibly surreal.

Thank you to everyone (In Canada or Madagascar) that made this time so special for me. I am truly blessed.

(and just one more tiny birthday post to come. I went out for supper Wednesday (my actual birthday) and I have a few pictures to share. Welcome to my thirties. YIKES!!)