Plane journey here and here... but missing a bit.
Trip Start
Sep 26, 2006
1
2
Trip End
Ongoing
Fianarantsoa, Madagascar
Friday, September 29, 2006
(all of these are written on my laptop and get sent when I get near a connection so they might be out of date. I'm in Fianarantsoa at the moment after spending a coule of days in the capital Antananarivo. It's a woman called Karen's birthday tomorrow so we're trecking in the rainforest and hiking up a mountain to eat cake ... coz that's how people celebrate birthdays here!)
25th September 2006
I'm off to work for Feedback ..... www.feedbackmadagascar.com
This is my first blog... ever!!!
I'm on the plane to Antananarivo from Paris. I hope my battery lasts long enough for me to come up with something good. I wasted lots at Chez Ma Belle Elyse playing with my camera uploading photos and now I'm down to about 40% which has to be rationed between the blog and most necessary i tunes. I rationalised in Paris that it made sense to make the most of electricity before it became an unpredictable and expensive luxury.. but I didn't use the mains supply so I'm a lemon..
I can't say my preparation for this trip has been that great. I didn't have a backpack until the day before I left, or walking boots, or sandals or a sleeping bag. Got my visa a week before which was good! And a million jabs.. also wisley chose the malaria medecation that doesn't work and makes you go mental...As for the rest I'm crap at shopping especially for sensible things coz I'd go out to get things and stuff of the essential variety and come home with chocolate buttons or a really big jar of marmite. My bag is very cool though, my shoes are comfy and my socks are self aware... apparently.
I've had a really great long weekend in Paris. feeling quite nice... was so unsettled at first, couldn't imagine how I ever lived there and could never see myself there again... It's Monday and by this afternoon when left for the airport I had started planning ways I can justify living in Paris again... we'll see...(in the immortal words of... ) with a proper job though... or in-between proper jobs.... But it has to be more than an enthusiastic digression ....Oooh I'm flying over Cairo! My itunes is very quiet and its annoying me... I'm not going to tell u what I'm listening to because then you won't think I'm cool and the point of these things is to make oneself look cool and make ones friends most jealous..
Should arrive 04: 36 and have 7 hours left.
When I get there have to sort out my visa and then take taxi brousse down to Fianarantsoa... 10 hours, slow, unreliable, uncomfortable and unsafe as I have been told... bush taxi thing...
(actually we drove passed two taxi brusse accidents, one that had rolled down the side of a cliff and one that was burnt out, and a tree nearly fell on us... but more about that later)
Me and Kat, future housemate, are going to spend a few days in Antananarivo first though, exploring and making friends.. maybe. She's going to be late to the airport but I've visa things to sort out which may take some time. Either way one of us is going to feel like a giant injured digit with hi I'm English and I don't know what I'm doing... do you want my wallet or my really expensive camera? written on it/ her/ me (probably)...
Air Madagascar.. don't believe in vegetarians...
The woman in front of me is a muppet. She keeps putting her bag in the gangway and tutting when stewardesses walk by and nearly die...
My backpack weighs 28k! please remember I am small. That is over half of me. And its twice as wide as me... but it is both quadricep and character building so I'm ok about it. Its not full of crap and I was being disciplined when packing. I only brought things I really need, like a skipping rope and travel scrabble... you think I'm joking don't you? I forgot to bring a Frisbee and I really want to play Frisbee in the mountains, and possibly the rainforest though I'm not sure how practical that is... because of the shrubbery and trees and stuff... practicality being a central concern... but if one of you good good people would be so good... my address is as follows:
Mlle Jasleen Sethi
Pres Lot 089/ 3606-02
Ivory Avaratra
BP1345
Fianarantsoa 301
Madagascar
And the post takes about a week. Ta! Send news of home... or just doodle if you can't be arsed to write. It'll be just as effective, I really only need to see the envelope to feel missed and loved.... Ta once again!
(That's also not counting my hand luggage, which is my laptop and beautiful beautiful camera, lonely planet Madagascar and Comoros guide, some book called lost in transmission that looks quite good and dark star safari by Paul Theroux.)
If I make this any longer you're not going to read it. And to be honest I would be rambling to amuse myself and because I want to be one of those people that has their laptop out on planes and looks like they're doing something really important..
By the way... did you all notice that you can donate to my travel fund? Good eh? 50p gets me through a day... it's like adopting a granny... or sponsoring a chimp at monkey world (monkey rescue centre in Dorset En-Ger-Land)... except you get regular blogs so you can see how I'm doing... much love.... xx
(Please Please leave comments... you can say whatever you like coz I'm in another country building peace and love... so it'll be ages before I kick your arse for it. And I might not remember.... No that's not true... I will remember... I've a memory like an elephant!)
xxxxxxxxxxx
Comments
hello from the sad unfortunate boring people @home
hello sweet queen of randomness, good to read from you. had a good giggle with all the impressions of jaz's world!
i'm trying to figure out what to do with my life next so if you find me a job over there, i'd appreciate it! ;-))
big hug
from hanne
Like a Chimp at Monkey World
I am sponsoring you, my monkey, Jasleen, so you can take today's 50p out of your account! Be safe, love you, mum.