Photos

'Tiako I Madagasikara' is Malagasy for 'I love Madagascar' (and also the name of the current President's political party). I really did love the island. It was the most wonderful place I've ever been to, and this picture is just typical of the Malagasy scenery. The rice fields; the woman on the bridge carrying something very heavy on her head; the glorious red-orange earth.

I learnt a few words of Malagasy, but really not very much, because the pronunciation is near-impossible (it varies everywhere), and because I was more preoccupied with learning French. But I wish I'd learnt a bit more; it's a lovely language.