Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ReaderswhoaredisappointedwiththesmallsizeofMalagasyleecheswillbeinter-
ested to hear that an expedition to French Guiana in the 1970s discovered the world's
largest leech: at full stretch 45cm long!
Wherever there are blood vessels there are leeches, and travellers compete for the
worstleechstory.Here'sonefromFrankieKerridge,aresearcherinthesoutheastrain-
forest: A highlight was my guide getting a leech on his eyeball. Mega shouting and
screaming. Got it off by killing it (slowly) with a tobacco leaf.'
Reader T T Terpening had an equally gruesome experience: a leech in his nose.
This he dealt with thus: 'I pushed on my left nostril with my finger and blew hard.
Some blood, a little snot, and a big glossy leech flew out into the rainforest litter.' But
then: 'My guide says a dab of tobacco will keep my respiratory system leech-free for
the remainder of the hike. I take a scoop and plug both nostrils. Immediately I feel
dizzy and sick and my nose burns. I brace myself against a tree and my head clears.
Mynosedefinitelystillfeelsweird.OverthenextminuteIcometotherealisationthat
another leech is travelling the length of my sinus. “Probably running away from the
tobacco,” says my guide helpfully. Within 12 hours the leech has run its course, jour-
neying the length of my nose, then sinus to my throat where I eventually swallow it.
Most of Madagascar's wildlife is found nowhere else on earth. Thank God!'
See Click Here for advice on dealing with leeches .
Camp Simpona (1,250m) is a welcome sight. There are just eight beds here, and room
for only one tent. The forest is more stunted because of the altitude, but there are still silky
sifakas and birds such as rufous-headed ground-roller and yellow-bellied sunbird-asity. A
viewing platform shortly before the camp offers a breathtaking vista.
The camp is used to facilitate treks to Marojejy peak at 2,132m, a four- to five-hour
climb. Not much harder than the previous day, but you need good weather and that's pretty
rare. If you're in luck then the view from the top is awesome and the feeling of space and
wilderness unmatched.
DISCOVERING MALAGASY CUISINE
Carrie Antal
Visitors to Madagascar are often pleasantly surprised to discover its cuisine is as
unique and varied as its ecology. The culinarily adventuresome can experience new
dishes, sweets, snacks and food traditions in each region. In the highlands, laoka (a
catch-all word for whatever accompanies the obligatory mound of rice) are often ve-
getables, pulses or animal proteins in tomato-based sauces flavoured with pork, while
coastal dishes reflect even more variety, adding coconut sauces and a wider range of
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