Here are a selection of shots, mostly grab-shots through the windscreen, taken during my two weeks in Madagascar. Yes I got to sit in the front seat this time. Some taken with the special Sony; others with an amazing iPhone. Often one can't tell the difference!
The driver is at the back and he's standing on the brake. It's a crude system but it works. I reckon they've mastered the art of improvisation. At least when it comes to their vehicles!
These people seem to be pulling stuff ( I know not what ) from the water to their raft. It's a tight crop.. so I couldn't zoom in further. It's a different life!
I'd just told Kim I would no longer deliberately shoot into the sun when I had him stop the car so I could jump out and shoot this one. I was 'taken' by the extraordinary amount of smokey haze in the air. They burn stuff. And there are people everywhere. This place is not for those wishing to breath sweet mountain air!
Taken a few minutes before the previous one. You can just see the line of smoke above the ridge. I took this one to show how an ordinary suburban road cuts between a very rough embankment and a neat garden wall!
A pastoral scene. In the distance kids play soccer.
A tighter crop of the shot above. What can I say. It's a different life. And they're carefree in the moment.
Roadside commerce. It's incredible to think those two tiny children (and thousands of others) play and somehow survive on the narrow edge so near the wheels of so many vehicles.
On his way to Hogwarts with a delivery.
Some roads are easier than others. This is not in a suburb. It's a main / national road threading its path through narrow 'gaps' in various villages. It took us 3.5hours to cover about 60km from Lake Mantasoa to Antananarivo!
Bamboo scaffolding systems were everywhere to see. And I don't remember seeing a single unnecessary bright yellow safety vest. Anywhere. Thanks goodness the yellow (high-vis) fever hasn't spread everywhere.
A road-side sofa store?
Going bananas
Two "Vazaha" buying bread rolls from tiny stall on roadside. Amazingly we were charged the normal price, not the inflated price sometimes charged to 'vazaha' (light-skinned tourists). Thanks, Andy, for sneaking this super shot!
Not an oxcart, but a zebu cart. See the humps. Zebu are thought to have originated in Asia (possibly India). But Madagascan Zebu are special: "Genetic analysis of African cattle has found higher concentrations of zebu genes all along the east coast of Africa, with especially pure cattle on the island of Madagascar, either implying that the method of dispersal was cattle transported by ship or alternatively, the zebu may have reached East Africa via the coastal route (Pakistan, Iran, Southern Arabian coast) much earlier and crossed over to Madagascar." (wikipedia)
An everyday scene. Every few hundred metres. People, bicycles, cars, wagons, anything / everything must share the same roads.
French cars of various ages. And a bicycle and one or two japanese vehicles.
Independence day lanterns for sale. Sue bought a bunch and we all had plenty of fun later that evening. Must still blog that.
Look at those beds!
Sunset from the road side. Near Antananarivo. Yes I broke my rule and shot into the sun here again. If you made it this far thanks heaps for having a look. Hope you enjoyed. Leave a comment or a like!