1st December hey so I've been away for a month and everyone at home is starting their advent calendars. Christmas feels a million miles away for me.

Before I get started - thank you to all friends and family persevering and reading this (despite spelling errors via iPhone typing - apologies again) and particularly the messages and comments that I love getting.

You've also probably noted my entries are a bit more frequent so have slightly replaced by paper journal keeping and are written a lot of the time for me! Especially as I was a bit slow in realising the iPhone app means I can type offline and then upload when I get to a wifi area.

Anyway - what have I been up to over the last two days.

Well the quad bike guide came through, although I thought he was coming with a taxi tommy hotel to get to the beach (which meant I didn't tip him the day before) but no he wasn't there but a very smiling taxi driver with my name on a piece of paper was waiting for me. The taxis here are bright yellow, very old Renault 4s. So I sat up front next to him for the 18km trip to Ramena beach chatting away in very broken French.

When we arrived, the door was swung open by another guy (I was still expecting my guide) who explained 50 000 was due (the price I agreed) so I paid up. I then asked the taxi how much, and it was the same amount, slightly more that I was expecting or had on me, but then I realised he was going to wait all day for me and he said I could get the money when I got back to the hotel. Checked the guide book when I got back and this was a bargain!

So I was then passed onto a third guy - the captain, and taken down the beach to his boat with 6 others and the 3 men and 1 woman crew. A traditional dhow boat (can't think what the local name is pirogue?), which soon got its sail up and we headed into a roughish sea as the wind was up and got quite wet but actually a welcome relief from the heat.

The others were all talking French so I smiled said bonjour and faced forward. It was soon apparent we were detouring to a beach (the other touristsbboats going off in another direction which I assumed was where we were going). I relaxed and thought , go with the flow - I have no idea what's going on but it's warm, beautiful blue ocean - cant be bad. It turned out one couple were kite surfers. The woman had a go first but couldn't keep the kite in the air for long and after about 30 mins (and 20 mins getting ready) she packed up back to the boat. Meanwhile her partner, clearly the experienced one - shot off at a real speed. We pulled anchor and followed at a much slower pace. The woman was talking to the others in the boat (who has tried talking to me while we were waiting but I had to do my " I'm English and can't understand you " (in French speel- but if you think my French speaking is bad, remembering how it's spelt is worse topped with iPhone predictive text just not coping - means ive given upmso you get my translation). Anyway they clearly told her I was English and I got an immediatev south London accent - sorry for keeping you waiting , I'm learning and it just wasn't happening for me today. The first native English speaker for days!!

Anyway turned out she lived in France, has been coming to Madagascar for 4 years, her partner for over 10 and has a small chalet here. Anyway she was lovely and made the day.

When we got to the Emerald sea and beach (see photo) there were a few shelters where clearly lunch was going to be set up.

I was instructed to get back on the boat to go out snorkeling. Turned out two of the men wet suited up with harpoon speers to catch lunch and I went on to some shallower water for snorkeling. Snorkeling wasn't great after Mozambique and I wanted to be under the water diving. It was also pretty rough. But a warm and beautiful location never the less.

The guys speared loads of fish and lunch was served - fresh BBQ'd fish, crab in a sauce, rice, salad and sweet potato also BBQ'd and grilled bananas for dessert and mango - all incredibly delicious. Time then for a snooze and swim and eventually heading back to a waiting taxi driver.

Suggest anyone ever heading this way stays at this beach village which has a few hotels rather than Diego- it has a really lovely atmosphere.

So my original guide never got his tip but no doubt he got something for fixing me up so I won't feel guilty - and the English person said the boat and crew were the best set up, so I landed on my feet. My taxi driver also asked if I wants to go to Mountain D'Ambre with him but I explained I had already organized a trip for today.

that was yesterday, so toady sure enough my local tour guide turned up in a much less glamorous, non air con 4x4 - more my style. The driver and english speaking guide then took memto Mountain D'Ambre. Arrived and went for a three hour walk up and down getting very hot and sweaty - a volcanic national park with crater lakes, waterfalls and primary forest. A few more chameleons , lemurs and beautiful vegetation and again a beautiful freshly cooked lunch - and a mongoose also made an appearance.

Then onto Tsingy rouge - a phenomenal unique to Madagascar. See main picture. Very vey bumpy sandy drive requiring the 4 wheel drive to be switched on (at the wheels several times) - and quite incredible structuresv- stallegmite like and I'm glad I've seen it. But you know what I enjoyed most, en route we bought some coconuts - after walking to see the Tsingy, we drank the fresh coconut water - then Etienne the driver hacked it open with a machete so we could devour the flesh. Another driver came over and was joking with us. We were also eating lychees bought by the roadside as wellnand we were laughing that they were the colour of my nose - then who should show up but my taxi driver man from yesterday who clearly also drives a posh 4x4 - who greeted me like an old friend- all lovely!

So tomorrow I think I'm going camping for 3 nights to a camp that has only 12 people. I have to be at the office for 6 - I think! Went to confirm details when I got back this evening but it was all closed up, so we shall see what the next 3 nights has in store!!

Alsoi liked the guys today so arranged for Etienne to drive me to get a boat to Nosy Be my next destination. Not cheap but cheaper than I had been quoted and i said he had to make sure I got a boat to the island ok and not leave me stranded. Flying probably is cheaper and simpler but who needs that. And they don't fly on the day I want to go.