Madagascar has become my most favourite place in the world (sorry China!) with my most favourite people in the world living there! It is paradise! Sweet little houses, mountains, rainforest, cuddly lemurs, palm trees, perfect weather, desert and palm trees all in one. It's a world of its own. And the Madagascans are even better than the lemurs! Lots of waves and smiles and an amazing warmth.

I went there to visit a long term penpal, Domoina. It was a bit of a gamble and Rebecca had already planned many escape plans but it couldn't possibly have been better. I just couldn't believe it had all worked out so perfectly.

I've never been anywhere like Antananarivo, more easily known as 'Tana.'. It is a grotty higgelty piggeldy mess in the most wonderful way possible. Flying over it on the aeroplane we thought it was a pretty little village on a hill. But this is the capital! Everybody builds their own houses just the way they want to. The result is lots and lots of completely different houses all squeezed together, some using the facade of the house an advertisement board most commonly for coca cola or Ariel. Then you get the odd paddy field in between the houses. Tana is extremely lively, there are people everywhere doing all kinds of things, and balancing all kinds of things on their heads.

Everywhere you go in Madagascar there are zebu (a special kind of cow with a hump) and chickens. Cloths are always being washed in the river and then placed colourfully on top of the bushes to dry. Children play happily, taking care of their brothers and sisters rather than fighting with them. There's certainly never a dull moment and my eyes were always peeled looking out of the window. So much to take in! I was almost in shock just after the journey from the airport to Domoina's house. You just never expect to see such an amazing place ever!

Domoina's family has a beautiful new house in the countryside, about 30mins from the city centre or an hr by taxi-brousse. Taxi-brousse are Madagascar's public transport. Minibuses that try to fit in as many people as possible. They are definitely not made for big bummed, long legged westerners! Madagascans are tiny! I felt like a complete giant and soon regarded myself as 'Fat Fazhar.' 'Fazhar' is the madagascan word for a foreigner. It's the first word I learnt and I learnt it very quickly as 'bonjour Fazhar' was everywhere!!

Soon we began to plan our road trip to travel around Madagascar with Domoina and her wonderful boyfriend Aina. Luckily for us Aina is an expert at planning trips! We planned to travel down one of Madagascar's few and most established roads to Toliary on the coast and back again. We hired a car and driver for the week and the adventure began! Probably the best week of my life! .....