….Nerf gun wars, sunsets at sea and arriving into Toamasina….
Arriving into Toamasina
So….week 4 was spent mostly at sea! Not that I’m a believer in star signs but being a Pisces [a water sign] is a pretty accurate description for me. Being on or in water is a happy place for me….with the exception of being in the bowels of a ship.
The week has been spent walking around the ship, at very odd angles to the floor. If you haven’t been on a ship that rocks from side to side before, you’re missing out on the very strange experience of one minute walking along normally and the next being 30 degrees closer to the floor. Sitting on my office chair [on wheels] was a fun experience! One minute I’d be sitting next to my boss and the next I’d be rolling very quickly towards our office door and then back again. I became adept at locking my knee under my desk to prevent my chair running away with me.
Sunday we were allowed out onto the bow for morning service. It was pretty cool listening to guitars and a violin being played whilst we continued on our way, granted at a much slower speed. We even spotted a pod of dolphins. Some of us had to be ordered back inside, I really could have spent the day out there.
To help with the inevitable boredom of kids…and adults stuck on a ship for 6 days, various games and entertainment had been planned for the week. Some of the highlights included sock golf [with a trophy for the winner made with the unclaimed single socks from the crew laundry], a line dancing class [which included a few extra steps every time the ship tipped from one side to the other] and Karaoke [including a rather entertaining and inappropriate song about a man lamenting to his mother about marrying the wrong woman].
Even my trip to do washing included being hit with a hail of nerf bullets, as I unknowingly walked into a full scale nerf gun battle occurring between deck 5 & 6. Unfortunately, my attempt to help our Irish Safety Officer by collecting bullets along my path up the stairs, resulted in him being shot in the back. I might need to avoid him for the next couple of days [that’s a joke!]
Thursday morning found me up on deck 7 just before 06:00 for the ships arrival into Toamasina. We had been encouraged to get our countries’ flag out to wave as we sailed into port, it was a pretty special sight watching flags from all around the world fluttering in the breeze.
The dock was alive with musicians, dancers and our country engagement team in their outfits inspired by Madagascar. A moment that will certainly stay with me for the rest of my life.
Thursday afternoon and Friday were spent starting the arduous process of unpacking and cleaning the hospital. What a team of impressive and dedicated volunteers we have on this ship!
Saturday was my first opportunity to explore the port town of Toamasina. It is approx. a 15min walk from the ship to the port gate and then another 30 mins [approx.] to restaurants/hotels etc. We decided to skip the tuk tuks, waiting at the port gate, and made our way by foot into town. The heavens decided to open, and we experienced firsthand how torrential the rain in Madagascar can be. I’ve always loved walking in the rain when it’s so humid, although I’m not sure how long my Birkenstocks are going to survive the rain & mud!
The sights and colours of this beautiful country are magic, and I find myself reaching for my camera at every step.
The kids though, I admit, are going to be my Achilles. They stand in the pouring rain waiting for you to leave the restaurant, then follow along beside you, with a few broken French words trying to sell you something or asking for money. Their precious faces and heart-rending eyes are killing me.
Some interesting facts about Madagascar:
The population is approx. 30 million.
It is the fourth largest island in the world after Greenland, New Guinea and Borneo and is approx. the size of France.
The local language is Malagasy, French is spoken by approx. 1 in 4 and English by a few thousand in the whole country.
More than 250,000 species call it home, of which 70% are found nowhere else on the globe.
The Southeast is the driest and receives less than 350mm of rainwater per year, whilst the East coast [Toamasina] receives approx. 3,700mm per year!! [as a comparison England receives 1,400mm].
In 2021, Madagascar exported US$618,688.21 million worth of Vanilla, however it is ranked as one of the poorest countries in the world [nearly the entire population live on less than $2/day].
Observations from week 4:
We are on Africa Mercy’s golden voyage [50th sail]. She was first sailed on the 1st of April 1999 from Nakskov Denmark and arrived Hepburn, United Kingdom on the 4th of April.
Sunsets from a ship are just special!
We are currently in Madagascar’s monsoon/cyclone season [Feb & March], and have been advised by our captain, that we will pull anchor and sail away from port if one starts heading our way.
I felt a little déjà vu when packing my “ditch bag”…it reminded me of my emergency services “go bag” at home.
After a month of 2-minute showers, I’m really missing being able to stand under hot water for a few extra minutes!
Sometimes I just really don’t want to walk up another set of stairs!