March 22, 2019
Today we all woke up bright and early at 5:00 a.m. to pack our bus and leave the rainforest. However, our bus refused to start and so instead we sat and watched the sunrise over the canopy of trees as the morning fog slowly burned off. During this period of tranquil beauty, our bus appeared to be fixed so we loaded up and set off for another long day of traveling by bus in Madagascar. The drive appeared to be going smoothly, however this was fleeting and soon our bus was struggling up a hill before quitting all together outside of a small fruit market in the middle of nowhere. This was our second bus breakdown in a week, but by this point we had all realized there was no point in complaining, and so we simply explored and talked while waiting for another replacement bus to arrive. I think that the waiting and playing things by ear is one of the most valuable experiences of our trip because it can teach us so many important lessons and even enhance ur whole mindset when traveling. After our 4-hour delay, we piled into our last taxi bruise of the trip and continued to our last destination, Tana. In the final hours of our journey, we watched the Malagasy sunset over terraced rice paddies and forest-lined hills.
Watching the last of the sun fade way and the moon rise made the fact that we leave tomorrow surprisingly real and sad for all of us. For a little over two weeks, we’ve all woken up every morning not knowing what we were about to see and experience. Even though this was very daunting in the first days of the trip, it quickly became one of the best part of every new day. Letting go of this adventure-seeking excitement that has found us all in very different ways throughout the trip will not be easy. But I think I speak for everyone when I say I am extremely grateful to have had this experience and I know the journey is one I will never forget.
See more photos from Madagascar ECS here.
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