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Phase 1, part 2: Andisibe to Peyrieras Reptile Reserve and back to Antananarivo

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Part 2 of our adventure in the East of Madagascar found us travelling once more. On our way from Andisibe to Antananarivo we stopped at the Peyrieras Reptile Reserve. We left early to try and beat the worst of the traffic (on the worst of the roads!) and made it to the reserve just before lunch. The reserve is a rehabilitation centre for lemurs, reptiles and other creatures. Some of them were kept as pets, others rescued from areas where their habitat is under threat.  They have two troupes of semi-tame lemurs - Coquerel's Sifakas and Common brown lemurs. They are so habituated to humans that you can feed them (they love banana!) and stroke them. One mistook Harvey's thumb for a banana and took a nibble! Their hands are suprisingly soft and gentle and their fur is super-soft and fluffy. They are also complete posers - playing for the cameras and loving the attention! The highlight was a mummy lemur with her baby holding on and  peaking out from the fur of her tummy: From our cl
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Phase 1: From Amsterdam to Antananarivo to Andisibe

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Our journey began at Schiphol airport in the Netherlands. The first leg was just a couple of hours to Rome, followed by a 2 hour layover in Rome. Our next leg to Addis Ababa was delayed (once we'd boarded) by more than an hour. We tried to sleep on this 'overnight' stretch but the crew insisted on feeding and watering us which didn't give much peace and quiet for sleeping!  The arrival in soggy Addis Ababa gave us a 2 hour break before we flew the last leg to Antananarivo. After 21 hours of travelling we collected our luggage (relieved it had made it with us!) and walked out into a humid winter afternoon to be greeted by our first guide - Herri, who was our enthusiastic and very chatty guide for the whole of phase 1 of the trip. Herri cheerfully informed us we would be jumping straight into our Hyundai minivan  (the first of many)  to drive the 140km to Andasibe National Park. On a busy Monday evening, on National Road 2, we were informed this would probably take in the
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