Vazah in Madagascar

[stusik_i_sharik]

If you've got money you'll travel Madagascar by plane getting a bird's eye view of the rectangular patches of rice fields in all possible shades of green. If you wish to see what's in between the protected areas and beaches that you most likely came here for, you'll hire a jeep and maybe even ask your driver to slow down as you pass through a

Comments

[angerona]

sucks that some people have that attitude. And the driver probably felt very entitled to the money - after all, what is it to you?

--

so have the locals never seen a camera, or have they only seen one a few times? And it's interesting to see them dressed in Western clothes, yet still be fairly “non-spoiled” in terms of what civilization brings.

[stusik_i_sharik]

all the clothes are made in china. you pay for them more because if they'd try to sell it to you for less you'd think something is wrong with it. of course, what they are wearing is as cheep as it gets and as low quality as it gets, but it's all coming from the same place.

as for technology, they all have cellphones, maybe even with cameras in them. I think it was more of a shock because my camera was a white girl's camera.

[angerona]

ah, I see. Interesting, so they all have cell phones -- does that mean their houses all have electricity?

[stusik_i_sharik]

no way. no electricity. but the village has a school, a store, a mechanic maybe, and they might have a generator on for a few hours a day.

[banshee7]

у вас этот пост трижды дублируется, ребятки. 8-)

[stusik_i_sharik]

oops...

[summercamp]

How rude of that man! On the other hand, some behavior is learned/taught... And although the day of the "fat cash-cows first world travelers" is definitely upon us, at least people are getting out into the world an exploring it and seeing it, instead of staying at home...

[stusik_i_sharik]

also true

[inostranka]

Very sad story... At least the tourist office guy was on your side.
I had a similar story in China (though the magnitude of the extortion was much less), and the hotel clerk immediately intervened on my behalf.

[stusik_i_sharik]

in many places there are good people with enough sense to defend tourists who, after all, are there contributing to the economic growth. They know bad publicity is all that takes for people start taking their vacations elsewhere, but it's hard to explain it to those who see not a tourist but $$$

[alexvas]

Наверное это с вами в Антанариво случилось? И цен "специально для белых" в маршрутках я не заметил.
По мне так после Африканского континента Мадагаскар просто рай, где местным глубоко безразличны твои деньги. Удивительная страна. Этот случай никак её не характеризирует.

[stusik_i_sharik]

к сожалению там всё меняется очень быстро. Случилась это на севере, далеко от Антананариву. Теперь они очень любят называть цены во франках и посмотреть если ты клюнешь. Этот случай не "испортил" для нас Мадагаскар.. :)