We finished our project in Andramanaka two days early. After a day of internet use and market shopping, we leave for Hevatra on Sunday the twenty seventh. We cross the road on which the tree nursery camp where we stay rests. Someone is mending a hole in the boat waiting for us. We travel by river. The banks are lined with via (elephant ears). We come to a damn that separates salt from fresh water. The mine requires fresh water. We arrive around 11am. A woman is washing pots in the water of the beach on which we land. We step over feces before putting down our bags.
Porters take our packs to,the camp while we tour the town. There are two establishments. The first has many chicken and there is much garbage there. The second is built under a patch of coconut trees. In both, there are many small huts built from the palm tree of travelers. There are quite close together and the number of each is more like number of stanss in Sanoria than the number of houses in any given hamlet in Andramanaka. Children address us, "bonbons, vazaha".
We walk by a government built concrete structure, an Azafady damn at which many wash, an Azafady school,a catholic church, and a protestant church. While waiting for our group, I see kids eating and roasted Jack fruit seeds. Politely, Yvonne asks the eldest where we can by biscuits. We are too many to enter the store. It is quite hot, fishy, and we attracted a crowd. We walk to a beach where loads of people relax. There is open defecation and we have constant attention from kids. We decide we cannot eat there so we go up a hill from which there is a nice view. We can see Ft. Dauphin. A man excuses himself for walking by while we are eating. Our guide issues us for using the path to sit.
We get to our small, isolated beach about two hours after landing. Many of us are seriously sunburned. We have great sandwiches before swimming. There is zebu brochette with vegetable curry for dinner. In the morning, I talk to Claude about meditation and Kung Fu. We have fruit and crepes for breakfast. Crepes are great with lemon sugar avocado and mango. I am stuffed. After, we walk north along the beach. Two of our party turn back. After about one and a half hours, we rest under some trees. I fall asleep. When I awake, some men have arrived with our lunch of chicken and rice. There is lobster for the vegetarian, Aven. After lunch, we wade through waste deep ocean to get to an island. We swim on the far side while zebu graze near the shore. I talk to Ruth about meditation on the way back to camp. We have tuna, potatoes, and cucumbers for dinner. Matt and Delphine sleep early. There is a huge fruit salad of mango, pineapple, papaya, and banana. I read some of the book, Emma, by Jane Austen with Ruth after dinner. I have the company of a large crab while I try to sleep in the porch of Matt and Delphine.
On the third and final day in Hevatra, I climb the leak nearest our camp. From the top we can see our camp and we see St. Luce. We have crepes for breakfast. They are really good with coconut and honey. For lunch there is spaghetti with tomato sauce and cheese. We leave just after midday. It starts raining within seconds of leaving shore. We are thoroughly drenched. We pull a small canoe back to Lanirano with our motor boat.
Tsina informs us that because of a cyclone off the east coast, we will not leave for St. Lucd until the Saturday the second. I eat rice and beans for dinner. Lou is not yet well. He sleeps with me and Ruth in the school. In the morning, Aline feels ill. With a crew of six, we build eight sanplats. After lunch we meet with the at the Lanirano camp. Our whole group appears. He does not make it clear why we are doing the survey. Jo, Ruth, Declan, Louie, and I go to to town for dinner. The car of Jesse shuts off on the way. He open the hood, takes petrol into his mouth, then spits it into the carburetor. After a couple of mouthfuls, he get back into the driver seat and we are on our way. We gossip about those not present while at dinner. We celebrate the graduation of Declan from the math department at Bristol. While at the restaurant, we receive notice that the cyclone is upgraded to a category four storm. We are advised to sleep in the school. I sleep well and I awake early.
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