It was again another hot day, on the onset of our zebu carting, but we had some semblance of comfort as we were travelling mainly under large trees, tamarind, bamboo and palms. By the time we arrived at the 4x4 jeep, the humidity had increased ten fold and sweat was literally dripping from my face. I was overwhelmed with the heat, but the feeling of excitement overshadowed those of the blazing temperature. We drove through narrow passages carved out of the landscape caused by constant flooding. Monster sized butterflies and a multitude of birds, took to flight as the jeep raced through a land barely touched by humanity. We twisted and turned, bumped and knocked heads as the jeep struggled to keep a swift pace. We stopped the first time in small open-air market. Upon getting out of the jeep, my immediate concern was not what to eat, but rather desperation to tinkle. I was directed down the road to a pile of sticks and leaves, where I did my due diligence in a relaxing enough position to make minimal progress. A female squatting on leaves hidden behind a small leafless tree is not my idea of paradise, although I should be thankful given that it trumped some of the outhouses we had frequented over the previous few days.
As I walked back to meet my group, a young man approached me holding a small golden brown lemur. Lemurs have what can be described as the face of a fox with monkey-like hands and feet. The name "lemur" comes from the Latin word "lemures", which means "spirits of the night". However, Roman mythology suggests its meaning is more like “spirits of the dead", due to their nocturnal habits and ghostly reflective stares. Lemurs have huge eyes and understandably intense stares, although curious and gregarious in nature. The young man motioned for me to come over. To my surprise the lemur was tentative but placid. I let him smell my hand the way you would with any unknown animal. As a result of my disposition the young gentleman very tenderly handed me his lemur. The creature vaulted on my shoulder, as I continued to caress it’s back and the top of its head. It was so soft; its fur much like a wooly rabbit, with the soft humid pads on its limbs. He was adorable. As I braced the lemur on my shoulder, the trainer and I walked back to the middle of the market, where I bought a few green perfectly plump bananas, one to feed my new lemur friend. I was amazed at the rate of demolition, as the critter inhaled his banana with lightning rapidity. His table manners were clearly missing. At the end of his meal not only was my hungry friend covered in banana; so was I; with pieces of gooey fruit in my hair, my cheek, chin and neck. The lemur clearly still hankering for more nourishment, started to lick my face, using his opposable thumbed hands to hold my chin and cheek as he groomed me.
We continued driving through mud flats and eventually through beautifully lush landscapes. As the day progressed we ventured along long stretches of unpaved roads, the red earth peaking out from under the plants and guiding us along the way towards the enchanting land of baobab. We traversed, passing huge sisal plants, thickets of palms and marshland filled with blue water hyacinths, in search of Les Baobabs Amoureuse. We stopped a few times before reaching the mystical site, where two trees have grown intertwined with each other. It is said that women can cuddle the two trees to improve fertility. Akin to most countries, folklore plays an important part in the rich history. It is a sacred site and as a result of it’s remote locale, it rests on a long a dusty dirt, albeit very romantic, road. From there we continued cruising towards Les Avenue des Baobab, our first view of the avenue of trees was majestic. A sense of excitement and bewilderment flushed through me, as this was one of the primary rendezvous points that I had been looking forward to seeing since landing. It all culminated in a moment where reality exceeded expectation.
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