JOURNAL ENTRY: 12/23/99

2 days to Christmas. We meet up with john and denné tomorrow. K and I had another hike with our guide Jacky this morning at 6am. Slept well last night after dinner with our new friend Gerard, turtle-guy: white beans (yum) and rice. bit o' whiskey in my water. shower before bed to cool off.

Best sleep since arriving in Madagascar, i think. Even used my sleeping bag, although i woke up more than once in full sweat. It must be 99° at night here. It's so dry, yet it is green. Saw a snake by our tent. Still freaked about the scorpion on my leg a few days ago. Lariam dreams.

Full moon last night. Today's Thursday, i guess. We've been here too long: It's becoming a struggle to find or convince someone at the episcerie to make us some coffee, even for the money we offer. Today, the oldest woman here, wearing a strapless lamba which bandied in large, brown, sagging breasts, came to our rescue.
She's very sweet, and boiled water for our coffee, and some extra which we will add to one of our dried-camping meals. Today: sundried tomato pasta for breakfast.

We head out to Tana, the capital of Madagascar, this evening by bus.