As Christmas loomed ever closer we began preparing to finish off the expert surveys with the hope that they would be all done and dusted on the 23rd of December so we would be able to enjoy a small shin dig on Christmas Eve safe in the knowledge that nothing would be hanging over our heads. So as slates were written up, Christmas parties were organised by our new project manager, Julien.
Unfortunately things struggle to go to plan here in Madagascar and so we weren't majorly surprised when on the 20th the science team returned early from their survey having had to cancel due to terrible visibility. But we did not let that deter us and come the 24th the team returned triumphant having finished the final survey and thus the party could go ahead (a Christmas miracle I would say!). We all thoroughly enjoyed feasting on an excellent turkey dinner while washing it down with rum coco which is the closest thing to egg nog in Madagscar.
Christmas day was spent in a little hotel in Toliara and included very little activity or movement on my behalf. Just eating, drinking, sleeping and watching films. So not majorly different to Christmas back in the UK... except with a swimming pool... So probably slightly better... I was pleased to attain a box filled with gifts from my family (either that or the shoe box appeal had been inundated with donations this year so they had spares) which I spent going through in a small cafe on Boxing Day.
After Christmas things returned to normal for a few days before New Years which the Malagasy celebrate with great enthusiasm. For the few days afterward it wasn't uncommon to come across a drunk vezo asleep under the weigh station. We spent New Years Eve in Mangily, enjoying a nice meal before doing the countdown around a fire on the beach.
It was a great way to spend the holiday period and different to anything I had done before. Christmas Day also marked (rather conveniently) the half way point for my time with ReefDoctor. It's very odd to think that four and a half months have already passed. On one hand the time has gone by incredibly quickly with months flicking by in no time and people who have just arrived already waving farewell (17 people have left ReefDoctor since I arrived in August) and then on the other hand, I have done so much and learnt so much that I can't imagine that it would all fit into only that length of time. It only leaves me to wonder what will happen in the next four and a half months with talk of the UNDP returning for more science training and new volunteers coming soon, it's already shaping up to be a busy month. Yep it's true what they say here. Scuba Diving on coral reefs on a daily basis really does take it out of you...
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