After a not too long bus trip it is the intention that all luggage is crammed onto a cart with two zebu's. A zebu is a cow with a hump on its back. Many are reasonably well cared for, but precisely that couple that is ready for us is not doing so well. Of course I, Eveline, am the first to bring this up. I point to the bare, chapped skin of his back where the sheets actually hang and where flies try to spread nasty bacteria. There's a bit of a drowsy kid on that cart laughing coyly. He knows very well what I mean. I point out the various wounds on the back of the zebu, 'ne pas bonne, eh!'. "I don't want to go with this cart at all..." I shout in different languages. I also tell our rasta guide Laza that it is not good to hire such animals. Everyone knows by now how I feel about it, but nothing will change. Laza replies that he arranged those zebu's this morning. 'That is the life in Madagascar'... Marcel and I can't do much with an answer like that. It actually got worse when those poor animals also had to pull a crazy old shit cart with the axles loose. As if through drunken eyes, the cart wobbled through the loose sand. The wheel shot from left to right across the crooked dirt track. Extra heavy for the zebu's who, in my opinion, do not get enough fuel to do this work or to heal the wounds on the back. Really not to look at! We also had to walk at least half an hour on that bumpy sandy path to the boats. Just shouting and hitting that kid with the twig, occasionally grabbing at the balls to keep the poor animal walking. Even then I am the first and the only one who says something about it. I looked at him askew, stopped immediately. Fortunately, they were allowed to drink at the river crossing. I emphatically told the guide that in the future he should make better arrangements with better equipment! This is really something tourists don't want to see! "I just told them," he replied. I hope it will improve, but hey, that guy has been doing this kind of tour for over 20 years. It won't be the first time he's let skinny bad-looking cows pull a rickety cart in the heat of the day. There are also cows and carts that look good.
If you can't take care of an animal, don't get one!!
english
