After a 12 hours flight, the plane landed on the isle of Nosy Be, an isle located in the north-western part of Madagascar. I stepped out of the plane and I was blasted by the blazing heat. I then arrived at the border control, which was a small room, packed with people. The heavy air was musty with the smell of sweat. I was tired, dizzy, hot and bothered. Everything around me was almost surreal.

After the passport control, visa application and luggage check, I was eventually leaving the airport arrival lounge. I stepped out into the unforgiving African heat and I found myself in the middle of a crowd of locals. I felt confused and unsettled, when a pleasant, smiling man, holding a sign on which I could read my name, drew my attention.

All of a sudden, calm and reassurance was restored for a brief moment. I went right up to him and hugged him, as if he was an old  friend. He was Tantely, my driver, who was going to introduce me to the unique wonders of Africa. Tantely opened the door of his 30 years old Peugeot 305 and invited me on my first African land trip.  As we were driving towards Nosy Be port, I witnessed scenes of extreme poverty which made me feel anguished and distressed.

However, the boat trip from Nosy Be to Nosy Komba was magic. We were sailing into the sunset, on glittering waters, and everything was of an unreal, mystical beauty. Africa was using all her charms to enchant me . . .