Much waiting and riding took place today. Though we arrived at the first taxibousse station at 7:45am, our taxi did not even leave until 9:45am. The same thing tok place at the second station in Ihosy. I think it's because the drivers want to wait until their vehicles are filled before leaving to get as much money as possible, but it's frustrating because the drivers always tell you what you want to hear. They always say, "We're leaving right now," when asked, "When are we leaving?" I guess God was just giving us opportunities to practice our patience.
The road to Betroka was not paved, so it made for an unnecessarily long trip. Though it's merely 116km, it took us over five hours! Pot holes, rocks, bodies or water, you name it- we had to drive through it all. Marc said very few foreigners see this part of Madagascar, and I can definitely understand why.
The Niles' home is very nice and unique. I have my own bedroom which is normally their living room and is connected to their office. My bed is a mattress on the floor with a mosquito net hanging over it. Then there is a small bamboo set with a couch, two chairs, and a small table. There's a window, but since Marc put a screen on the inside you can only open it from the outside. All the rooms have electricity and there is running water, but sometimes it gets shut off at night and it's only cold water. We have to heat up water for bathing and for washing dishes. They also filter the water before drinking it. They definitely take extra precaution against germs since they have kids who get sick quite often.
The rest of the house isn't really connected to my bedroom. Maria and Isaac's rooms are directly above me and Marc and Stacy's room is above the office. All their rooms are connected to one another, but outside their doors is a screened-in hallway which is exposed to the outdoors, as well. So it's unlike any house in the U.S. and that is simply because it gets far too cold for such a home.
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