You'll want to go back!

For three weeks in July, I went to Nosy Komba, Madagascar, and for those 3 weeks I didn't think about being anywhere else and had the most amazing time of my life. From waking up at 5am to the sound of roosters competing for the loudest crow, to falling asleep at 8pm/1am to the mesmerizing sound of crickets in the near distance - the day was filled with new experiences. I did things I thought that I would never do; questing through the forests in search of lemurs - captivated by wild hog nose snakes and orb weaver spiders as we did so; quad biking around Nosy Be - invigorated by the landscape and the odd Panther Chameleon; hikes that continue into the night and end with sleeping on the floor of a village church. I went to Madagascar nervous about how I would cope with such a change in lifestyle, but soon felt myself (cliche coming) falling in love with the place and its people. So much has been learnt in my time away: Latin names and identification techniques for various animals, how to snorkel, and that there is (no matter how deep you have to search) a pun for every occasion. I journeyed to Madagascar to gain experience in conservation work. However, I returned home with a whole lot more to be thankful for. If you're thinking about volunteering in Madagascar, then all I can say is: take on the challenge, the least you will take away are memories that will never be forgotten and friends that you will not want to leave (or at least not without adding them on Facebook).