#3: [10-Feb-18]

#2: [13-Jan-11]

14-May-2004 -- This is our second successful confluence visit out of three separate attempts. We had had quite an experience not two weeks ago to reach 19S 49E and barely got within 10 km of 19S 48E. But 19S 47E was the next in the row of Confluences heading west along N2 from Antananarivo, the capital. After 19S 49E we were a little wary of attempting another confluence visit in Madagascar. But on the web map, 19S 47E looked awfully close to N2. So on Saturday May 15^th, 2004, after doing our Saturday morning chores we said: Why not? We packed our dogs, cameras, sat phone, warm clothes and off we went.

We passed a small town called Arivonimamo and some 15 km before Miarinarivo and some 60 km out of Tana (the generally accepted short version for Antananarivo), 19S 47E came up on our old GPS right along N2 some 30 m from the side of the road. We did not even have to get out of the vehicle to qualify for a visit.

We had to walk down the hill to reach the target where I am standing. This was Wendy's first successful confluence visit. The view North from the road is fabulous with the layered rice paddies in the valley. The N2 continues westward from this location up over the next hill. This area west of Tana is very nice compared to east of the capital. You see for miles but then there is less forest but as you go west you seem to keep climbing in altitude.

We realize of course that 19S 47E is one of the easiest confluence points we will ever reach. This explains the look of joy on our faces. Then again, since we have all Madagascar and it seems all to ourselves in terms of confluence searching, there may be others this easy.