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'There are over five billion kilometres of roads on the planet. | 0:00:01 | 0:00:05 | |
'Now, even the most inaccessible places can be reached by car. | 0:00:05 | 0:00:10 | |
Oh, God! | 0:00:10 | 0:00:11 | |
'Over high mountain passes.' | 0:00:11 | 0:00:13 | |
Confront your fear. | 0:00:13 | 0:00:15 | |
'Across vast lunar landscapes.' | 0:00:15 | 0:00:19 | |
This is mad! Oh, my God! | 0:00:19 | 0:00:21 | |
'And along bone-shaking jungle tracks.' | 0:00:21 | 0:00:24 | |
Oh, God. | 0:00:24 | 0:00:25 | |
Slowing down would be complete madness. | 0:00:25 | 0:00:29 | |
'These roads may be seen as a sign of progress, | 0:00:29 | 0:00:32 | |
'but driving them requires skill...' | 0:00:32 | 0:00:34 | |
What would happen if the wheel came off the edge? | 0:00:34 | 0:00:37 | |
'..Stamina...' | 0:00:37 | 0:00:39 | |
-Look, there's a cross there. -Yeah! | 0:00:39 | 0:00:41 | |
'..And a steady nerve.' | 0:00:41 | 0:00:43 | |
That was the most frightening thing I've ever done in my life. | 0:00:43 | 0:00:46 | |
I might burst into tears now. | 0:00:46 | 0:00:47 | |
'Madagascar, known for its forests, its beaches, its lemurs | 0:00:51 | 0:00:57 | |
'and some of the worst roads in the world.' | 0:00:57 | 0:01:02 | |
-Road, bad or good? -Bad, bad, bad! -Bad, bad, bad? That's very bad. | 0:01:04 | 0:01:09 | |
OK, Angus, we are actually in the middle of a river. | 0:01:09 | 0:01:12 | |
'Journalist Mariella Frostrup and actor Angus Deayton | 0:01:12 | 0:01:15 | |
'have known each other for over 20 years.' | 0:01:15 | 0:01:19 | |
Come on, Angus, we can do it! | 0:01:19 | 0:01:20 | |
'But they've never travelled alone together.' | 0:01:20 | 0:01:23 | |
Every morning, a perfect shirt. | 0:01:23 | 0:01:26 | |
It's making me want to dip my hand deep into a clump of mud | 0:01:26 | 0:01:30 | |
and rub it all over him. | 0:01:30 | 0:01:32 | |
Very noble of you. | 0:01:32 | 0:01:34 | |
I can't hear you anymore and it's bliss. | 0:01:34 | 0:01:36 | |
'Both have been round the world.' | 0:01:36 | 0:01:38 | |
SHE SCREAMS | 0:01:38 | 0:01:40 | |
'But neither has attempted a journey as arduous as this.' | 0:01:40 | 0:01:43 | |
A sea of mud, the like of which I hope | 0:01:43 | 0:01:46 | |
I never see again in my life. | 0:01:46 | 0:01:49 | |
'They're attempting to drive from the capital Antananarivo | 0:01:49 | 0:01:52 | |
'to the remote North West corner of the island, | 0:01:52 | 0:01:55 | |
'one of the most bio-diverse places on earth.' | 0:01:55 | 0:01:58 | |
God, that's a long way down. | 0:01:58 | 0:02:00 | |
'Their route is so challenging that few tourists even attempt it.' | 0:02:00 | 0:02:04 | |
Bit fast, Angus! | 0:02:04 | 0:02:06 | |
We're going to just have to go for it, I'm afraid. | 0:02:06 | 0:02:09 | |
'They'll risk dilapidated ferries.' | 0:02:09 | 0:02:11 | |
-Did you give him duff fuel? -Probably. | 0:02:11 | 0:02:14 | |
'And gamble on flimsy bridges.' | 0:02:14 | 0:02:16 | |
-Oh, Christ! -Oh, blimey! | 0:02:16 | 0:02:19 | |
'300 kilometres along one of the most atrocious roads in the world.' | 0:02:19 | 0:02:23 | |
We're stuck in the middle of nowhere, we can't escape, | 0:02:23 | 0:02:26 | |
the bridge is broken, I don't know how to impress upon you, | 0:02:26 | 0:02:31 | |
the absolute crisis that we're in. | 0:02:31 | 0:02:35 | |
'Angus has arrived in Madagascar a day before Mariella.' | 0:02:44 | 0:02:47 | |
Tina, hi, Angus. | 0:02:47 | 0:02:49 | |
-Nice to meet you, sir. -And you. | 0:02:49 | 0:02:51 | |
'He's meeting a local driver called Tina who's showing him the ropes.' | 0:02:51 | 0:02:54 | |
The bad roads? | 0:03:01 | 0:03:02 | |
Yes. Sandy roads, muddy roads, water. | 0:03:02 | 0:03:06 | |
I'd like to think I was quite gung-ho about things but | 0:03:06 | 0:03:09 | |
unfortunately I'm not. I'm something of a wuss when it comes to danger. | 0:03:09 | 0:03:13 | |
Well, those are obviously the gears but there are two gear sticks. | 0:03:13 | 0:03:16 | |
-Four wheel drive, great. -Have a nice trip. | 0:03:24 | 0:03:26 | |
Thank you very much, Tina. | 0:03:26 | 0:03:29 | |
Can't remember a word of what he said now. | 0:03:29 | 0:03:32 | |
Right, I'm going to go for it. | 0:03:32 | 0:03:35 | |
We're on our way to the airport to pick up esteemed broadcaster | 0:03:37 | 0:03:40 | |
and Forces sweetheart Mariella Frostrup. | 0:03:40 | 0:03:45 | |
'Madagascar is the fourth biggest island on the planet. | 0:03:48 | 0:03:51 | |
'In 1897, it was colonized by the French | 0:03:51 | 0:03:55 | |
'who built a network of roads across the country. | 0:03:55 | 0:03:58 | |
'After independence in 1960, political turmoil | 0:04:01 | 0:04:04 | |
'and a lack of money meant that the roads were left to crumble.' | 0:04:04 | 0:04:08 | |
This looks pretty much like the airport. | 0:04:12 | 0:04:15 | |
-Hello! -Of all the places. | 0:04:16 | 0:04:20 | |
-I know. -That we thought we'd... | 0:04:20 | 0:04:22 | |
I've been on holiday with Mariella before. | 0:04:22 | 0:04:25 | |
In fact, my son described her as being | 0:04:25 | 0:04:28 | |
the scariest non-fictional person he'd ever come across. | 0:04:28 | 0:04:30 | |
So obviously, she's sort of up there with Voldemort and Cruella de Vil. | 0:04:30 | 0:04:35 | |
Nice car, have you driven it yet? | 0:04:35 | 0:04:37 | |
Er, well, I was going to say I was completely on top of things, | 0:04:37 | 0:04:40 | |
but I can't actually even open it. | 0:04:40 | 0:04:42 | |
I wanted to do this trip with Angus because he's not that macho. | 0:04:42 | 0:04:45 | |
I thought he might make me look really brave and a great driver. | 0:04:45 | 0:04:49 | |
Do you want me to drive first or...? | 0:04:49 | 0:04:51 | |
I think that would be the gentlemanly thing to do. | 0:04:51 | 0:04:54 | |
She can be quite bossy and she can be quite assertive | 0:04:54 | 0:04:56 | |
but fortunately, I'm incredibly meek and accommodating | 0:04:56 | 0:04:59 | |
so she'll just tell me what to do and I'll do it. | 0:04:59 | 0:05:02 | |
Are you on the right side of the road, by the way? | 0:05:06 | 0:05:09 | |
Umm, well, we'll soon find out. | 0:05:09 | 0:05:11 | |
'The next week will be intense and a true test of their friendship, | 0:05:11 | 0:05:16 | |
'but it's also a week away from their respective partners | 0:05:16 | 0:05:18 | |
'Lisa and Jason.' | 0:05:18 | 0:05:21 | |
Oh, that's a nice name for a packet of biscuits, isn't it? Gouty. | 0:05:21 | 0:05:25 | |
You know that Lisa has a whole drawer full of rude foods. | 0:05:25 | 0:05:29 | |
Shall we add it to her list? Do you think I should text her? | 0:05:29 | 0:05:31 | |
Not very rude, is it, Gouty? | 0:05:31 | 0:05:33 | |
OK, so I'm not as funny as Lisa. | 0:05:33 | 0:05:35 | |
Is it going to be like this all the way? Lisa, Lisa, Lisa, Lisa! | 0:05:35 | 0:05:39 | |
Jason said to me, | 0:05:40 | 0:05:41 | |
"Don't go anywhere with that Angus Deayton, you'll regret it." | 0:05:41 | 0:05:46 | |
'Angus and Mariella have just six days to drive the only road | 0:05:47 | 0:05:51 | |
'between port of Toamasina and the gateway to | 0:05:51 | 0:05:54 | |
'the Masoloa National Park, | 0:05:54 | 0:05:56 | |
'the town of Maroantsetra, 300 kilometres to the north. | 0:05:56 | 0:06:00 | |
'Most tourists choose to fly, but the locals have little choice | 0:06:01 | 0:06:05 | |
'but to travel by open boat up the coast or use the road.' | 0:06:05 | 0:06:09 | |
The thing is, you can't really get up any speed | 0:06:11 | 0:06:14 | |
because you never know when the next pothole is going to turn up. | 0:06:14 | 0:06:18 | |
I thought it was better, but it's not. | 0:06:18 | 0:06:20 | |
No, not really. Good Lord! | 0:06:20 | 0:06:23 | |
'They're heading north | 0:06:26 | 0:06:28 | |
'on a road built by the French in colonial times | 0:06:28 | 0:06:31 | |
'to get at the valuable timber, vanilla and cloves that grow here.' | 0:06:31 | 0:06:35 | |
HE LAUGHS | 0:06:35 | 0:06:37 | |
'50 years ago, the 300-kilometre journey could be done in a day. | 0:06:37 | 0:06:42 | |
'Now, because the road is in such a state, it can take a week.' | 0:06:42 | 0:06:46 | |
OK, I have some very bad news here. This little town is the end | 0:06:46 | 0:06:51 | |
of the tarred road and then it says, | 0:06:51 | 0:06:55 | |
"Continue north if you dare." | 0:06:55 | 0:06:59 | |
'Their first overnight stop is the frontier town of Sonierana Ivongo. | 0:07:00 | 0:07:04 | |
'Before finding their accommodation | 0:07:06 | 0:07:08 | |
'they have to stock up on some essentials.' | 0:07:08 | 0:07:11 | |
We've got to buy some petrol | 0:07:12 | 0:07:13 | |
because, apparently, that's how you pay the ferry men. | 0:07:13 | 0:07:18 | |
'The route will take them across countless rivers | 0:07:19 | 0:07:22 | |
'and they'll have to risk it on some seriously dodgy ferries. | 0:07:22 | 0:07:26 | |
'Some boats don't even have fuel, so they'll need to bring their own.' | 0:07:28 | 0:07:32 | |
I'll keep my eyes peeled for a petrol station. | 0:07:32 | 0:07:35 | |
A petrol station, | 0:07:35 | 0:07:37 | |
although it doesn't feel like you're about to bump into a... | 0:07:37 | 0:07:39 | |
A petrol station, no. | 0:07:39 | 0:07:42 | |
-Oh, there's the petrol station. -Yes, of course it is. | 0:07:42 | 0:07:45 | |
Where is the petrol? | 0:07:53 | 0:07:55 | |
There don't seem to be any petrol pumps of any sort. | 0:07:55 | 0:07:58 | |
It's in these bottles here. | 0:08:05 | 0:08:06 | |
Oh, really? We need more than that, we need... | 0:08:06 | 0:08:09 | |
Is that 20 litres? | 0:08:16 | 0:08:18 | |
Is that 30,000? It can't be 300,000, can it? | 0:08:23 | 0:08:26 | |
-Have you got 300? -No, it can't be 300? 60? | 0:08:30 | 0:08:33 | |
OK, so he said 300,000 and you gave him 60,000. | 0:08:37 | 0:08:41 | |
Yeah, I dunno. I gave him what I had! | 0:08:41 | 0:08:44 | |
-Where shall we put it? -Well, I'm not putting it inside the car. | 0:08:44 | 0:08:47 | |
Oh, look, there's room up there. I can get it in there. | 0:08:47 | 0:08:50 | |
You go up, put it down. Let me see if I can lift it. | 0:08:50 | 0:08:54 | |
Can you lift it? | 0:08:54 | 0:08:55 | |
Oooh, I can't lift it any higher than that. | 0:08:55 | 0:08:58 | |
How am I going to get it up to you? | 0:08:58 | 0:09:00 | |
Can you reach that far? | 0:09:00 | 0:09:02 | |
SHE GRUNTS | 0:09:02 | 0:09:04 | |
-Have you got it? -No. | 0:09:04 | 0:09:05 | |
Let me put my hand underneath it, have you got it? | 0:09:05 | 0:09:08 | |
Yep, got it now. Thank you. | 0:09:08 | 0:09:11 | |
OK? I think so, yeah. | 0:09:11 | 0:09:14 | |
Don't tie it with a bow, Angus, OK? | 0:09:14 | 0:09:17 | |
But it looks so nice with a bow! | 0:09:17 | 0:09:20 | |
Yeah, this'll be no problem at all. | 0:09:21 | 0:09:24 | |
Grab that there. | 0:09:24 | 0:09:25 | |
'Sensing what lies ahead, | 0:09:27 | 0:09:30 | |
'both Angus and Mariella opt for an early night.' | 0:09:30 | 0:09:34 | |
As you can see, I'm in room 12. | 0:09:34 | 0:09:38 | |
The first welcome I got was from this slightly strange being, | 0:09:38 | 0:09:41 | |
not sure what it is. | 0:09:41 | 0:09:43 | |
There's some plastic flowers there | 0:09:44 | 0:09:47 | |
and a mosquito net with something on it. | 0:09:47 | 0:09:52 | |
I'm just going to show you the secrets of a perfect camp bed. | 0:09:52 | 0:09:58 | |
It is...ta-dah! | 0:09:58 | 0:10:00 | |
My lavender oil, sprinkled liberally all over the pillow. | 0:10:00 | 0:10:06 | |
An end to all the stinky, stinky, olfactory assaults | 0:10:06 | 0:10:11 | |
that have been going on during the day. | 0:10:11 | 0:10:14 | |
This is the en-suite shower room which, as you can see, | 0:10:14 | 0:10:19 | |
has a cold shower. | 0:10:19 | 0:10:21 | |
And this is the loo, which is flushed thusly. | 0:10:21 | 0:10:25 | |
TOILET FLUSHES | 0:10:25 | 0:10:28 | |
So that is my world for tonight. Welcome to it. | 0:10:28 | 0:10:31 | |
'The next morning, they're up before dawn | 0:10:35 | 0:10:38 | |
'and they're on the lookout for the ferry.' | 0:10:38 | 0:10:40 | |
Blimey. | 0:10:40 | 0:10:42 | |
We're sort of looking for the sign "delicious breakfasts", aren't we? | 0:10:45 | 0:10:49 | |
Yeah, and ferry, aren't we? | 0:10:49 | 0:10:51 | |
Is this where we're going, straight down? | 0:10:54 | 0:10:56 | |
I have no idea. Yeah, we are. | 0:10:56 | 0:10:58 | |
'In better times, this whole route had a good network of ferries | 0:11:11 | 0:11:15 | |
'that were free for everyone. | 0:11:15 | 0:11:17 | |
'Now it's not just the lack of fuel that's the problem - | 0:11:17 | 0:11:20 | |
'few of these boats have seen any proper maintenance for years.' | 0:11:20 | 0:11:25 | |
Angus, don't forget the bit round your ears. | 0:11:25 | 0:11:27 | |
I think it's important to keep up standards. | 0:11:27 | 0:11:31 | |
ENGINE STARTS | 0:11:31 | 0:11:33 | |
'Fortunately, this ferry seems to have fuel. | 0:11:34 | 0:11:38 | |
'It's still free to travel by foot | 0:11:42 | 0:11:44 | |
'and the people depend on these ferries. | 0:11:44 | 0:11:48 | |
'The only other way across is by dugout canoe.' | 0:11:48 | 0:11:51 | |
I got a smile. I didn't get a wave, but I got a smile. | 0:11:55 | 0:11:58 | |
'This tranquil river crossing marks the end | 0:12:00 | 0:12:03 | |
'of the easy roads and the start of the real driving challenge ahead.' | 0:12:03 | 0:12:07 | |
OK, good luck. | 0:12:09 | 0:12:11 | |
Excellent. Good grief. | 0:12:13 | 0:12:16 | |
Good start. | 0:12:22 | 0:12:24 | |
See, I think it should've been in diff, that's my personal... | 0:12:26 | 0:12:30 | |
I think you need to go to the left a bit. | 0:12:30 | 0:12:33 | |
ENGINE STARTS | 0:12:33 | 0:12:35 | |
HE SHOUTS IN FRENCH | 0:12:35 | 0:12:36 | |
Try following the tyre marks over there, | 0:12:36 | 0:12:39 | |
-that seems to be where everyone else has gone. -Over there? -Yeah. | 0:12:39 | 0:12:42 | |
ENGINE REVS | 0:12:42 | 0:12:44 | |
Yes! | 0:12:54 | 0:12:56 | |
Sensational driving. Well done. | 0:12:56 | 0:12:59 | |
'They've been advised that seatbelts aren't always beneficial | 0:13:02 | 0:13:06 | |
'for these conditions. | 0:13:06 | 0:13:08 | |
We need to watch the speed, we mustn't be too cavalier. | 0:13:08 | 0:13:12 | |
I'm doing seven miles an hour. | 0:13:12 | 0:13:14 | |
We could maybe settle on six. | 0:13:14 | 0:13:17 | |
'Today, they're hoping to travel 70 kilometres up the coast | 0:13:17 | 0:13:21 | |
'to the town of Antanambe.' | 0:13:21 | 0:13:24 | |
You have no idea how deep these pools are. | 0:13:24 | 0:13:28 | |
'This part of the world can get over 400mm of rain every month. | 0:13:28 | 0:13:32 | |
'London gets 600 a year. | 0:13:32 | 0:13:34 | |
'They're travelling over flat sandy ground now | 0:13:37 | 0:13:40 | |
'but things will get a lot more difficult in the mountains ahead.' | 0:13:40 | 0:13:44 | |
It worries me that tomorrow's going to be quite a bit worse. | 0:13:45 | 0:13:49 | |
At least the landscape's starting to be a bit more interesting ahead. | 0:13:49 | 0:13:52 | |
We'll be driving up into those mountains. | 0:13:52 | 0:13:54 | |
Yes, so I should be less enthusiastic, you're saying? | 0:13:54 | 0:13:57 | |
This is a bit of a village. Is no-one up? | 0:14:02 | 0:14:04 | |
I think they had a good night. Look, it's very closed. | 0:14:04 | 0:14:08 | |
While we were tucked up in our glamorous accommodation. | 0:14:08 | 0:14:11 | |
-Yes, how was yours? -I managed to make it very cosy. | 0:14:11 | 0:14:14 | |
-How did you do that? -Lavender drops on the pillow case. | 0:14:14 | 0:14:17 | |
You bought lavender drops from London? | 0:14:17 | 0:14:20 | |
I take lavender drops with me everywhere. | 0:14:20 | 0:14:22 | |
I'm not that keen on lavender as a smell. | 0:14:22 | 0:14:25 | |
-You're not? -No, it reminds me of aunts. | 0:14:25 | 0:14:27 | |
I think there's something about your childhood | 0:14:29 | 0:14:32 | |
that you're not telling me. | 0:14:32 | 0:14:34 | |
Did you have terrible experiences at the hands of blue-rinse relatives? | 0:14:34 | 0:14:39 | |
No, I like my aunts. I just don't want to smell like them. | 0:14:39 | 0:14:43 | |
SHE LAUGHS That's fair enough. | 0:14:43 | 0:14:45 | |
-Oh, it's ferry time. -Oh, we on a ferry again? | 0:14:52 | 0:14:55 | |
I'm going to put it into diff here | 0:15:00 | 0:15:02 | |
because you know what our last ferry experience was like. | 0:15:02 | 0:15:04 | |
Oh, Christ. Oh, blimey. | 0:15:08 | 0:15:11 | |
HE LAUGHS | 0:15:11 | 0:15:13 | |
Excellent. | 0:15:13 | 0:15:15 | |
What have I got to cope with here, Angus? | 0:15:16 | 0:15:20 | |
It'll be pretty similar to last time. | 0:15:22 | 0:15:24 | |
No, that's much better. | 0:15:24 | 0:15:26 | |
-There's almost what you'd describe as a road in front of you. -Almost. | 0:15:26 | 0:15:30 | |
And a sign saying "hotel". Blimey, it's civilisation. | 0:15:30 | 0:15:33 | |
-Well, I'm sorry. -Simply... -Textbook. -..Genius. | 0:15:43 | 0:15:48 | |
And look, cars waiting to go back and everything and people. | 0:15:49 | 0:15:52 | |
-People. Real, live people. -Yeah. | 0:15:52 | 0:15:55 | |
'Madagascar is a very poor country. | 0:15:58 | 0:16:02 | |
'70% of its 40 million people exist on just 1 a day. | 0:16:02 | 0:16:05 | |
'And only three people in every 1,000 own a car. | 0:16:07 | 0:16:11 | |
'Its natural beauty, however, is one of its most valuable assets | 0:16:15 | 0:16:20 | |
'and hundreds of thousands of tourists are attracted | 0:16:20 | 0:16:23 | |
'to its shores every year.' | 0:16:23 | 0:16:24 | |
Well, this is like something out of a brochure, isn't it? | 0:16:28 | 0:16:31 | |
-Palm fringed beaches. -Very, very pretty. Tropical. | 0:16:31 | 0:16:36 | |
61, I think that said. Salut! | 0:16:36 | 0:16:39 | |
61. | 0:16:39 | 0:16:41 | |
Yes, well, if we continue to cane it like this, | 0:16:41 | 0:16:47 | |
then I would imagine we're going to be there in no time. | 0:16:47 | 0:16:51 | |
Jesus! | 0:16:52 | 0:16:54 | |
A little bit pacier, perhaps, on the rocks. | 0:16:54 | 0:16:57 | |
I dunno why you're dawdling. | 0:16:57 | 0:16:58 | |
'The road to Maroantsetra involves another 15 ferry crossings.' | 0:17:00 | 0:17:04 | |
Where's the ferry? | 0:17:04 | 0:17:06 | |
Good question, Angus. Where have you put it? | 0:17:06 | 0:17:08 | |
'And as they'll discover, many have their own makeshift charm.' | 0:17:08 | 0:17:12 | |
It was supposed to be here. | 0:17:12 | 0:17:14 | |
THEY SPEAK FRENCH | 0:17:17 | 0:17:19 | |
OK, so the good news is that there is a ferry. | 0:17:27 | 0:17:31 | |
The bad news is that it's over there, on the other side. | 0:17:31 | 0:17:34 | |
And the even worse news is that it doesn't have any petrol. | 0:17:34 | 0:17:38 | |
In addition, they don't have any battery. | 0:17:38 | 0:17:41 | |
So we've got to take a car battery and some petrol across there | 0:17:41 | 0:17:45 | |
to get the ferry to come back here. | 0:17:45 | 0:17:47 | |
Yeah, complicated. But we'll get there in the end. | 0:17:48 | 0:17:51 | |
Bye. Very noble of you. | 0:17:51 | 0:17:54 | |
Well, I thought so. | 0:17:54 | 0:17:55 | |
SHE SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY | 0:17:55 | 0:17:57 | |
I can't hear you any more and it's bliss. | 0:17:57 | 0:18:00 | |
It's lovely, it's lovely. | 0:18:06 | 0:18:07 | |
I'm having a great time, it's all been very good so far. | 0:18:07 | 0:18:11 | |
The company, I really couldn't fault. | 0:18:11 | 0:18:15 | |
Mariella's been the perfect travelling companion in every way. | 0:18:15 | 0:18:18 | |
Just waiting for the tide to go out. And it's not going to. | 0:18:20 | 0:18:24 | |
So I'm going to have to wade through it anyway. | 0:18:24 | 0:18:27 | |
-Bonjour. -Bonjour. | 0:18:29 | 0:18:31 | |
We've got 20 litres here and we don't really want to give him | 0:18:37 | 0:18:39 | |
all 20 because we need it for... | 0:18:39 | 0:18:41 | |
Ten litres, that's half. We need Mariella. | 0:18:50 | 0:18:52 | |
You see, she's good at negotiating. | 0:18:52 | 0:18:54 | |
I just say, "Yes, please, help yourself." | 0:18:54 | 0:18:56 | |
ENGINE STARTS | 0:19:03 | 0:19:06 | |
Job done. | 0:19:37 | 0:19:39 | |
-You know what I did think, which is to your credit? -What? | 0:19:43 | 0:19:46 | |
Faster rowing across than you were coming back on the ferry. | 0:19:46 | 0:19:51 | |
That's because I managed to tack across. | 0:19:51 | 0:19:53 | |
Managed to tack, is that what you call it? | 0:19:53 | 0:19:55 | |
I think it's called over-steering. He's very good, though. | 0:19:55 | 0:19:58 | |
I'll do the driving now. | 0:19:58 | 0:20:00 | |
'They've already lost hours at this river crossing | 0:20:03 | 0:20:05 | |
'and they've not yet reached the other side. | 0:20:05 | 0:20:08 | |
ENGINE SPUTTERS AND DIES | 0:20:11 | 0:20:14 | |
HE SPEAKS FRENCH | 0:20:18 | 0:20:20 | |
What's happened? Has it broken down? | 0:20:21 | 0:20:24 | |
Did you give him duff fuel? | 0:20:29 | 0:20:31 | |
Probably. | 0:20:31 | 0:20:33 | |
ENGINE TRIES TO START | 0:20:33 | 0:20:35 | |
Which ones of us is going to decide when to panic? | 0:20:37 | 0:20:40 | |
Is there any need to panic? I mean, we're almost at the shore now. | 0:20:40 | 0:20:44 | |
Just allow it to drift calmly into position. | 0:20:44 | 0:20:46 | |
But you can't position it, can you, smarty pants, | 0:20:46 | 0:20:49 | |
if you haven't got an engine? | 0:20:49 | 0:20:51 | |
We may be stuck here for the rest of the night | 0:20:51 | 0:20:54 | |
and most of tomorrow morning, unless we can get off. | 0:20:54 | 0:20:57 | |
I don't know which I'm more afraid of, | 0:20:57 | 0:21:00 | |
crashing in the ferry or driving for 3.5 hours in the pitch dark | 0:21:00 | 0:21:05 | |
on the sort of roads we've spent the day on. | 0:21:05 | 0:21:08 | |
I think you're being slightly melodramatic. | 0:21:08 | 0:21:10 | |
I mean, by the way he's whistling, | 0:21:10 | 0:21:12 | |
it seems like this happens every day. | 0:21:12 | 0:21:15 | |
Have you never heard of affecting a nonchalant air? | 0:21:15 | 0:21:17 | |
'Eventually, some Malagasy ingenuity gets them safely to shore.' | 0:21:19 | 0:21:24 | |
-Brilliant! Disaster averted. -Just about. | 0:21:24 | 0:21:27 | |
SHOUTING IN FRENCH | 0:21:27 | 0:21:29 | |
ENGINE STARTS | 0:21:29 | 0:21:31 | |
This is almost paved. It can't last. | 0:21:38 | 0:21:41 | |
-Someone's slipped up somewhere. -Yeah, just round here. | 0:21:41 | 0:21:44 | |
Oh, Angus, I don't know about that. | 0:21:46 | 0:21:50 | |
Fun in the dark, won't it? | 0:21:56 | 0:21:58 | |
HE LAUGHS | 0:21:58 | 0:21:59 | |
Oh, my God! | 0:21:59 | 0:22:01 | |
Remember, tomorrow's going to be worse. | 0:22:02 | 0:22:04 | |
-No, tomorrow's the bad day. -Yeah. | 0:22:04 | 0:22:06 | |
'It's already beginning to get dark, | 0:22:08 | 0:22:10 | |
'so Angus and Mariella distract themselves with a game.' | 0:22:10 | 0:22:14 | |
OK, so start me off. | 0:22:14 | 0:22:17 | |
Boris Johnson, Ken Livingstone, Gordon Brown. | 0:22:17 | 0:22:22 | |
-Oh, that is so easy. -Oh, really? | 0:22:22 | 0:22:25 | |
Yeah, I'd shag Boris Johnson. | 0:22:25 | 0:22:28 | |
The way I'm thinking about it, if you want to know, is | 0:22:28 | 0:22:31 | |
Boris, good for a laugh. | 0:22:31 | 0:22:33 | |
OK. And there's nothing sexier really than a laugh. | 0:22:33 | 0:22:37 | |
Quite frankly, all that lovely blonde hair. | 0:22:37 | 0:22:39 | |
I think he'd be fun for a night, | 0:22:39 | 0:22:41 | |
but I think you'd tire of him quite quickly. | 0:22:41 | 0:22:44 | |
Quite quickly. OK. Marry, Gordon Brown or Ken Livingstone? | 0:22:44 | 0:22:48 | |
Oh, my! Water, Angus, could be a ferry. | 0:22:48 | 0:22:51 | |
That may have saved you from having to choose between... | 0:22:51 | 0:22:55 | |
It's now 6.00 in the evening, and I think we're still a couple of hours | 0:22:57 | 0:23:02 | |
away from where we're staying tonight. | 0:23:02 | 0:23:04 | |
And the road has definitely got a lot rougher. | 0:23:04 | 0:23:07 | |
That last bit, that muddy bit with the rocks and things, | 0:23:07 | 0:23:10 | |
that was quite scary but you have to get over that. | 0:23:10 | 0:23:14 | |
Because I think, if you don't go ahead and do it, | 0:23:14 | 0:23:17 | |
then you end up being terrified all the time | 0:23:17 | 0:23:19 | |
and that's not really going to work on this journey. | 0:23:19 | 0:23:22 | |
Martina Navratilova. | 0:23:24 | 0:23:26 | |
Oh, my dear God, yes? | 0:23:26 | 0:23:28 | |
Germaine Greer or Ann Widdecombe? | 0:23:28 | 0:23:31 | |
Please don't say Ann Widdecombe. | 0:23:31 | 0:23:33 | |
I knew you were going to say Ann Widdecombe. | 0:23:33 | 0:23:36 | |
Sharon Stone, Rachel Weisz and January Jones. | 0:23:36 | 0:23:41 | |
Hang on, the rules of the game have changed rather dramatically! | 0:23:41 | 0:23:44 | |
'Today is reputed to be the hardest leg of the journey | 0:23:50 | 0:23:53 | |
'and Angus has dressed accordingly.' | 0:23:53 | 0:23:56 | |
Every morning, perfect shirt, perfectly... | 0:23:56 | 0:23:59 | |
I mean, his mum must be so proud of him. | 0:23:59 | 0:24:02 | |
It's making me want to dip my hand deep into a clump of mud | 0:24:02 | 0:24:06 | |
and rub it all over him. | 0:24:06 | 0:24:09 | |
Have we got tissues, Angus, and have we got wipes? | 0:24:09 | 0:24:13 | |
And is that your orange from today or yesterday? | 0:24:13 | 0:24:16 | |
You're beginning to sound like my mother. | 0:24:16 | 0:24:19 | |
I may be sounding like your mother, but look at you. | 0:24:19 | 0:24:21 | |
Yes, and have I got a handkerchief and have I combed my hair. | 0:24:21 | 0:24:25 | |
I'm not the one walking round in an ironed white shirt | 0:24:25 | 0:24:28 | |
for possibly the worst day on the road. | 0:24:28 | 0:24:30 | |
'Right from the off, the road shows no mercy.' | 0:24:32 | 0:24:36 | |
-Oh, it's started. -It's started already. | 0:24:36 | 0:24:39 | |
'Today, the route is more mountainous and they're | 0:24:39 | 0:24:42 | |
'immediately faced with steep rocky slopes and thick glutinous mud.' | 0:24:42 | 0:24:46 | |
Hold tight. | 0:24:46 | 0:24:47 | |
I'm just going for it | 0:24:49 | 0:24:51 | |
because I think slowing down would be an act of complete madness. | 0:24:51 | 0:24:56 | |
What? As opposed to this? | 0:24:56 | 0:24:58 | |
Could you imagine how it would revolutionize this country | 0:25:01 | 0:25:05 | |
if someone invested in the infrastructure? | 0:25:05 | 0:25:08 | |
It's ridiculous. | 0:25:08 | 0:25:10 | |
How do people survive? Hospital, your child is dangerously ill... | 0:25:10 | 0:25:14 | |
I mean, yeah, the emergency services can't really get to | 0:25:14 | 0:25:17 | |
anyone in less than half a day. | 0:25:17 | 0:25:19 | |
I'm not even sure there are any. | 0:25:19 | 0:25:21 | |
'It's only 7.30 in the morning and already they're at | 0:25:22 | 0:25:25 | |
'their first river crossing.' | 0:25:25 | 0:25:27 | |
Look, they have to pull it backwards and forwards. | 0:25:27 | 0:25:30 | |
Well, that saves on the petrol. | 0:25:30 | 0:25:32 | |
Maybe we don't have to give them our battery today. | 0:25:32 | 0:25:36 | |
ENGINE STARTS | 0:25:36 | 0:25:38 | |
Alley-up! | 0:25:41 | 0:25:42 | |
'The ferry is packed with locals going about their business. | 0:25:44 | 0:25:48 | |
-You speak English, yes? -Yes. | 0:25:48 | 0:25:50 | |
Can you tell me how the road is ahead? Bad or good? | 0:25:50 | 0:25:54 | |
-Good or bad? -Bad, bad, bad, yes. | 0:25:54 | 0:25:57 | |
-Bad, bad, bad, that's very bad. -Yes. | 0:25:57 | 0:26:00 | |
-Is it steep? -Yes, he just went like that. | 0:26:00 | 0:26:03 | |
You live here? | 0:26:03 | 0:26:05 | |
No, no live. I live Tutamatave. | 0:26:05 | 0:26:07 | |
Ah, OK, so you're travelling. | 0:26:07 | 0:26:10 | |
Yes, I buy vanilla. | 0:26:10 | 0:26:12 | |
Ah, you buy vanilla. | 0:26:12 | 0:26:14 | |
When you come back? | 0:26:14 | 0:26:15 | |
When will we get there? That's the question. | 0:26:15 | 0:26:19 | |
Two very good questions. | 0:26:19 | 0:26:22 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:26:22 | 0:26:24 | |
-We don't know the answer to either of them. -Sadly. | 0:26:24 | 0:26:26 | |
'Madagascar is the world's leading producer of vanilla. | 0:26:29 | 0:26:33 | |
'But the roads to the plantations are appalling.' | 0:26:33 | 0:26:36 | |
CAR RATTLES | 0:26:36 | 0:26:38 | |
'Angus and Mariella have just 46km to travel today, | 0:26:38 | 0:26:42 | |
'but this road is so tough that nothing is guaranteed. | 0:26:42 | 0:26:46 | |
-Oh, Jesus! -Oh, gosh. | 0:26:49 | 0:26:51 | |
Oh, mind this other car. | 0:27:00 | 0:27:03 | |
Yeah. | 0:27:03 | 0:27:04 | |
Well done, well done. My God, look at your window! | 0:27:07 | 0:27:10 | |
HE LAUGHS | 0:27:10 | 0:27:12 | |
I'm shaking! Wow, that was scary, exhausting... | 0:27:12 | 0:27:16 | |
-Yeah, you did very well. -..And difficult, actually. | 0:27:16 | 0:27:20 | |
'Incredibly, this is the only road connecting Toamasina | 0:27:20 | 0:27:23 | |
'with two major towns, and the people travel by foot, | 0:27:23 | 0:27:28 | |
'bicycle and the local public transport known as taxi brousse.' | 0:27:28 | 0:27:31 | |
They don't have to run. Why are they running? | 0:27:38 | 0:27:40 | |
Maybe they're running to get to the bit where I'll badly | 0:27:40 | 0:27:43 | |
need their help, that's what I suspect. | 0:27:43 | 0:27:45 | |
They're running ahead because they know there's a really | 0:27:45 | 0:27:48 | |
precipitous drop and that's where they get the biggest laughs. | 0:27:48 | 0:27:52 | |
Or we'll have to pay them to dig us out. They're laughing. | 0:27:54 | 0:27:57 | |
There's more of them coming, | 0:27:57 | 0:27:59 | |
there's definitely something happening down here. | 0:27:59 | 0:28:02 | |
'A vital concrete bridge has been severely damaged | 0:28:10 | 0:28:12 | |
'during the rainy season. | 0:28:12 | 0:28:14 | |
'The locals have cobbled together an alternative way of getting across. | 0:28:16 | 0:28:21 | |
But it's not for the faint-hearted. | 0:28:25 | 0:28:27 | |
Yeah, the worst bit is that mud at the end, to be honest. | 0:28:32 | 0:28:36 | |
Oh, they're moving rocks in the river now as well. | 0:28:36 | 0:28:40 | |
Look how deep it is. | 0:28:40 | 0:28:42 | |
There's just no margin for error here, really. | 0:28:42 | 0:28:45 | |
Yeah, it's very scenic, though. | 0:28:48 | 0:28:50 | |
I might just wait up here and take photographs of you. | 0:28:50 | 0:28:53 | |
What do you think? | 0:28:53 | 0:28:55 | |
I think it's scary as hell. | 0:28:55 | 0:28:57 | |
You're the one that's going to be driving. | 0:28:57 | 0:29:00 | |
I think it's really difficult. | 0:29:01 | 0:29:03 | |
Let's get it over with. | 0:29:11 | 0:29:13 | |
Fabulous. I've never driven into a river before. | 0:29:16 | 0:29:19 | |
It feels rather peculiar to be doing it willingly. | 0:29:19 | 0:29:23 | |
Blimey, you've got it down to a fine art. | 0:29:26 | 0:29:29 | |
OK, Angus, we are actually travelling across a river. | 0:29:33 | 0:29:37 | |
Now this guy takes over. | 0:29:41 | 0:29:42 | |
Left a bit. | 0:29:50 | 0:29:51 | |
OK? | 0:29:58 | 0:29:59 | |
Mora mora! > | 0:29:59 | 0:30:01 | |
Slowly, slowly. Softly, softly. | 0:30:01 | 0:30:03 | |
No, no, no, he means... | 0:30:03 | 0:30:05 | |
Come on, Angus, we can do it! | 0:30:13 | 0:30:15 | |
ENGINE REVS | 0:30:15 | 0:30:17 | |
Come on. Come on. | 0:30:18 | 0:30:21 | |
Oh, my good God! | 0:30:21 | 0:30:24 | |
That was the most frightening thing I've ever done in my life. | 0:30:24 | 0:30:27 | |
I might burst into tears now. | 0:30:27 | 0:30:29 | |
Yes, do, feel free, you deserve it, well done. | 0:30:29 | 0:30:32 | |
HE LAUGHS | 0:30:32 | 0:30:35 | |
You have just crossed a river in a car. | 0:30:35 | 0:30:39 | |
And just for your information, "mora mora" means "softly, softly", | 0:30:39 | 0:30:42 | |
not "go as fast as you possibly can!" | 0:30:42 | 0:30:44 | |
No, for the last bit they said, | 0:30:44 | 0:30:46 | |
"Go as fast as you can because, otherwise, you won't get up the mud." | 0:30:46 | 0:30:49 | |
-I see mud on the dashboard. No surprise. -It's all over me. | 0:30:49 | 0:30:52 | |
See, not a spot on you, not a spot, not even a splash of mud. | 0:30:52 | 0:30:57 | |
Oh, for God's sake! Look at the state of my trousers, I'm covered in it. | 0:30:57 | 0:31:01 | |
Hmm. Well... That speaks volumes, quite frankly. | 0:31:01 | 0:31:05 | |
'Angus and Mariella are trying to drive between Antanambe and Mananara, | 0:31:06 | 0:31:11 | |
'but four hours in, they've only covered a fraction of the distance. | 0:31:11 | 0:31:15 | |
'The dreadful road has at least meant one thing - | 0:31:20 | 0:31:23 | |
'that this remote and beautiful coastline has remained unspoiled.' | 0:31:23 | 0:31:27 | |
Nice ocean views. | 0:31:30 | 0:31:32 | |
Yes, which I'll be enjoying. | 0:31:32 | 0:31:35 | |
God, it's a long way down. | 0:31:36 | 0:31:38 | |
This is spectacularly scenic but at the same time terrifying. | 0:31:38 | 0:31:42 | |
Terrifyingly dangerous, yep. This is a tight corner. | 0:31:42 | 0:31:46 | |
Please turn the wheel. | 0:31:46 | 0:31:48 | |
I am, but if I turn it too fast, I'll be all over the place. | 0:31:48 | 0:31:52 | |
La-la-la! Quite near the edge there. | 0:31:53 | 0:31:56 | |
'This coast is regularly lashed by devastating storms, | 0:31:58 | 0:32:02 | |
'and in February 2012 | 0:32:02 | 0:32:04 | |
'Madagascar took a direct hit from cyclone Giovanna. | 0:32:04 | 0:32:07 | |
'Winds of over 170mph killed 33 people | 0:32:10 | 0:32:14 | |
'and just added to the devastation of the roads | 0:32:14 | 0:32:18 | |
'on this exposed eastern coast.' | 0:32:18 | 0:32:20 | |
TYRES SPIN | 0:32:28 | 0:32:30 | |
Neither backwards nor forwards. | 0:32:32 | 0:32:34 | |
-I think, Angus... -I think we are. -..Stuck. | 0:32:39 | 0:32:43 | |
It's funny because all four tyres are actually on... | 0:32:46 | 0:32:49 | |
We're stuck on that rock. | 0:32:49 | 0:32:51 | |
I think it needs to be lifted up. | 0:32:51 | 0:32:53 | |
Yeah, I know, but how do you lift up a 4x4? | 0:32:53 | 0:32:56 | |
We need a piece of wood or something to put under the tyre | 0:32:59 | 0:33:03 | |
to elevate it above the rock. | 0:33:03 | 0:33:07 | |
No, no, no, at the front. | 0:33:07 | 0:33:09 | |
Well, I can't go forwards. | 0:33:09 | 0:33:10 | |
It'll help you go, it'll help you get traction on it. | 0:33:10 | 0:33:13 | |
I don't think it'll go forwards. | 0:33:13 | 0:33:15 | |
TYRES SPIN | 0:33:22 | 0:33:24 | |
No? | 0:33:30 | 0:33:31 | |
Oh, dear, Angus, the worst has happened. | 0:33:31 | 0:33:35 | |
I know. | 0:33:35 | 0:33:36 | |
Look at your shirt sleeve. Look at your shirt sleeve. | 0:33:36 | 0:33:40 | |
Yes, please, any help. | 0:33:45 | 0:33:48 | |
I've never been so glad to see a man in my life. | 0:33:48 | 0:33:51 | |
So, Angus, is the plan to lift it up and then | 0:33:53 | 0:33:56 | |
when it's up high enough, put the wood underneath the tyre? | 0:33:56 | 0:34:00 | |
I'm assuming so. | 0:34:00 | 0:34:01 | |
THEY SPEAK FRENCH | 0:34:01 | 0:34:03 | |
This is turning into quite a long day. | 0:34:03 | 0:34:05 | |
Merci beaucoup! C'est tres gentile! | 0:34:14 | 0:34:17 | |
Thank God those guys were around. What would we have done? | 0:34:21 | 0:34:24 | |
Well, we would've just had to wait. | 0:34:24 | 0:34:26 | |
We've done 3.5 kilometres. | 0:34:26 | 0:34:29 | |
Is it? Oh, excellent going. | 0:34:29 | 0:34:31 | |
And it's 11.30. We've been on the road for... | 0:34:31 | 0:34:34 | |
-Six, seven, eight... -5.5 hours. | 0:34:34 | 0:34:37 | |
5.5 hours. We have 36 kilometres still to go to Mananara. | 0:34:37 | 0:34:42 | |
'They're now way behind schedule | 0:34:45 | 0:34:46 | |
'and desperately need to cover some ground.' | 0:34:46 | 0:34:49 | |
THE CAR RATTLES | 0:34:53 | 0:34:56 | |
SHE MOANS | 0:34:56 | 0:34:59 | |
I have to say, I had no idea the road would be quite this bad. | 0:35:03 | 0:35:07 | |
Be really careful on my side, there's quite a big drop | 0:35:07 | 0:35:10 | |
so stay in the tread. | 0:35:10 | 0:35:11 | |
I will never again complain about the condition of the roads | 0:35:17 | 0:35:20 | |
in central London. | 0:35:20 | 0:35:22 | |
-No, shower me in potholes. -Give me speed traps, bus lanes. | 0:35:22 | 0:35:27 | |
Oh, my God. | 0:35:34 | 0:35:37 | |
'They're just halfway to Mananara, but the road is unrelenting.' | 0:35:47 | 0:35:52 | |
It's exhausting, it's exhausting watching you. | 0:35:54 | 0:35:57 | |
Oh, my God, Angus. I've got to just go for it here. | 0:35:59 | 0:36:05 | |
Come on. Now we're done for. | 0:36:10 | 0:36:14 | |
THE TYRES SPIN | 0:36:14 | 0:36:17 | |
-Felt it. -Shit! | 0:36:18 | 0:36:20 | |
'It's not just Angus and Mariella that are struggling. | 0:36:22 | 0:36:24 | |
'Even the locals are also getting bogged down. | 0:36:27 | 0:36:30 | |
'One of the taxi brousse passengers speaks English.' | 0:36:34 | 0:36:38 | |
Where are you going? Why are you driving this road? | 0:36:39 | 0:36:43 | |
Because we have work at Tamatave, | 0:36:43 | 0:36:48 | |
so me and my team are going to Tamatave. | 0:36:48 | 0:36:52 | |
These roads must drive you crazy. | 0:36:54 | 0:36:56 | |
-Yeah. -HE CHUCKLES | 0:36:56 | 0:36:58 | |
We're trying to go to Mananara, have you just come from there? | 0:36:58 | 0:37:02 | |
-Yes. -How's the road? Because we're having a lot of problems. | 0:37:02 | 0:37:05 | |
It's very hard, I think. | 0:37:05 | 0:37:07 | |
It's hard because the season now is not very good to travel to Mananara. | 0:37:07 | 0:37:13 | |
And from now, from here to Mananara, is it as bad as this | 0:37:13 | 0:37:18 | |
or does it get a bit better? | 0:37:18 | 0:37:20 | |
Please say it gets a bit better, please. | 0:37:20 | 0:37:22 | |
You have one road left, it's very hard. | 0:37:22 | 0:37:27 | |
But like this or worse? | 0:37:27 | 0:37:29 | |
More difficult than this. More difficult, but only one. | 0:37:29 | 0:37:34 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:37:34 | 0:37:36 | |
-Yes. -How long? | 0:37:36 | 0:37:38 | |
An hour, about 15 kilometres from here. | 0:37:38 | 0:37:42 | |
Very nice to meet you. Good luck on your journey. | 0:37:42 | 0:37:46 | |
Well, I don't know - is that good news, bad news? | 0:37:47 | 0:37:50 | |
-Mainly bad. -Mainly bad. | 0:37:50 | 0:37:52 | |
'They have one major obstacle still to overcome, | 0:37:55 | 0:37:57 | |
'but the recent rain has made every inch of this road treacherous.' | 0:37:57 | 0:38:02 | |
ENGINE REVS | 0:38:05 | 0:38:07 | |
Very nice. | 0:38:07 | 0:38:09 | |
GEARS CREAK | 0:38:09 | 0:38:11 | |
ENGINE REVS | 0:38:17 | 0:38:19 | |
We're just digging deeper in the same hole, seriously. | 0:38:26 | 0:38:31 | |
Got to attempt to do something. | 0:38:31 | 0:38:32 | |
Yes, I think the sheer volume of mud is the problem. | 0:38:37 | 0:38:41 | |
Oh, my God. | 0:38:41 | 0:38:43 | |
ENGINE REVS | 0:38:51 | 0:38:53 | |
In between feeling sorry for myself and Angus, | 0:38:56 | 0:38:59 | |
I just can't work out how people manage this every day of their lives. | 0:38:59 | 0:39:04 | |
You know, I'll never complain about a motorway again. | 0:39:04 | 0:39:08 | |
Look at it flooding back down, amazing. | 0:39:16 | 0:39:20 | |
'In the last of the day's light, | 0:39:35 | 0:39:38 | |
'they eventually limp in to Mananara.' | 0:39:38 | 0:39:41 | |
Holy shit! | 0:39:41 | 0:39:42 | |
You know, television is often about pretending, | 0:39:48 | 0:39:51 | |
but this is definitely not pretending. It's really scary. | 0:39:51 | 0:39:54 | |
That road doesn't deserve to be called a road, | 0:39:54 | 0:39:57 | |
it is a river bed at best, and a sea of mud, | 0:39:57 | 0:40:01 | |
the like of which I hope I never see again in my life. | 0:40:01 | 0:40:05 | |
So here we are at Mananara, we arrived last night as darkness fell. | 0:40:09 | 0:40:14 | |
And found this thriving town of 10,000 people, | 0:40:14 | 0:40:17 | |
which felt kind of odd given the extraordinary terrain | 0:40:17 | 0:40:22 | |
that we'd managed to traverse in order to get here. | 0:40:22 | 0:40:25 | |
An odd day, really, and one that I'd be quite keen never to relive. | 0:40:25 | 0:40:30 | |
'Mananara is a bustling trading hub for the surrounding population. | 0:40:30 | 0:40:35 | |
'Cloves, cinnamon, lychees, | 0:40:35 | 0:40:37 | |
'and a million other things are all bought and sold here.' | 0:40:37 | 0:40:41 | |
-Goes on forever, this market. -God. | 0:40:41 | 0:40:43 | |
This is so busy, compared to where we've been. | 0:40:43 | 0:40:47 | |
There's people everywhere. I'm feeling a little bit fazed by it. | 0:40:47 | 0:40:51 | |
'They're on the final stage of their journey. | 0:40:52 | 0:40:54 | |
'Tonight, they hope to reach the town of Rantabe. | 0:40:54 | 0:40:57 | |
'Tomorrow, the final push to their ultimate destination Maroantsetra.' | 0:40:57 | 0:41:03 | |
This is lovely, isn't it? It'll be nice if it stays like this. | 0:41:06 | 0:41:09 | |
It's not going to, Angus, you know it's not. | 0:41:09 | 0:41:12 | |
-You've got a bit of a bridge coming up. -Am I on it? | 0:41:14 | 0:41:18 | |
-Yep. -Do you think? | 0:41:18 | 0:41:20 | |
Yep, you're OK. Good. Well done. | 0:41:20 | 0:41:22 | |
Gosh, two planks of wood you had to hit there. | 0:41:24 | 0:41:27 | |
-That was quite scary. -And fortunately, I think you did. | 0:41:27 | 0:41:30 | |
Like on a bridge like that, if we missed those planks, we'd be dead. | 0:41:30 | 0:41:37 | |
Yes, so again, well done for hitting the planks. | 0:41:37 | 0:41:41 | |
No, but I'm just sorry, just now... | 0:41:41 | 0:41:44 | |
Realising the importance of accuracy of that situation. | 0:41:44 | 0:41:48 | |
Of hitting the planks, as it were. | 0:41:48 | 0:41:50 | |
Oh, look at this, it's a lovely beach. | 0:42:01 | 0:42:05 | |
Wow, this is a bit surreal, isn't it? | 0:42:05 | 0:42:07 | |
It's wild, look at it. | 0:42:09 | 0:42:11 | |
Beautiful. | 0:42:11 | 0:42:13 | |
What happens here, Angus? | 0:42:15 | 0:42:17 | |
I think this is the ferry. | 0:42:17 | 0:42:19 | |
What? Oh, my good God. | 0:42:19 | 0:42:21 | |
And there's two whole planks of wood to drive onto it. | 0:42:21 | 0:42:24 | |
That is crazy. | 0:42:24 | 0:42:25 | |
THEY BOTH LAUGH | 0:42:26 | 0:42:29 | |
-Well, it's different. -Angus, I don't think I can do this. | 0:42:30 | 0:42:33 | |
'The bridge across this river was destroyed by the recent cyclone. | 0:42:33 | 0:42:38 | |
'Now the villagers earn a little cash | 0:42:38 | 0:42:40 | |
'by ferrying cars across on a bamboo raft.' | 0:42:40 | 0:42:44 | |
SHE FEIGNS SCREAMING | 0:42:44 | 0:42:46 | |
Mora mora. > | 0:42:48 | 0:42:49 | |
Mora mora. Where have we heard that before? | 0:42:49 | 0:42:53 | |
Stop! | 0:42:55 | 0:42:56 | |
My God, look at this. I think we're going to be punted. | 0:43:01 | 0:43:03 | |
-Are we? -Yeah. -Do we need to pay, by the way? | 0:43:03 | 0:43:07 | |
You'd think. We've got to pay a lot of people by the looks of it. | 0:43:07 | 0:43:10 | |
-Can't give them any petrol. -You'll have to do the money, dear. | 0:43:10 | 0:43:14 | |
-Salut, merci. Au revoir! -Au revoir. | 0:43:23 | 0:43:26 | |
Oh, my God! That was scary. | 0:43:29 | 0:43:31 | |
Actually, everything is. I'm going to stop saying it | 0:43:31 | 0:43:33 | |
because quite honestly... | 0:43:33 | 0:43:34 | |
There hasn't been anything that hasn't been. | 0:43:34 | 0:43:36 | |
It's the most repeated word in my vocabulary at the moment. | 0:43:36 | 0:43:40 | |
They really are quite enterprising, aren't they? | 0:43:40 | 0:43:43 | |
You know, the bridge collapses, | 0:43:43 | 0:43:45 | |
obviously no means of building a new one so they build a raft | 0:43:45 | 0:43:49 | |
-and charge... -5,000 ariaries a time. | 0:43:49 | 0:43:51 | |
THE SHOUT A GREETING | 0:44:00 | 0:44:02 | |
Be amazing to come here and do something useful. | 0:44:11 | 0:44:14 | |
You know, like be a teacher or a doctor. | 0:44:14 | 0:44:18 | |
Yes, well that's what we did originally, of course, | 0:44:18 | 0:44:22 | |
when we sent the missionaries. | 0:44:22 | 0:44:24 | |
Yeah, but without meaning to convert people at the same time. | 0:44:24 | 0:44:29 | |
Yes, well, I think we did a certain amount of good, | 0:44:29 | 0:44:32 | |
then the French took over. | 0:44:32 | 0:44:34 | |
Obviously brought a lot of money into the place | 0:44:34 | 0:44:36 | |
and it's, in a way, it's that money they're missing now. | 0:44:36 | 0:44:39 | |
It's just a question of whether they'd prefer to have | 0:44:39 | 0:44:42 | |
the money again or their independence. | 0:44:42 | 0:44:45 | |
Bit fast, Angus! | 0:44:53 | 0:44:55 | |
Just going to have to go for it, I'm afraid. No time to stop. | 0:44:55 | 0:44:58 | |
'They're in a different region now | 0:45:16 | 0:45:17 | |
'where there's a long-established Chinese community. | 0:45:17 | 0:45:21 | |
'Originally, they were here to build a railway, | 0:45:21 | 0:45:24 | |
'but their influence is everywhere.' | 0:45:24 | 0:45:25 | |
Kind of a little bit incongruous eating Chinese in a little village | 0:45:25 | 0:45:29 | |
in the middle of Madagascar, | 0:45:29 | 0:45:31 | |
and quite interesting to see so many Chinese around. | 0:45:31 | 0:45:34 | |
Chinese faces, more and more as we get closer to Rantabe, | 0:45:34 | 0:45:37 | |
where we're supposed to be spending tonight. | 0:45:37 | 0:45:39 | |
Goodness, that's tough! | 0:45:39 | 0:45:41 | |
Where's the dog? Oh, here's the dog, there you go. | 0:45:41 | 0:45:44 | |
-Shall we see the wine list? -Give it a shot. | 0:45:44 | 0:45:47 | |
Garcon! | 0:45:47 | 0:45:49 | |
'Still on schedule, the road leads them to a stunning beach | 0:45:53 | 0:45:57 | |
'that appears to be deserted.' | 0:45:57 | 0:45:59 | |
Do you feel as if something's suddenly happening here? | 0:46:21 | 0:46:24 | |
Because we were alone when we arrived | 0:46:24 | 0:46:27 | |
and now there's about six cars, about 45 people, | 0:46:27 | 0:46:31 | |
because it's rush hour. | 0:46:31 | 0:46:33 | |
Yeah. | 0:46:33 | 0:46:34 | |
That is insane, and they all get into the back bit. | 0:46:34 | 0:46:37 | |
It is a triumph of numbers over reason. | 0:46:37 | 0:46:40 | |
I think that's what you'd say. | 0:46:40 | 0:46:41 | |
'In the confusion, they seem to have lost their place in the queue but | 0:46:41 | 0:46:46 | |
'it gives them a chance to chat | 0:46:46 | 0:46:47 | |
'with one of many taxi brousse passengers.' | 0:46:47 | 0:46:50 | |
20 people inside this. | 0:46:51 | 0:46:53 | |
It must be like hell. | 0:46:53 | 0:46:55 | |
No, because I enjoy it. | 0:46:55 | 0:46:57 | |
-Do you?! -Yeah. | 0:46:57 | 0:46:59 | |
You like the ride because everyone's talking to each other? | 0:46:59 | 0:47:02 | |
Everyone is talking to each other | 0:47:02 | 0:47:04 | |
and the atmosphere is so alive, you know, inside. | 0:47:04 | 0:47:07 | |
-20 is insane. -Yes, that's quite extraordinary. | 0:47:07 | 0:47:10 | |
-Is there a bridge here? -Yes, there is a small bridge. | 0:47:10 | 0:47:13 | |
So what happened to it? | 0:47:13 | 0:47:16 | |
-Because of the cyclone. -Oh, the cyclone. | 0:47:16 | 0:47:19 | |
Will the government fix the bridges sometime | 0:47:20 | 0:47:24 | |
or is it never going to change? | 0:47:24 | 0:47:27 | |
You know the government has promised about this, | 0:47:27 | 0:47:29 | |
about repairing this road | 0:47:29 | 0:47:31 | |
but up to now we've not seen any concrete result. | 0:47:31 | 0:47:37 | |
That must make life much more difficult. | 0:47:37 | 0:47:39 | |
Exactly, the commodities here are very expensive compared to | 0:47:39 | 0:47:45 | |
the city, to Tana, because of the road. | 0:47:45 | 0:47:49 | |
OK, guys, we have to go because our boat is ready. | 0:47:49 | 0:47:51 | |
-Very nice to meet you. Thank you very much. -Nice to meet you. | 0:47:51 | 0:47:54 | |
Bon voyage. 20 people! | 0:47:54 | 0:47:57 | |
If only we could conjure up some of that same excitement. | 0:47:57 | 0:48:00 | |
Maybe we need another 18 people. | 0:48:00 | 0:48:02 | |
Well, sadly, this guy has just got off the ferry | 0:48:15 | 0:48:18 | |
and what's happened to him is exactly what we've been in fear of. | 0:48:18 | 0:48:21 | |
He's missed the plank. | 0:48:21 | 0:48:22 | |
Which is he's missed the plank and now he's sunk down in the sand | 0:48:22 | 0:48:25 | |
and I guess they're going to try and pull him out with the rope | 0:48:25 | 0:48:29 | |
but it's literally one disaster after another, this road. | 0:48:29 | 0:48:32 | |
It does appear that way, yeah. | 0:48:32 | 0:48:33 | |
And we've still got four hours' driving ahead of us | 0:48:33 | 0:48:36 | |
-and it's going to be dark in an hour. -Yeah. | 0:48:36 | 0:48:39 | |
It is literally life or death about 20 times a day. | 0:48:39 | 0:48:43 | |
Although this is the shortest river crossing they've had to make, | 0:48:48 | 0:48:51 | |
the hold-up has now cost them the day. | 0:48:51 | 0:48:53 | |
There's temptation to just floor it | 0:48:57 | 0:49:00 | |
and get the hell out of Dodge, as they say. | 0:49:00 | 0:49:03 | |
Half past four. | 0:49:03 | 0:49:05 | |
I reckon we've got about an hour left. | 0:49:05 | 0:49:08 | |
We've done a kilometre in minutes there. | 0:49:08 | 0:49:10 | |
That's probably the first time in two days. | 0:49:10 | 0:49:13 | |
-Ay, oh. -Sorry. | 0:49:17 | 0:49:19 | |
OK, I'm not going to drive across this. | 0:49:20 | 0:49:23 | |
As light begins to fade, | 0:49:25 | 0:49:26 | |
Angus and Mariella come across yet another barrier to their progress. | 0:49:26 | 0:49:31 | |
That's the bridge, well, what's left of the bridge, that I'm not | 0:49:31 | 0:49:36 | |
going to drive over. | 0:49:36 | 0:49:38 | |
Angus, want to give it a go? | 0:49:38 | 0:49:40 | |
Well, let's analyse this, shall we? | 0:49:40 | 0:49:43 | |
There seem to be two planks for each tyre right until | 0:49:43 | 0:49:47 | |
right at the end, where there seems to be one plank. | 0:49:47 | 0:49:50 | |
In some respects, it could be regarded as perilous. | 0:49:50 | 0:49:53 | |
I am now walking, there's no time for pride. | 0:49:53 | 0:49:56 | |
Well, if someone was to direct me | 0:49:56 | 0:50:00 | |
then obviously that'll probably be the only we'd get the car from this | 0:50:00 | 0:50:03 | |
part to that part otherwise we're going to have to go back to London. | 0:50:03 | 0:50:08 | |
Did it. I'm alive! | 0:50:49 | 0:50:52 | |
-Do you want to take over? Do you want me to...? -I'll take over. -Yeah. | 0:50:55 | 0:50:59 | |
Five to five. | 0:51:05 | 0:51:07 | |
If you get stuck at... | 0:51:07 | 0:51:08 | |
Twilight. | 0:51:08 | 0:51:09 | |
..twilight it's just not good any which way you look at it. | 0:51:09 | 0:51:13 | |
How long did you say we've got left of daylight? | 0:51:13 | 0:51:15 | |
About an hour. | 0:51:15 | 0:51:16 | |
Oh, God, I don't know how much more I can take. | 0:51:17 | 0:51:22 | |
Well, it's late, as you can see. The sun is going down fast | 0:51:28 | 0:51:32 | |
and we are three hours' drive from where we ought to be | 0:51:32 | 0:51:37 | |
and we're trying to decide whether or not to stay the night. | 0:51:37 | 0:51:42 | |
The alternative, obviously, is to keep driving in the darkness | 0:51:42 | 0:51:45 | |
along roads that we don't know. | 0:51:45 | 0:51:47 | |
Roads like the ones we've all enjoyed together. | 0:51:47 | 0:51:51 | |
Yes, only in daylight. | 0:51:51 | 0:51:53 | |
And we're thinking that might be a recipe for disaster. | 0:51:53 | 0:51:56 | |
It is now, I think, probably officially dark. | 0:52:10 | 0:52:13 | |
Angus, what's going on? | 0:52:18 | 0:52:19 | |
-I wish I knew. -Where to start? | 0:52:22 | 0:52:24 | |
-It's a long story. -Yeah. | 0:52:26 | 0:52:28 | |
I've got all night, I think. | 0:52:29 | 0:52:31 | |
I might just take this off first. | 0:52:31 | 0:52:33 | |
Well, yes, what it is, is that for most of the evening we've | 0:52:33 | 0:52:40 | |
been travelling in darkness down the roads roughly similar to ones | 0:52:40 | 0:52:45 | |
that we were travelling in daylight - | 0:52:45 | 0:52:48 | |
just as bad, in other words - | 0:52:48 | 0:52:49 | |
and we've come across two places | 0:52:49 | 0:52:51 | |
where the bridges have basically broken | 0:52:51 | 0:52:55 | |
so we've had to go round the outside, along the beach in darkness | 0:52:55 | 0:53:01 | |
as the tide's coming in, and now the latest is that we've found a | 0:53:01 | 0:53:06 | |
bridge that is completely impassable and probably has been for a while. | 0:53:06 | 0:53:11 | |
Let's not use the word impassable, | 0:53:11 | 0:53:13 | |
let's say collapsed. | 0:53:13 | 0:53:14 | |
Yes, half destroyed. No longer a bridge. | 0:53:14 | 0:53:17 | |
Angus, what are you doing? | 0:53:21 | 0:53:25 | |
-Cleaning my teeth. -We're staying here the night then, are we? | 0:53:25 | 0:53:28 | |
We're staying here the night. This is our bedroom. This my bed. | 0:53:28 | 0:53:31 | |
Oh, that looks very snug. Where am I? | 0:53:31 | 0:53:33 | |
You're in the passenger seat. | 0:53:33 | 0:53:35 | |
Oh, yeah, that'll be luxury. | 0:53:35 | 0:53:37 | |
Light yourself. Go on, yeah. | 0:53:37 | 0:53:40 | |
Can you not do anything? Give me the light then. | 0:53:40 | 0:53:43 | |
Actually, it's looking a bit Blair Witch now. | 0:53:43 | 0:53:45 | |
No, but that's the thing - it feels a bit Blair Witch. | 0:53:46 | 0:53:50 | |
We're stuck in the middle of nowhere. The sea could indeed rise | 0:53:50 | 0:53:54 | |
even higher and sweep us away in the night, we can't escape, | 0:53:54 | 0:53:57 | |
the bridge is broken. I don't know how to impress upon you the absolute | 0:53:57 | 0:54:04 | |
crisis that we're in. | 0:54:04 | 0:54:05 | |
But Angus and I, we have the secret weapon. | 0:54:05 | 0:54:08 | |
Dun, dun, dun! | 0:54:08 | 0:54:11 | |
Rum with vanilla pod. | 0:54:11 | 0:54:14 | |
NOISILY KISSES BOTTLE | 0:54:14 | 0:54:17 | |
How much is there? | 0:54:17 | 0:54:18 | |
That's not what I'll be doing to Angus later, that is | 0:54:18 | 0:54:21 | |
what I'll be doing to the rum. | 0:54:21 | 0:54:25 | |
Good night, all. | 0:54:25 | 0:54:26 | |
Good night. | 0:54:26 | 0:54:29 | |
The situation seems to have improved somewhat. | 0:54:29 | 0:54:32 | |
Where's the rum? Not so bad. | 0:54:32 | 0:54:35 | |
In a way, you know, we've got a beach out there. | 0:54:35 | 0:54:39 | |
Back in the light, please. | 0:54:39 | 0:54:42 | |
There's a beach, there are waves, there's rum, | 0:54:42 | 0:54:44 | |
I have all my friends around me. | 0:54:44 | 0:54:47 | |
I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be. | 0:54:47 | 0:54:50 | |
We've woken up to paradise. | 0:54:53 | 0:54:55 | |
Clearly, last night it didn't feel like it | 0:54:55 | 0:54:58 | |
in the pitch black with no idea, really, where we were. | 0:54:58 | 0:55:01 | |
Angus curled up on the seat next to me. It was almost romantic. | 0:55:01 | 0:55:05 | |
I say almost. | 0:55:05 | 0:55:07 | |
OK, best press on if we want to get out of here | 0:55:07 | 0:55:10 | |
at some point in our lives. | 0:55:10 | 0:55:12 | |
They're now just 65 kilometres from their final destination | 0:55:15 | 0:55:21 | |
but the road continues to throw up obstacles at every turn. | 0:55:21 | 0:55:25 | |
Crikey. | 0:55:25 | 0:55:26 | |
I mean, it's not even an adventure for us any more now cos it's | 0:55:49 | 0:55:52 | |
got to the point, now, where every bridge we're coming to is broken. | 0:55:52 | 0:55:56 | |
I think we're going to have to traverse the spit. | 0:55:56 | 0:56:00 | |
It's really, really hard to fathom just how to difficult | 0:56:00 | 0:56:05 | |
it must be to lead a life here. | 0:56:05 | 0:56:07 | |
Do you think there'll be a reception committee when we arrive? | 0:56:23 | 0:56:26 | |
Yes, I think there will be. The people will line the streets. | 0:56:26 | 0:56:30 | |
Will there be banners, do you think, | 0:56:30 | 0:56:32 | |
-saying, "Welcome..." -"..Mariella and Angus?" | 0:56:32 | 0:56:34 | |
Or will it be, Angus and Mariella? | 0:56:34 | 0:56:37 | |
I don't care! | 0:56:37 | 0:56:38 | |
Oh, OK, Angus and Mariella then. | 0:56:38 | 0:56:41 | |
What are you looking forward to seeing, mainly? | 0:56:41 | 0:56:45 | |
The back of you. | 0:56:45 | 0:56:46 | |
This might be it. I think this might actually be... | 0:56:49 | 0:56:52 | |
The end of the road. the end of the road. | 0:56:52 | 0:56:55 | |
-Our destination. -Oh. | 0:56:55 | 0:56:56 | |
It's delightful. It's like Henley. | 0:56:57 | 0:57:00 | |
Hello. Hello, civilisation. | 0:57:00 | 0:57:05 | |
In the first few hours when we drove out of Tana | 0:57:05 | 0:57:07 | |
and everything we were talking about Madagascar and the wildlife | 0:57:07 | 0:57:11 | |
and everything but after we actually hit the difficult | 0:57:11 | 0:57:14 | |
part of the road, we couldn't think about anything but survival. | 0:57:14 | 0:57:18 | |
These people don't know what we've been through to get here. | 0:57:18 | 0:57:21 | |
Do you know what? I think they probably do. | 0:57:21 | 0:57:23 | |
They probably do actually, yeah. | 0:57:23 | 0:57:25 | |
There were times I was not sure we were going to make it, but, | 0:57:25 | 0:57:29 | |
in the end, you look back on it | 0:57:29 | 0:57:31 | |
and think, "I just had six fantastic days." | 0:57:31 | 0:57:34 | |
-Well, well done. -Well done, you. -No, please. | 0:57:35 | 0:57:39 | |
I think I'm going to be sad saying goodbye to our Ford Everest. | 0:57:39 | 0:57:42 | |
It's done us proud. Saved our lives about 20 times every day. | 0:57:42 | 0:57:47 | |
At last! I'm so excited. | 0:57:47 | 0:57:50 | |
We made it. | 0:57:50 | 0:57:52 | |
The images in my head are like from a disaster movie. | 0:57:52 | 0:57:55 | |
I see seas of red mud. | 0:57:55 | 0:57:57 | |
Red, glutinous mud. | 0:57:57 | 0:58:00 | |
Oh, cocktail coconuts. | 0:58:01 | 0:58:05 | |
I think I described Mariella at the start as being bossy, | 0:58:05 | 0:58:10 | |
so I'm glad we've had a chance to scotch that rumour. | 0:58:10 | 0:58:13 | |
We've had a very long journey. We're barely alive. | 0:58:13 | 0:58:17 | |
If I'm honest, she's very good fun to be with | 0:58:17 | 0:58:20 | |
and it has been a bit of a hoot over the last five/six days. | 0:58:20 | 0:58:24 | |
-Cheers again. -Cheers. | 0:58:24 | 0:58:26 | |
Yeah. I never actually thought we'd make it. | 0:58:26 | 0:58:28 | |
He did remain completely unflappable | 0:58:28 | 0:58:32 | |
and probably had quite a good effect on me | 0:58:32 | 0:58:35 | |
because I am a flapper, on occasion. | 0:58:35 | 0:58:39 | |
Aargh! | 0:58:39 | 0:58:40 | |
Yeah, we just need to be away from each other for another | 0:58:40 | 0:58:43 | |
two or three years and we'll be ready to be friends again. | 0:58:43 | 0:58:47 | |
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd | 0:58:53 | 0:58:57 |