This was really a great trip. It was a nice mix of animals, nature and culture. Everyone was so kind, helpful and interesting. Logistically everything worked perfectly for us (with the exception of a couple of lost suitcases). The Seychelles could have been better if we had a different boat, but we still enjoyed ourselves.
One of my main takeaways is how damaging corruption is. Of course I knew it on an intellectual level but we saw it in spades. Madagascar is rife with corruption and the people are very poor. Outside the city many don’t have running water or electricity. Everyone is really thin. The population growth is out of control. And the lemurs are suffering because their habitat is shrinking. It seemed to us that the government isn’t effectively addressing any of this issues, rather the politicans are just lining their pockets
On the other hand Rwanda has much less corruption (although any corruption is too much) and the country is making great advances. People have running water and electricity. Everyone looks well fed. The gorilla population is growing. For the most part, Rwanda seems to be an Africa country that is one the right track.
Another observation, that people can be happy with very little. People live much more simply, but happiness doesn’t come from possessions. While many in Africa don’t have much most seem happy with what they have. Of course, I knew this but it’s always good to have a reminder.
All in all we would highly recommend seeing the lemurs in Madagascar, visiting the gorillas in Rwanda, checking out Kilimanjaro in Amboeli and spending time in Zanzibar. The Seychelles are great if you are into relaxing on beautiful beaches, but maybe not as good for sailing, especially in a monohaul.