Madagascar Diaries

By Kelly Barker, Durrell's Head of Marketing

Tuesday 8th November, 12.40pm

I am in Paris! Well the airport anyhow. Feel OK considering I have had 4 hours sleep in 31 hours. I feel as though all I do is moan about travel but frankly I think that’s not surprising. Since 23rd October, I have taken 6 flights, done 115 hours in a Landrover, across 3300 kms! That’s some travel miles. I don’t regret it because cramming all that into just over two weeks meant I got to see a lot more but I don’t mind admitting that I am exhausted and grouchy. I just went into Ralph Lauren (gorgeous shops in CDG airport), to buy my hubbie a shirt as I have missed him so much. It was like Julia Roberts in Pretty Women. I have a dirty Durrell fleece and the muddiest trainers and the shop assistant glared at me!

I am delayed here in Paris which is slightly worrying as I don’t have long to get to Gatwick for the Jersey flight so fingers crossed. Meanwhile, how to conclude this amazing experience?

I can see why Gerald Durrell had a special place in his heart for Madagascar and why he started the ploughshare project. Its biodiversity is out of this world and Malagasy people are wonderful. I went to fairly remote places and always felt welcome. I saw the extreme conditions that the Durrell Madagascar team cope with regularly and realised the obstacles they face and deal with so well. I experienced a pace of life that suits me and enjoyed learning so much about the impact Durrell has made for the last 25 years.

I thank Hasina so much for looking after me so well and investing so much of his time doing my trip and I thank my lucky stars that I am so fortunate to work for such an amazing, far reaching organisation.