When sixteen becomes twenty nine.

The original itinerary was simple: leave London, change planes in Nairobi, arrive in Madagascar sixteen hours later.

The actual itinerary involved delays, disappointment, three meals in an airport lounge, a makeshift chair-bed, and eventually arriving in Antananarivo thirteen hours later than planned. The good news is that we made it. The bad news is that we were no longer entirely sure what day it was.

We arrived at our hotel in Tanna at 9pm. After checking in, we headed straight to the bar for a well-earned drink. A second drink seemed like a perfectly reasonable idea, although the request appeared to cause some consternation among the staff at Hotel La Louvre. Whether they were worried about us or simply keen to close up, I'm not sure. They did kindly provide us with a drink, and we eventually staggered off in search of a much-needed night's sleep.

We had a couple of free days before moving hotels to meet our tour group, and we spent them getting to know Tanna and its people. The absolute highlight had to be the walking tour we booked.

We were waiting outside the city's main railway station, which is now an Orange mobile phone shop because there are no longer any trains. As we stood there looking for our guide, a woman appeared around the corner accompanied by a large group of young people.

"Well, that can't be her," we thought. "She's not on her own."

As it turned out, she wasn't. She had brought along fourteen young people to help them improve their English and, for some, gain experience as trainee guides. They ranged in age from 13 to 17.

It was a brilliant way to explore the city. We wandered around as part of a small gang, fielding questions such as, "Are people in England bigger or smaller than people in Madagascar?", "Can you explain the environment in London?" and "What is your favourite food?"

Sheila unwisely answered "pie" to the last question and then spent several minutes trying to explain exactly what a pie is.

We visited an art gallery together (Foundation H), and it was good to share views with them on which pieces they liked.

For most of the young people, it was the first time they had spoken to foreign tourists. By the end of the tour they were all keen to visit our hotel because none of them had ever been inside one before. We finished with a big group photo in the foyer before hugs, handshakes and goodbyes all round. Tanna is very hilly so we were glad for a rest at the end.

I cannot recommend this type of walking tour highly enough. It was far more immersive, personal and entertaining than any conventional city tour. Most importantly, it gave us a much better understanding of the challenges many young people face here. Several were living away from home in an effort to create better opportunities for themselves in the future.

Another highlight was the Photography Museum. It was fascinating. Two English missionaries arrived in Madagascar around 1860 with a passion for photography, and the museum contains images documenting the country's royal history from as far back as 1862.

The museum is set in a wonderfully peaceful location and also provided Sheila with her first Madagascan bird sighting: the Madagascan Fody, a beautiful little bird in dazzling red plumage.

Meanwhile, I continued my personal quest to have a massage in every country I visit. I'm pleased to report that Madagascar has gone straight into the top tier. Scientific rankings are still being compiled, but it was definitely one of the best.

Today we move hotels and finally meet our tour group. We have already had lunch with Lizzie and Rod from Perth, but so far they are the only other travellers we've met.

More news to follow as we discover exactly who we'll be spending the next eighteen days with!