Nepal

All photos: Mei-Ling McNamara

Long-time active Matador member Mei-Ling McNamara is this week’s featured destination expert.

Each of the Matador community’s more than 10,000 members is well-traveled, whether in body or soul. But some of them really get around.

Meet Mei-Ling McNamara.

Currently based in London, she’s worked as a volunteer on projects in Thailand. At present, she’s researching a new travel guide to Senegal.

And she also happens to be our destination expert on Madagascar:

I lived in Southern Madagascar for over three years (2003-2006), working primarily in radio development and travel guidebook writing. Any queries relating to travel or volunteer work in Madagascar can be answered as best as possible!

Here’s a bit more about Mei-Ling, which you can also find on her community profile:

About me: My Chinese mother and Irish father are the opposing, complementary forces that harmonize my life. I believe that every experience, and how you react to it, changes and creates who you are, bringing a distinct energy to the world.

I’m fired up on: Local projects that empower communities; writing that snares an elusive, fleeting moment; waking to the desert at dawn; watching the Sahara at dusk; seeing the faces of my family and friends after a long journey; arriving in a new place with no plans and a wide, open mind.

I felt the most immersed in a foreign culture when: I rode on a bush taxi with eighty people across Madagascar for 72 hours non-stop. No sleep, no real food, and a lot of Celine Dion blasting out of two broken speakers. Our truck overturned into a ravine once, and we had to crawl out of the window.

Drummer, Casamance, Senegal

Most recently, Mei-Ling was announced as the winner of Matador’s Discover Dominica contest, scoring a trip for two to the untouched Caribbean island of Dominica.

She’s also written for us, producing articles like:

10 Tips For Safe Travel as a Single Woman

Tips for staying healthy while volunteering abroad

A passion for people: Owen Beaton and The Tandroy Conservation Trust

Hands of the Child: the Diola Drummers of Casamance

I could go on. But all you need to know is this: If you have questions on Madagascar you’d like answered, you know who to ask. Help is just a click and a private message away.

Community Connection

Curious about a different destination? Chances are we have an expert for you. Find them here.