“Taxi, taxi,” is the most common greeting upon arriving to a new place. Arriving to Morondava from Antananarivo, Madagascar was no different. I could barely appreciate the smell of fresh air and the ability to finally stand upright after a 15-hour bus ride. Malagasy taxi conductors, eager to continue their job, rushed people from buses to taxis. However, these taxis were not just regular taxis, they were called “tuk tuks”. They were compact and elevated cars with open sides, a front wheel and two back wheels. They were non-existent in Antananarivo, yet very common in Morondava. Reluctantly, I placed my belongings inside this exotic and eclectic mode of transportation as it took off to the destination where I would be staying for the night. Ocean waves hitting rocks could be heard throughout the bumpy ride to the hotel, my main reassurance in this pitch-dark night that this was the beautiful place I intended to be. Before arriving to the hotel, I made plans with the tuk tuk driver to take me to the Avenue of the Baobabs and after bargaining in my broken French, we agreed on a reasonable price. Avenue of the Baobabs is a stretched road located between Morondava and Belo Tsiribihina covered with baobab trees on both sides. They’re 3000-year-old enormous trees with branches that look like roots also known as “trees of life”. They attract visitors all over the world, making them one of Madagascar’s natural monuments. Throughout the night, I was kept awake by the exhilarating yet frightening idea of riding in the tuk tuk for 45 minutes to see the baobab trees. Should I cancel my ride? Should I choose a more expensive yet putatively safe option? What are the cultural implications of cancelling plans here? Throughout my travels, I had done many exhilarating activities including riding a motorcycle with my luggage to the airport in Mombasa, ziplining in Phuket, and a canopy walk in Cape Coast, Ghana. Yet, a tuk tuk ride through Morondava seemed more fearful than anything else I’d done. A beautiful sunny day in Morondava invited for outdoors activities in the community. Had it not been for my somewhat irrational fear of riding in the tuk tuk, I would’ve been more enthusiastic about visiting one of the most wonderful sights in the world. Our ride began through the busiest part of town. Zooming past convenience stores, street vendors, kids playing around, hotels, restaurants calmed my fears. As we continued, the main roads became less congested and we started approaching areas with lots of farmland and greenery. After about 30 minutes, the first baobab tree became visible through the dusty roads just enough to revive my excitement. Pictures from the internet failed to capture the actual beauty of this marvelous entity. After turning into the main road that led to the Avenue, we entered a crowded rural community. The rain from the previous night hindered the drive as we swerved past large puddles of muddy water, tree branches, motorcyclists, and community members. The tuk tuk swerved from side to side. I struggled to stay on as the brief excitement I had just experienced after catching a glimpse of a baobab tree disappeared and the crippling fear returned along with embarrassment. I considered walking the rest of the way but the shoes I wore would’ve made walking nearly as bad as riding in the tuk tuk. The uncomfortable ride lasted a while and after getting stuck in the mud a few times, we finally arrived at the Avenue of the Baobabs. The breathtaking sight of the trees lined up welcoming visitors was suddenly enough to make me forget the extremely uncomfortable ride. Upon our arrival, the fear, the concern, and the embarrassment disappeared again. The trees were magnificent and extended for miles. This was the natural beauty of Africa that is often forgotten. I had chosen the cheaper option of taking the tuk tuk because I am a frugal traveler and prefer supporting community workers. Although, the difficult ride to the avenue was a significant part of the experience, the views of the trees will be forever embedded in my mind.