Madagascan Hissing Cockroaches

Travelling down the spine of Madagascar from Antananarivo to Taolagnaro by Toby Deveson. March 1990When you are on a 64 hour journey down the spine of Madagascar on the back of a converted lorry, many things happen. You get bored, so you study in great detail all the nuts and bolts and folds and creases around you. Everything you do becomes the focus of the other passenger’s attention, partly because you are the only white people on the bus and partly because you are now part of a small and cramped community. And you start to notice any small changes or additions to your surroundings. Such as the appearance of a giant, huge, massive cockroach just above your head, balanced precariously on the canvass awning.

I had no idea at the time what it was or what it was capable of doing. Unfortunately. So, making a show of being relaxed, confident and unbothered I stood up and went to grab hold of it in order to throw it off the back of the lorry. It seemed to be, after all, nothing more than a giant beetle type insect. As my fingers went to take hold of it hissed. A loud, scary and completely unexpected hiss. The truck was noisy as we bumped over the desert track, but I heard it, clear as a bell and i leapt back in absolute terror, landing clumsily on my hard seat to the sounds of raucous laughter, cheering and clapping.

The Madagascan Hissing Cockroach. Be warned.

Related Images

Travelling down the spine of Madagascar from Antananarivo to Taolagnaro by Toby Deveson. March 1990

Travelling down the spine of Madagascar from Antananarivo to Taolagnaro by Toby Deveson. March 1990

Travelling down the spine of Madagascar from Antananarivo to Taolagnaro by Toby Deveson. March 1990

Latest

Swarm

It was as simple as ‘get to the top of Finland and turn left’.  At least that is

Blink and you’ll miss it

Iceland. Never has the essence of a country so closely resembled the way in which I see the

Under the Stars in Madagascar

There are times when writing about memories from as far back as my eighteenth year feels wrong. How

Viewpoints

The Rooftop Collective exhibition edition VI Tempus Fugit. So they say. Here we are again, another Rooftop Collective

Memories

Half a Mile from Russia

I do not know whether it is because of the generation I am from or whether Russia does

Revolution in the air

Three years at art college would not be complete without some politics, squatting and clashes with the police.

Cold, tired and high in Ladakh

India 16-03-11 It wasn’t that cold. Or rather it didn’t feel that cold. It was dry, drier than

Dancers in the mist

Step after step we climb the steep mountain path, focusing, meditating, concentrating. The rain dripping through the trees

Randomly Selected

They are no longer alive

Photography can mean so many different things to different people. One of the most poignant and common thoughts

Screening of ‘From Dark to Light’ with Q&A

What a wonderful, inspiring evening… As ever, talking to people about my work – as well as showing

Arte Fotográfica #67

I’m very excited to have had some images from ‘West of the Sun’ included in a ten page

The Red Light District: Blog 2nd June 2014

West of the Sun – an exciting week ahead: Life is all about stretching those comfort zones. And