Beginning of the end....

I got up early this morning, I thought it might be my last chance of catching the sunrise in Kenya. Not great results but I'm hoping they will be better on the big screen.
I'm not really sure how well these photos are coming out. This little cheapo laptop has it's limitations and the display is one of them.
I saw some men getting ready to go fishing while I was taking photographs, am I going to regret not going on one of the trips I wonder?
Today we will just take it easy I think, and prepare ourselves for the long journey home tomorrow. It's very strange, I am not dreading coming home like I usually do, could it be that I am not worrying about returning to work do you think?

Our Friends, Olivia and Lenore at dinner last night.

More Monkey Business

Only just made the sunrise

Perhaps a tweak in photoshop

More food please

Ok

A Horizontal kind of day.

last night................... as much as I tried to hide in the shadows they still got me. I was laying on a sun bed in the dark looking at the stars through the fronds of the palm trees when this little black girl led me off to dance. It wasn't a jumping up and down kind of dance, thank god. More of a kind of stupid pigeon walk, it didn't last long and it wasn't too painful.
Today we have been just lazing around. I have been keeping out out of the direct sun because I felt myself  burning. I have run out of different birds and monkeys to photograph so today it was bugs. I had hoped there would be humming birds here but I haven't seen any. The bug variety isn't that great either.
Tonight it is Mongolian stir fry night, I imagine goat is going to feature somewhere on the menu, that's ok, I like goat.

Our Beach

Some kind of water flower

Bug 1

Bug 2

Beach bums view from under a palm tree.

Marlene has just got back to the apartment and it's monkey feeding time again

.

A quiet day.

Today has been a quiet day but none the less enjoyable. I have been sitting on the beach listening to my music and occasionally wandering off to take take photos. Oh I forgot, I had a Passionate Fling with Marlene in the swimming pool and it was very nice I must say. Tonight is another barbie night and it looks like there could be some dancing. I think I'll sit somewhere in the shadows just in case some Masai person asks me to dance. I'm not much good at jumping up and down.

Hornbills

The nights entertainment

A Dragon Fly of some sort I think

a water boatman and weaver nest reflections.

And by the way, a Passionate Fling is a cocktail, in case you hadn't already worked it out.

Pinewood Village

This has been a very good day. Flying, Snorkelling, Photography and relaxation, it just doesn't get any better. I want a microlight, problem is, you need to have a pilots license . A pity, you could easily take off from the green at Homer Park. The snorkelling was also great. We went out to a reef by boat and then just got in there amongst the fish. I have taken quite a bit of video but it is slow to upload so you will have to wait a few days for me to bore you with that.
We had a visit from some Monkeys again today. Marlene couldn't resist putting some food out for them. It attracted the monkeys ok, we had to take refuge and lock ourselves in because they got very boisterous. Like a load of kids, rolling around and showing off. They were hanging and standing on the door handle, they would definitely get in if the door wasn't locked.
Now I must get showered ready for tea with the ladies from Ireland.

Snorkelling

Biggles

Ready for take off

Our posh boat

Looking for trouble

Mummy and baby

Let me in

Flying High...at 1000 feet.

Pinewood Village

We have settled in here nicely. Went shopping today with Marlene and her two friends. Olivia and Lenor, two nice Irish ladies would you believe! I needed to get myself a new bag, the thugs at Mombasa airport dealing with the luggage ripped my other one. We also got a good supply of water, it cost 180 shillings a bottle at Pinewood so I bought a load at 30 shillings a bottle, and a bit of wine etc.
The rest of the day was spent around the pool and on the beach. That will probably be the story for the time that we have left. Apart from a bit of microlight flying maybe, snorkelling and perhaps some fishing. It's a hard life!

Cheers 

A Weaver

More Monkeys

Marlene monkey watching

Micro-light

Mombasa.....Pinewood Village

We have settled in nicely. For the first time yesterday we were able to fully relax. I was up early and caught the sunrise, excited in my new surroundings like a big kid. There are a lot of different birds here, strange looking crabs,  very noisy frogs and mischievous monkeys. Again we have to make sure the doors are shut when we leave the apartment.
Last night we had a barbie on the beach. Not your ordinary barbie, very well organised by the hotel, very posh. I had a bit of goat and quite liked it. The food throughout this holiday has been very good, even Marlene has been ok and eating a lot of healthy salad.

Day 8 Journey to Mombasa.

Day8 Journey to Mombasa.

A long day. Up early, long  (8 hours)and bumpy ride to Nairobi to catch flight to Mombasa. Arrived at Pinewood village after another hours drive followed by ferry crossing. Total time travelling, about 13 hours. Accommodation looks nice but have yet to explore outside because it’s dark and I’m tired.

The Rift Valley

Jackals

One of many goat herds

Day 7 Masai Mara

Day 7 Masai  Mara

Today  was supposed to be the day of the ballon safari but two things put us off. First was the fact that we would have to be up by 4am and then drive for an hour and we were both very tired after the previous days drive. Secondly, the price. $450 each and,  he wouldn’t budge. So we had breakfast with the hippos instead  which also meant we could lie in until 5.30 am. Later in the day went out again and explored more of this vast wilderness. A good decision, breakfast with the hippos was great.

Dawn

The balloon ride we missed

Ostriches

Cheetah

Tired Lion

A nice tree

Marlene with more buddies

Breakfast with the Hippos

Marlene enjoying her Hippo Breakfast,
see hippos in background,

Day 6 Masai Mara

Day 6  Masai Mara

This is what I call a National Park. A wilderness teaming with wildlife. Our tent accommodation is great although the view from the tent is not as good as at Samburu. We saw lions, cheetah, elephants, giraffes, hyenas to name a few. The afternoon game drive was even better. We came across a pair of the Lions, the female obviously looking for a bit of the other, the male, well, I think he had a head ache. I took some video which I will attempt to attach to this blog if the connection allows it.

Hyena

The Masai

Masai kids

Lion with cub

Cheetah

Jumbo

Randy Lioness