'Jambo', Thank you to all my followers, it is lovely to see that you are enjoying our safaris. We have now gone over the 1000 viewings, so do keep travelling with me on our trips and with the art side.
After many dusty, bone rattling , dusty days out on the game trails thought we would have a day off and relax by the beach.

What a beautiful day we are starting with, that is if you saw the sunrise by getting those lazy bums out of bed.
This beautiful beach awaits us, and what better than a long walk along the beach before going in to breakfast.
We need this to be ready for that lazying around and swimming in the warm Indian Ocean waters.Maybe a little boat trip out to one of the islands later.

                                                                   

Felt we would not burden the camels in this heat by having to carry us around for fun, so just watched others having a ride.One of these had a foal and it was brought down to walk next to mum, what a little cutie, but not this day.

I met my friend whilst walking along the beach. Have a great respect for the Masai, could have dressed like this other lady from a different area but felt my followers would have had the fright of their lives!!

                         
The local dhows are always ready to take you out to the coral reef for snorkeling, the fish are fantastic here, and come all around you. This is something I love to do, but if going out further in the sea, I always make sure Klaus keeps an eye out for me in case of something bigger being around. There was a time somebody asked me to put a starfish back that he had photographed. This I did, making sure it was safely out in a good area, but got carried away watching fish that when I looked up to come back, the tide was going out and I had to swim holding a tummy in to skim over hundreds of sea urchins. There was not enough room to kneel or stand up without stepping on them, so swimming was the only option. That was one real hard slog, finding where there was enough water channels to make my way back to the beach. A couple of local beach boys joined in by pointing out the inches of water I could try. A few tummy muscles certainly ached the next day from all this!

The gardens here are so beautiful and well kept, it is a pleasure to have time to walk round them. The tranquillity of it all, only the whisper of water, and then suddenly a whoop from the Hornbill as it flies over, and a monkey chattering at you from a tree.

                                                                             

'Hornbill'

                                                                                       

                 

There is a flash of black and white and looking up you see some Colobus monkeys. Storks and other birds are walking or flitting around catching insects or small reptiles.

'Colobus Monkey's

                In some places along the road outside the hotel they have strung ropes across the road for these monkey's to safely cross the road.

Time to get back to the room and get ready for the evening's entertainment. We are having some local dancer's in. Yes, I am sure we will both join in with a shuffle or two and the chant to one of the local songs.

                     

'This weeks picture has to be'

'Dressed to Kill'

                                                               
See you all next week when we are staying in a lodge built up in the trees above a waterhole. Hopefully will see plenty of animals.

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'Let's catch up on the art side now'.

I have filled in on the back and the rump blending in with the colours I have used so far. Making sure that the muscles and the roughage in the fur are defined. Also shaping the body.
Next I will work down the legs and the feet.
I have given him a tail so he can wag it soon!


Now on to the two noisy birds.

                                                           
No longer trying to hang in midair. I have started the base for the branch, acrylics, unlike my pastels cannot be blended in so easily, it's layer upon layer, but think I am getting there. Have also filled in a little more on the feathers, will have to try and define them a little more, but that is next time. I put some more colour onto the feet and claws, but like the feathers still needs some more work.This is all a learning curve for me, but will hopefully get there in the end.

Catch up with me again next week, I might just have gone a few steps further with both pictures.