Last night in Africa!

Last night the sea was really loud! In the morning we saw how far up the tide had come - lapping at our hut. And on the path to the 'mess'.

I was up at first light to watch the sunrise and watched two chaps setting off in the boat yesterday's boat. They have to sit really high, with only feet inside, and use big poles to propel it. Wish I'd been out there with them to get a few shots. Watched the crabs digging out their new holes, safe from the tide. They are quite amusing, carrying the sand to a wee pile about a foot away, and tapping down the sand on their way back to the hole.

We then had a humungous cricket type beastie - must have been about four inches long!! OK then - three.

Watched from the jetty as the boss and his staff waded out guiding the big dhow, possibly to catch tonight's dinner. They had to wade out and guide it between the island and mainland. The boss's dog, a lovely Alsatian, sat on the jetty and watched. She followed him everywhere, but not on the boat.

But I couldn't hang around too much - we were breakfasting and off by 8am for the long drive back to Arusha. Long but spectacular. After the coastal plains, we followed mountain ranges all the way north. When we turned west towards Moshi and Arusha we had Kilimanjaro and Mt Meru beside us. Unfortunately, Kili was under cloud this time.

Got stopped twice by police who checked the reflective triangle for breakdowns, although the many trucks that break down only seem to use branches. One truck behind us suddenly burst into flames!

I took shots out the window, as the colours of the flames trees, the red earth, the vast tracks of blue- green sisal plants, the tree covered mountains and blue sky were typical.

I would have liked to have stopped for a shot many many times. *sigh*. They will have to be just in my mind's eye: the two wee girls in the village near Fish Eagle, with big grins, waving, one of them holding a picture book; the line up of kids sitting by the road; the women carrying huge loads on their heads; wee girls in bright coloured satin frocks; men cycling with improbable loads of wood, grass, huge bags of charcoal, or water containers; the boys appearing at the windows, grinning and hoping to sell us nuts, fruit and even a couple of live chickens when we were stopped at road works; the majestic baobab trees (they can live for 1,000 years); the overcrowded trucks, piled high with luggage and water containers - we passed one as a nicely dressed young lady was helped up on to the top. Wasn't quick enough. *sigh*...

An amazing place. With crazy drivers.