Beach

The beach was great. The kids loved it. For me, it was supremely relaxing, which was just what I needed. Mr B saw some nice birds, including 2 lifers (new species he'd never seen before) - Mangrove Kingfisher and Mouse-coloured sunbird - and coped well with the beach focus, sneaking off now and again to explore the local bush. One day we need to go back with time to relax at the beach and have a couple of days at Amani Nature Reserve too. It was tatalizingly near but not near enough for a reasonable day trip with kids in tow. The Usumbara Mountains we passed looked like they would make a fun destination too.

It is a 7 hour journey each way, so we had 4 full days at the beach with a day's travelling at either end. We took the Suzuki this time, which was lovely - faster, air con, no overheating engine, hear yourself speak and no great clouds of dust swirling aroud inside. And we stayed at the lovely Mkoma Bay Luxury Tented Lodge, just outside Pangani, having managed to land a very good deal. We had two days of sun, a morning of rain followed by grey, and then grey breaking into sunshine again on the last day. It was mostly a very pleasant temperature, much cooler and less humid than our february trip.

So... we played on the beach

and in the sea

and in some mangroves

and in a kayak

and in the pool

and on a boat heading up the Pangani river

and with the dogs

All in all, a lot of fun, the only downside really being the mosquitos which came out in force on the evening of day 3 and ate us all in the night, despite our nets. The following night we went on a killing spree swatting over 70 inside the tent before braving the bedsheets.

So, to finish off we have a mystery bone for you all to identify.... Even Mr B is stumped, so you could suggest anything.... This was sitting in the Lodge reception area, having apparently been found and left there by a guest.