Fundu Lagoon - Days 5 & 6 ...

25th February ... daily life, monkeys and BBQ ...

Late getting started this particular morning. Nothing planned so no problem .... WRONG! Late to breakfast but still before 10am. Found out certain young lady not too pleased 'cos we were holding up dining room cleaning. Just happened to be the last guests to be at breakfast - oh dear, in trouble again it seems! Seems everybody else (not that there were many guests) had been up and at 'em at some silly o'clock. Guess they'd all gone diving or snorkelling then .... Still, we finished brekkie, used t'internet to send message to friend Lynne, in Spain as she was on her own for the week (oops! a week late on that one but hey, we'd lost track of time *hehe*) and found ourselves in the jetty bar ... again! Jackie had got burnt on Misali - not enough sunblock on back of legs when snorkelling - so had to stay out of sun. 'Twere a lovely day as there was quite a strong, refreshing wind. Told it was the first onshore wind of the season, which meant that rain was on it's way. No idea when it was to arrive but locals (that included Matt) reckoned within a few days - bring - it - on! (I know, usually we don't want to see rain but it would have been a welcome relief to the heat right then - lol!)

Beautiful sunset, as ever, but this one we were viewing from the jetty bar. Taking photos of sunset, barman Hoffman suddenly calls 'mank, mank, beach!'  Not having a clue, off we trot to see loads of monkeys scattered over the beach. It looked as though they were eating and then we realised ... they were hunting and eating the little ghost crabs!  Next thing Hoffman's calling again ... 'sunset, sunset' ... and this was how it continued ' mank, sunset, mank, sunset' with us rushing from one side of jetty, and bar, to the other - just because he didn't want us to miss either - bless!

Finished the day with a BBQ on the beach. The food was already cooked so not quite a BBQ as we know it but delish none-the-less ... crayfish, prawns (giant, giant ones to our little tiddlers), fish kebabs to name just a few!

Notice the stars in this shot.  The result of non light polluted skies ... beautiful!

26th February ... fish, Chris and hob-nobbing!

But first ... this was a sight we saw while breakfasting and it wasn't the first we saw - or the last.  Piles of 'something' moving along the beach!  Further investigation told us that they were local villagers carrying materials along the beach to make a new shelter for the local fishermen.

A day out at sea ... fishing!  Well, I went along for the ride - *lol*  I used to fish and would have fished but - we took Lizzie, the restaurant manager, with us.  She'd worked at the resort for 10 years, had never been on a boat, apart from to and fro the resort and the local port and had certainly never fished so ... when first one was on the line she took centre stage.  With a lot of  hard work and help she landed a big 'un *lol*  A great trevally.  Never heard of one before but Google has told me a bit about them. 

Very, very hot day! None of the wind that was around yesterday!  At 700m the water temperature was 29.8c.  Water depth went off the scale and it was 30.6c.  Who'd have thought that the deeper the water the hotter it would be - *phew*!  Fish didn't much want to know ... too hot for them as well.  Water like a mill pond.  Lunch and wine on board for all, most welcome, along with the gallons of water consumed.

Another fish bit ... Jackie's turn!  Trouble was, by time she was ready it had surrendered and jumped into boat by itself  *LOL*.  Well, not quite but it was close enough to be dragged in.  Yellow fin tuna.  Not large but beautifully formed  *lol* ....  Tried for more fish for a while but nothing happening.  Made our way back, past Misali Island, enjoying the view and the breeze.

We decided to freshen up with a dip in the sea before changing and making our way to main bar, cocktails and sushimi - made with the tuna caught that afternoon (excellent!) - and to be introduced to Chris and Alex!    Chris - Matt and Anie's kitten - and Alex, part owner of the resort

Dinner 'party' this evening ... Matt, Anie, Rusty (today's skipper), Martie (his wife), us and Alex.  Very enjoyable!

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Fundu Lagoon - Day 4 ...

24th February ... dolphins, Misali and giant crabs!

Really busy day - well, sort of. Early morning. We were giving the dolphin safari another go. Woke to monkeys playing/squabbling on decking outside room. Yep, that is monkeys - more of the local wildlife! Our call was late and, although I saw monkeys playing in the roof at reception I didn't have time to stop for photos.

Dolphin safari ... successful *yay!* Today we saw loads, including tiny young ones. A pod of spinner dolphins and spin they did! Unfortunately it's nigh on impossible to get photos. They move so quickly and it's a case of point, shoot and hope you get something. I took loads of photos. Only a few were successful! It was wonderful seeing them jumping and spinning because they want to, not because they've been trained to!

Back for a rushed breakfast as we'd instructions to meet at the jetty bar for 9:30am. We were to have a day on Misali Island (a marine conservation area), a proper Robinson Crusoe type island, chillaxing on Baobob beach and ...

...snorkeling, with instruction from Matt and Anie .... right! Now me, I don't like being out of my depth and don't like putting face in water. I sort of managed to get the hang of the face in water and breathing through a tube thing but flippers? Oh my! I just couldn't get on with them and they gave me cramps so off they came, but not before they'd had us in hysterics with me trying to get enough balance to take them off. Anie grabbed both cameras to record the hilarity!

Picnic lunch, siesta and giant crab later and ...

Coconut crab - the largest crab species and ... this is a small one!

... off for another snorkel - this time Matt telling me to follow him ... which I did, and was fine, until he suddenly dived down under me and ... panic! It hit me how deep it was. That was the end of this snorkel session for me *LOL* I made my way back while the others carried on but I had a great time going back in the water ... within my depth!. I found it a lot easier on my breathing, moving around in the water rather than on the sand. It was also a lot cooler *lol*!

Brilliant day over, a wonderful boat ride back, couple of sundowner cocktails, dinner and an early night! We were bushed ... but I still didn't sleep well!

Thanks for dropping by .....

Fundu Lagoon - Day 3 ...

... and second post today!  Guess I should be wishing people a Happy Easter but it's not a holiday that we take a lot of notice of, if I'm truthful. However, I still wish everybody the best day possible *LOL*  I spent a little while with the littlies this afternoon and gave them their eggs but ... we're a family of atheists so it's more a break from work, for those that do, otherwise it's just another weekend with a couple of Bank (Public) Holidays attached and one not to venture out on if you want to avoid crowds - *lol*!  Anyway, on with the tales ...

23rd February ... Birthday, step and dinner!

Hubby's 70th birthday! I'd made his card and had left it, with instruction not to open it 'til the day! (He'd already had his pressie) As we'd been told not to go to jetty bar before 11am I took the opportunity, after breakfast, of sending him an email from the lappy in the gift shop (?). Oh dear! Lappy 100 years old and didn't have mousepad! Well, not one I could find anyway. Turned out it was a little button stuck in middle of keyboard. Internet connection decidedly dodgy as well but email sent ... eventually ... and off to jetty bar!

We got brave and decided to take a short walk along the beach (with cameras, of course) and have a paddle at the same time.  Short walk 'cos it was too blooming hot and sunny to have a long one!  More than 5 minutes and we'd have fried *LOL*

Now we did get into trouble - or rather, I did! Notice the difference?

Yep, platform OK on way down. Broke on way back! The planks felt a bit strange on way down - bouncy and spongey. Guess our weight was just too much and as I went to follow Jackie back up .... 'snap' and I was on an elevator - I went down with it - *lol* Jackie was hanging over the side of the jetty, with her camera, finding it highly amusing. Reported in, confession made and platform was duly repaired! Sea water has a lot to answer for - *grin*

A resort boat coming back from Misali Island after a snorkeling trip

One of the Masai security guys

Sunset viewed from our room

Dinner was private, in Matt and Anie's little 'house' but not before a couple of cocktails and a bit of socialising at the main bar ... which was when it suddenly came home to us that we were actually  hobnobbing with wealth ... and Lords and Ladies *lol*  Well, one lord and his lady anyway!  Lord William (no idea of where, who or what) was honeymooning with his bride.

Little mention of the local wildlife so far (saving that *lol*) but tonight, on way back to room ... a bushbaby! Tried to photograph it but too dark and pictures not good. We heard them a lot at night - they are very, very noisy - but they were not easy to see and this was the only one we managed to get a good look at!

Thanks for dropping by .....

Fundu Lagoon - Day 2 ...

22nd February ... busy, busy, busy ...

... doing nothing! Well, not quite true but pretty close. Certainly didn't involve anything energetic from me, that's for sure! Morning spent in jetty bar watching the world go by and reading. Considered a swim (even had cozzie on) but decided to watch Jackie take one from the end of the jetty instead ... and me?  Took photos *LOL*

Found out at lunchtime that we were 'in trouble'. Seemed jetty bar wasn't getting cleaned in the morning 'because of guests being there'. Yep, that'd be me and Jackie then. We thought, jetty bar, out of way, out of trouble ... wrong! We'd made sure that we didn't get there before 'opening time', 10am - or so we thought. On doing a double check, found out the bar didn't actually open until 11am and cleaning was done between 10 and 11am so we were putting a stop to proceedings - oops! Hadn't meant to but we wouldn't have bothered if they'd cleaned around us but we were told, "any excuse"! Suitably chastised we promised to be good girls in future - *LOL*!

Lazy afternoon ended with a sundowner cruise in the resort's traditional dhow. Beautiful trip with nibbles and wine. An opportunity to catch a breeze, different views and watch the sunset from the sea.

I took every opportunity to catch a breeze.  I was finding that the humidity was really affecting my breathing and all the while I could keep reasonably cool air flowing around me it helped.  I'd also been having trouble sleeping since we'd arrived in Tanzania, mainly due to the heat but ... I'd found something to help that.  I was soaking a towel every night and laying that over me to cool me down.  It was making the bed damp, admittedly, but that just gave me something cool to lay on.  The towel, combined with fans (no aircon at Beho Beho or Fundu as it was all generator electricity) helped a great deal but I still didn't sleep well.  I was just more comfortable - *LOL*

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... and the tales ...

... resume (along with more piccies *lol*)

21st February - dolphin safari, jetty and massage!

Our first full day at Fundu Lagoon and it started with a dolphin safari. A dolphin safari with no dolphins! They chose not to come and play and we could have had a lay in *lol* We had to meet at Jetty Bar at 7:30am so duly complied. Piled onto (nearly literally!) little boat and off we went. Sea was slightly choppy and we were getting a little wet but nothing a mac couldn't sort out. Trouble was, it was also a little cloudy (although still hot, hot, hot!) and the dolphins don't come out to play when cloudy. Anyways, a few spins backwards and forwards near Misali Island, killed nearly an hour and back to resort no closer to seeing dolphins than when we left and a little bit wetter than when we started however - it was a brilliant boat ride (there will be a theme as the stories progress *hehe*).

Breakfast followed and by then we were hungry! Fresh, fresh fruit and full English - or Pemban version of full English .... Room being changed so had to find somewhere to chill and the obvious place to us was - jetty bar! Not, I hasten to add, for the booze but for somewhere comfy to chill and read, with refreshment on hand but, more importantly, shade and a cooling breeze. It was also the place to watch the world go by as life seemed to be centred around the jetty.

Villagers returning from a shopping trip

Our new room (OK, tent!  Haven't I mentioned this was a camping holiday?) was closer to the main area, dining room, reception, main bar and jetty bar but wasn't quite as nice as the room we'd had for that first night however ... it suited our needs, as we thought at the time. If only we'd known what we could have had, had circumstances not stopped us!

View from chill out area outside room .... tent!

Reception and little shop

Anyway, settled in new room then lunchtime we're told we'd been booked in for a neck, shoulder and back massage for the afternoon. Wonderful!

Oh, my word! Massage? Not like any massage I'd ever had before! It certainly wasn't one that you'd ever fall asleep having. Little, teeny, tiny Balinese girls. Where did they get the strength from in those fingers! Just when you thought the worst was over back they came on the attack and, it seemed, if they found a 'knot' they attacked it until it had rolled over into submission - or was that us? Strangely, when over, it was relaxing. Just not while it was happening *lol*. I felt the bruising effects of that massage for a good 3 days!

The evening, after a couple of cocktails (and yes, we did have our faves) saw us dining on the beach for Swahili night. Local lads from the village came to entertain us for a while, until shooed away so we could eat in peace. I'd like to have seen and heard more as they were so happy and it was good seeing some of the staff join in. It was also amusing to see them picking up random things to use as instruments - like empty water bottles. The food was wonderful - all traditional Pemban/Tanzanian dishes - and cooked beautifully.

Restaurant Manager Liz, one of the chefs and a waiter joining in the fun!

We finished the first night, in our new room, in fits of laughter. Firstly, we'd finally got twin beds and it didn't help when Jackie started telling me that she missed me *joke*!  A gap of less than 6inches between beds and still under same mozzie net and ... she's missing me!  Then, housekeeping had turned the beds down but we only wanted a sheet ready, if needed, to cover us so we tried to 'strip' the beds. OMG! What a pickle! After tying ourselves in knots and making all sorts of mess we found that we had, what I can only describe as, homemade duvets, which meant we had to unmake these duvets to get a single sheet cover. Trying to figure out how these things were put together caused mayhem and ... we were asked, the following morning, if it was us making 'all that noise last night'. Uuuuummmmm - yep, guilty (was this the first sign of us getting into trouble here?)! We did, eventually, get it down to a fine art but these duvets were 2 sheets with a thick - and I mean thick - furry, fleecy blanket in the middle (as if we were going to be cold - erm, 40c daytime, 30c night???) and then the sheets were somehow twisted up to seal the blanket in to make one complete unit (duvet). The work that must have gone into making them every day only for housekeeping to find them all pulled apart every morning - ooops!  Perhaps we should have said not to bother, just leave a sheet each but only just thought of that one - *LOL*

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Nearly ready ...

... sort of, to recommence the holiday tales - *lol!*  Real life is a pain at times but ... Dad has finally had his hearing appointment, test done (hearing deteriorated a lot) and new aids are now on order.  How easy it is to spend £3k in less than an hour and what a price but, if it gets him hearing better than he is at the moment it's got to be money well spent.  Just can't help thinking that it's a rip-off aimed at a vulnerable market and captive audience - which it is but what other choices are there unless you can wait 18 months or so for an NHS appointment?  I just think it's despicable that the people least able to pay for these things - and I'm not just talking just about the elderly but most disabled people with extra needs - are those that have to pay the most for their 'aids'.  It's not only that but it costs more for things in general as hubby and I know from years of experience.  Transport is not easy and booking holidays is a nightmare!  In general, to get somewhere wheelchair accessible, you're looking at paying a premium and more homework has to be done about the suitability of the surrounding areas for getting out and about.  There's not much point going away to be confined to a hotel and it's grounds.

Anyway, I've digressed so off soapbox now.  Dad made me, and the audiologist, giggle.  Before he was prepared to commit to such an outlay he wanted to know 'how much longer have I got?'  Crystal ball?  Piece of string?  No idea!  Told him to think long term and what would be most cost effective of the 2 choices he's been given - and then not to pop off in the next 6 months otherwise whatever choice he made would be a waste of money!  Fortunately Dad does have a sense of humour *LOL*  He went for the dearest option, which could be the cheapest, long term.  Now we've just to wait for the call to say they're ready for collection and fitting.

Hubby has had post-op appointment and consultant is pleased. Doesn't want to see him for another couple of months and he can start using hand again - on light duties so there's no chance of passing the cooking back yet *duh!*  His thumb looks strange though, as he's now not got a base thumb knuckle joint and it's about an inch shorter than it was.  Still, any thumb is better than none.  He is still housebound because of it as he's still not allowed to wheel himself properly, he can't transfer to a car yet and he certainly can't drive as the brace has to stay on most of the time.  Most of us could cope with all this.  Yes, it would be awkward for anybody to be one handed but when you rely on your hands for your mobility it's really difficult.

I forgot it was Easter this weekend :0o  Went to do some top up shopping last night and didn't have much choice in Easter eggs.  Only wanted to buy for the littlies and fortunately found some for them.  Just as well I'd decided not to buy for the big kids 'cos there wasn't anything suitable for them.  Financial offerings seem to be more the order of the day for the older ones and if they want Easter eggs they can buy any that are on offer, cheap, after Easter *lol*  Just as well Easter is just another weekend for us.

Phew!  I typed all the above - and a little bit more - and Blogger decided to crash!  There's me thinking I'd lost all the above but .. it's back and OK, I've lost some but most is there ....

The weather this week has been a real mix but at least this part of the country hasn't had the horrendous snow - although a lot of stuff has been cancelled because of waterlogged grounds.  The weather doesn't seem to have got the idea that we're now officially in Spring with clocks now on British SUMMERTIME!  OK, bit early for that but hey ... take note!  We want some warmth after the awful cold, hard winter.

To finish - I'm nearly at a stage where I can recommence the holiday tales, having finally finished sorting and editing pics.  What a marathon that's been.  From over 3000 (bordering on 4) photos (mine & Jackie's combined) I've now got them down to a more managable 2000-ish.  Anyway, hopefully the tales will start again in the next day or so - and there's still some to tell - *LOL*

Thanks for dropping by .....