This week at Lens-Artists, Anne from Slow Shutter Speed sends us on a virtual scavenger hunt. I haven’t been in the old Africa album for a while, so I thought I’d have a rumage there. A virtual mini safari as well then.
‘Wavy lines’ tops the list. The header thus features a wavy profile of hippo ears, eyes and noses in a wavy Lake Naivasha in the Kenya Rift Valley.
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This herd of Maasai Mara elephants was in a very peaceable mood. They walked around us as we were parked up eating a picnic breakfast. I’m thinking elephant hide would feel pretty ‘bumpy’ should one ever dare to try it, especially the trunks.
Whereas cheetahs must be wonderfully ‘soft’. They also wear nice ‘circular’ spots. This female was having an afternoon siesta when we pulled up beside her in a safari truck. She didn’t look at us, but simply posed like a professional, well used to having her photo taken.
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And more ‘patterns’. This time stripes. Zebras come with wavy ones:
And then there’s another Kenyan speciality, patterns-wise:
Cotton kanga wraps come in pairs with vivid designs and snappy Swahili slogans on the hems, here worn by Digo girls on Mombasa Beach.
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Now for ‘smooth’ water and a smooth dug-out canoe on Tiwi lagoon. A Digo fisherman under the midday sun. I’m guessing he’s looking for reef lobster.
And as for ‘cool shadows’, here’s me escaping to some at a Tiwi beach bar. Not so much too hot, as too bright to see out on the white coral sand. Aaah! Those were the days.
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Lens-Artists: Virtual Scavenger Hunt This week Anne at Slow Shutter Speed sends us on a photo quest, five to ten of the following: wavy lines, bumpy or soft texture, patterns, things circular, rectangular, smooth, made of glass, something with water in it, with green eyes, a wheel, a camera, cool shadows or jewellery…
Good interpretation of the challenge and a trip down memory lane too.
Thanks, Pauline. I ever like two strings to my bow 🙂
Scavenging the old Africa album – yes, it is wonderful to dip into the past with digital photographs. I used to take lots of slides/transparencies but these are gradually deteriorating. I digitised a selection of them, but the rest are in three large boxes in my study awaiting my attention. I am considering writing about my experiences abroad and I am hoping to use the slides as an aide memoire.
I find my actual photographs are in much better nick than the slides; really sharp. Whereas my scanning of same is a bit disappointing. Most of the photos are stuck in albums. (Most annoying of me to have done that.) But yes, slides as an aide memoire – are definitely to be treasured, at least until you get the words down on ‘paper’! On quite a few occasions I’ve proved my memory to be at odds with the photo ‘evidence’.
Get writing!
I will try to get writing, Tish. I have written something about my experiences with vaccination, with some illustrations. It isn’t long. Want to take a critical peek?
Will be happy to have a look. You’ve got my email address haven’t you?
Marvellous – are very successful virtual scavenger!
Many thanks, Sue.
😊
What a great idea to comb through your Africa archives! I love the zebra and cheetah shots, as well as that lone fisherman. Interestingly, while you’ve understandably chosen the cheetah to represent soft, I once had the chance to pet a cheetah, at a big cat sanctuary in Kent. He was a rescued unwanted pet and therefore unfortunately accustomed to human contact and unable to be housed anywhere more wild. And guess what? They’re not soft at all, much to my surprise 😀 The fur is very stiff and wiry, you could probably scour pots with it!
That’s v. interesting, Sarah. One shouldn’t go by appearances, even if I was touched beguiled by the white fluffy bits on her her flanks. I remember in one of Elspeth Huxley’s Kenya memoirs she writes of her pet cheetah, saying it was more like a dog than a cat, from the paws up. It anyway makes sense that they have a thornproof coat.
We were told at that sanctuary that cheetahs are more closely related to dogs than cats, so Elspeth had a point!
Oh what interesting choices your Scavenger Hunt has turned up! Wonderful. I’ll take the textiles please.
Great pictures, Tish. Thanks for sharing photos of your Africa album.
Wow Tish, I’m so glad you found time to play and that you chose your African images. I loved them all, especially the women and the fisherman. Thanks!
Many thanks, Anne. It was a great challenge.
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Tish, wonderful Africa images! I love the hippos in the water.
Many thanks, Beth.
I’m always pleased to share your memories..What an interesting life you have been blessed with.
Yes, we’ve had some fascinating times, Beverly. Thank you.
Always great to revisit your time in Africa, loved these!
Thanks, Tina. I’m always up for an excuse to go back there – virtually, that is.
PS. loved your title!
Tish, what a great time to revisit Africa. In fact, it must feel like a scavenger hunt while touring there. The photos are fabulous. I find it interesting that there are slogans on the hems of the girl’s wraps.
Wow. A really fabulous collection. I liked how some items did double or triple duty. What joy! that you could revisit Africa through this challenge. The zebras is a classic image.
That’s a very lovely comment, Joanne. Thanks.
Wonderful shots.
Thanks, Marie.
I am always amazed at your African memories, Tish. The environment, those magnificent animals – such a treasured experience.
Many thanks, Flavia. We were very lucky all round to have those years in Africa.
Strike a pose. 😀
:):)
There’s always something magical about old photos, the nostalgia of going through them, reliving memories. Wonderful post, Tish.
Yes, it can almost be as good as a small holiday. Many thanks, Sofia 🙂
I like that thought 🙂
Those were the days indeed. Nice shot of you. Ah… the kangas on Mombasa beach… (I wore a kanga on the beach when we went to Malindi.
Mombasa now… For so many it’s just a name. For you it is a series of experiences. For me Mombasa is where a first cousin of my father lived. We stayed at their house several times…
Asante sana memsahib mkubwa.
Kwaheri sassa…
All mzuri kabissa with you I hope?
Habari, mzee. All is well, thank you. Into autumn after a long and sunny summer. Hoping all is well in your domaine, Brieuc.
All well here memsahib Tish. Except that I just caught COVID. Apparently it’s only Mbaya kidogo. 😉 One stop at the French Lycée to pick up my grandkids… Long queues of people. Somebody must have coughed in my direction… Good thing is my Daktari daughter has already put the appropriate treatment in place. (I just hoe I don’t pass it on to my wife… 🤞🏻
Sorry to hear you’ve developed a virus, Brieuc. Plenty of water and lots of vit C. I’ve read from doctors who’ve recently revisited past research on the subject, that respiratory viruses, including the common cold which is also a corona virus, are not spread in the way we assume they are. We of course carry them around with us all the time, till some situation triggers them – so not necessarily close human contact.
Thank you Tish. So far, it’s a bad cold. I should be all right in a week’s time. 🤞🏻
Plenty of water, yes. (Does wine apply?😉)
Kwaheri sassa
Great pics, and nice sounds like some cherished memories✨
Thank you, Cherryl